Deene Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deene Park |
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| Type | Country house |
| Built | 14th century, with later additions |
| Owner | Robert Brudenell (since 2014) |
Deene Park is a beautiful old country house in Northamptonshire, England. It's about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Corby. The Brudenell family has lived here for a very long time, since 1514! The house itself is super old, built in the 14th century. It's been changed and added to over the years to become the amazing building you see today. It's so important that it's a Grade I listed building.
Many members of the Brudenell family were important nobles called Earls of Cardigan. The most famous was the 7th Earl, James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan. He was a military leader who led a famous cavalry charge called the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. He didn't have any children, so after his wife passed away in 1915, the Deene Park estate went to other family members.
The current owner of Deene Park is Robert Brudenell, who inherited it in 2014. His parents, Edmund and Marian Brudenell, worked very hard to restore and improve Deene Park. They are the reason it looks so wonderful today!
Exploring Deene Park's Past
The land where Deene Park stands used to belong to Westminster Abbey. For many years, the owners of Deene Park paid rent to the Abbey. The main house has grown over time, built around a central courtyard. The oldest part is the great hall, which got its special wooden panels and fireplace way back in 1571.
Inside the Historic House
One of the rooms, called the Bow Room, was built in the early 1800s. It holds the Brudenell family's amazing library. This collection of books was started in the 1500s by Sir Thomas Tresham and his son-in-law, Thomas Brudenell, 1st Earl of Cardigan. Imagine, this collection once included a handwritten copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and even one of the last copies of the Magna Carta still owned by a private family!
The house is filled with furniture from different time periods. You can also see many portraits, including paintings by famous artists like Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. There are even cool items from the Crimean War, like the uniform worn by Lord Cardigan and the head and tail of his brave horse, Ronald!
Beautiful Gardens and Surroundings
Deene Park also has large, beautiful gardens designed by David Nightingale Hicks. There's a special type of garden called a parterre that looks out over a peaceful lake. A new avenue of trees has also been planted, adding to the beauty.
The manor is in the countryside, close to the impressive Harringworth Viaduct. It's surrounded by charming old villages and small communities. Right on the grounds of Deene Park, you'll find St Peter's Church, Deene. This church holds the funeral monuments of many Brudenell family members.
For a few years in the 1990s, Deene Park was the home of the annual Greenbelt Festival, a popular event held during the August bank holiday.
