An 18th Century mansion with neoclassical interiors, Kedleston Hall is full of intrigue. Commissioned by Nathaniel Curzon, whose family came to England from Normandy around 1066, and designed by architect Robert Adam, it has a deep-rooted connection with global histories.
With a backdrop of historic parkland, the angular, dressed-stone façade of Kedleston Hall cuts a regal frame. Commissioned in the 1750s and completed in 1765, its Palladian and Neoclassical-inspired design was never intended as a family home, but rather as a “temple of the arts”. Built to rival the grandeur of Chatsworth, its main purpose was to host lavish events and act as a show palace in which to display the very finest furniture and pieces of art. Inside Kedleston, it’s perhaps the State Floor that most reflects the original 18th Century vision of luxury.
Later inherited by George Nathaniel Curzon, the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, the house’s collection of paintings, sculptures and opulent furnishings expanded further. Showcasing all sorts of objects and curios from George’s travels around South Asia and the Middle East, the collection grew to include religious, military and domestic artifacts and rarities, as well as ceremonial gifts. Today, you can still these pieces in the hall’s Eastern Museum – representing diverse cultural and artistic traditions and the power relations inherent of the colonial British Empire.
Once you’ve explored inside Kedleston Hall, you should orientate yourself towards the vast, 800-acre parkland that awaits outside. As well as formal gardens and an extensive ‘reawakening’ project to bring the original 18th Century gardens back to life, there’s a large number of dog-friendly walks around the estate. Beautiful whatever the season, the array of long and short walks will lead you through open spaces, past sweeping vistas, through magical woodland and alongside the park’s lake.
Feeling inspired? Take a look at out luxury cottages in the Peak District and Derbyshire here.
Kedleston Hall, Kedleston Road, near Quarndon, Derby, Derbyshire DE22 5JH | 01332 842 191 | www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kedleston-hall
