Deene Park facts for kids
Deene Park is a beautiful old country house in Northamptonshire, England. It's about 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Corby. This historic house has been the home of the Brudenell family since 1514, which is over 500 years! The main building itself is very old, dating back to the 1300s. It has been changed and updated many times to become the house you see today.
Many members of the Brudenell family were known as the 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 event called the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. This happened during a war called the Crimean War. The 7th Earl didn't have any children. After his wife passed away in 1915, the Deene Park estate went to the family of his second cousin.
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 largely responsible for how wonderful the estate looks today.
History of Deene Park
The land where Deene Park stands used to belong to Westminster Abbey. The Brudenell family paid rent for it every year until 1970. 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 in 1571.
Inside the House
The house has many interesting rooms. The Bow Room, built in the early 1800s, holds the Brudenell library. This collection of books was started way back in the 1500s by Sir Thomas Tresham and his son-in-law, Sir Thomas Brudenell, 1st Earl of Cardigan. While some very rare items like an old copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and a copy of Magna Carta are no longer there, the library is still impressive.
You can find furniture from different time periods inside the house. There are also many portraits, including paintings by famous artists like Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. You can even see special items from the Crimean War. These include the uniform worn by Lord Cardigan and parts of his brave horse, Ronald!
Gardens and Surroundings
The large gardens at Deene Park are beautiful. They were designed by David Nightingale Hicks. One part is a formal garden with patterns, which looks out over a lovely lake. There's also a newly planted avenue of trees.
Deene Park is located in the peaceful countryside. It's close to the impressive Harringworth Viaduct. The estate is surrounded by charming old villages and small communities. St Peter's Church, Deene, which is on the grounds of Deene Park, holds the funeral monuments of the Brudenell family.
During the 1990s, Deene Park was also the host for the annual Greenbelt Festival. This was a popular event held every August.
