Every Picture Tells a Story    February 2016

 

 

Calke Abbey & Eyam Hall

(neither of which I found the interiors very photogenic - interior photos below are by others)

 

Calke Abbey - the Un-Stately Country Estate

With peeling paintwork and overgrown courtyards, Calke Abbey tells the story of the dramatic decline of a country house estate. The house and stables are little restored, with many abandoned areas vividly portraying a period in the 20th century when numerous country houses did not survive to tell their story.

Discover the tales of an eccentric family who amassed a vast collection of hidden treasures. Visit the beautiful, yet faded, walled gardens and explore the orangery, auricula theatre and the kitchen gardens. Escape into the ancient and fragile habitats of Calke Park and its National Nature Reserve.

Don't miss...

•    See the stunning state silk bed, erected for the first time in 1985 after lying undiscovered since the 18th century
•    Spot the ‘Old Man of Calke’, a 1,200 year old oak tree
•    Enter a world of little light and follow the twists and turns of the brew house tunnel
•    Visit the red and fallow deer in their restored deer enclosure
•    Stroll through the pleasure grounds to the flower garden with its unique auricula theatre and creep into the gardeners’ tunnel

A gloom looking house on a gloomy day

Huge stable complex

Gate to the house

Once home to many a proud horse

More stables

Pride's hay rack

The carpenters tool bench

Racks for drying tack

One large box of dried mustard!

The stables

Two hours later the sun is out but the house still looks gloomy

Interior shots of Calk Abbey are not by Philip Illingworth
   

Eyam Hall - Sacrifice & an Enduring Spirit

Nearly 350 years ago the community village of Eyam made the ultimate sacrifice to prevent the spread of the deadly plague – their own lives.

To help you explore some of these stories we’ve created a number of walks starting from Eyam Hall.  Choose from The Two Survivors, The Three Decisions, The Lone Mother or The Lovers and explore Eyam and the surrounding countryside.

The Centre, built in the Hall’s former stable yard, offers a vibrant hub from which to explore the wider village of Eyam and its captivating stories. Here you will find a collection of locally run craft units, an independent café and National Trust shop, providing the perfect place to find gifts, refreshments and information while enjoying your day in Eyam.

Eyam Hall, built in 1671, just six years after the plague intruded in Eyam, is a wonderfully unspoilt example of a grit-stone Jacobean manor house. Home of the Wright family for eleven generations, inside visitors can enjoy family portraits, and furniture belonging to each generation.

With a legendary plague history, fascinating stories and a setting amongst the beautiful Peak District a day in Eyam is a day to remember.

 

The court yard

Front of the hall

Entry to the front door

The church yard

Room for two who missed church!

The church yard

Stocks in for those who miss church

Interior shots of Eyam Hall are not by Philip Illingworth
 
   
   

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All Photography by Philip Illingworth