Kedleston Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kedleston Hall |
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Kedleston Hall, the south front
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| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Palladian |
| Location | near Kedleston, Derbyshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°57′33″N 01°32′09″W / 52.95917°N 1.53583°W |
| Elevation | 95 m (312 ft) |
| Construction started | 1759 |
| Completed | 1765 |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Matthew Brettingham Robert Adam James Paine |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Kedleston Hall | |
| Designated: | 25 September 1951 |
| Reference #: | 1311507 |
Kedleston Hall is a grand country house in a style called Neoclassical. It is owned by the National Trust. This amazing house is the historic home of the Curzon family. You can find it in Kedleston, Derbyshire, about 6 kilometers (4 miles) north-west of Derby.
The old village of Kedleston was moved in 1759 by Nathaniel Curzon. He wanted to make space for this new, huge house. The only part of the old village that remains is the 12th-century church.
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Building Kedleston Hall
The current Kedleston Hall was started in 1759. Sir Nathaniel Curzon ordered its construction. The Curzon family has lived in Kedleston since at least 1297. They had several manor houses on or near this spot before.
The first architects for the new house were James Paine and Matthew Brettingham. They designed it in the Palladian style. This style was inspired by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Their plan was loosely based on one of Palladio's designs for a house that was never built.
Then, a less known architect named Robert Adam came along. He was designing some small buildings for the park. Curzon was so impressed with Adam's ideas that he put him in charge of the main house. Adam then changed many of the original plans.
In 1977, Richard Curzon, 2nd Viscount Scarsdale passed away. It was very expensive to keep up the house. So, his cousin, Francis Curzon, 3rd Viscount Scarsdale, gave the property to the National Trust. This way, the house could be preserved for everyone to enjoy.
Outside the House
Kedleston Hall has three floors. It is made of three main sections connected by two curved hallways. The bottom floor looks rough and strong, like old stone. The upper floors are smooth and polished.
The biggest central section holds the grand "state rooms." These rooms were only used for important parties and guests. The East section was like a separate house for the family's private use. The West section held the kitchens and rooms for the staff.
There were plans for two more sections, but they were never built. These would have included a music room and a conservatory.
The north side of the house is about 107 meters (117 yards) long. It has a huge entrance with six tall columns. This is called a portico. The south side, which faces the garden, was designed by Robert Adam. It looks like a Roman triumphal arch. It has a large glass door and a curved staircase. Above the door are stone decorations.
Four tall columns stand on this side, topped with classical statues. The very top of this central part has a low dome. You can only see it from a distance. The design of this side feels very grand and detailed.
Inside the House
The inside of Kedleston Hall is just as impressive as the outside. Robert Adam designed it in the Neoclassical style.
The Marble Hall
When you enter through the main north entrance, you step into the Marble Hall. It is one of the most amazing rooms from the 1700s in England. The room is about 20 meters (67 feet) long and 11 meters (37 feet) wide. It is also 12 meters (40 feet) high!
Twenty tall, pink columns with fancy tops support the decorated ceiling. The walls have statues and pictures inspired by ancient Roman stories. The floor is made of beautiful Italian marble. Robert Adam designed this room to be lit from above by skylights. This made it feel even more like an ancient Roman building.
The Saloon
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The Saloon is a circular room behind the triumphal arch on the south side. Like the Marble Hall, it rises the full height of the house. It is about 19 meters (62 feet) high to the top of its dome. Light comes in through a glass opening in the dome. This room was finished in 1763.
It was designed to display sculptures. The decorations are based on ancient Roman temples. There are paintings of ruins and scenes of famous British people. The four double doors leading into the room are also very grand.
The State Bedroom
The "principal apartment," or State bedroom, is filled with beautiful furniture and paintings. The main bed is very special. Its posts are carved to look like palm tree trunks. They reach up and spread out into dramatic leaves at the top.
The Drawing Room
The drawing room is a large room with a huge window. The fireplace has sculptures of women and a scene about honor. The fancy gold sofas were made around 1765. They were ordered by the first Baron Scarsdale.
The Dining Room
The dining room has a very large curved section. Its ceiling design was inspired by an ancient Roman palace. This curved area holds special curved tables and a giant wine cooler. The ceiling has paintings of the continents and the seasons.
The Music Room
The Music Room has elegant door frames and a delicate plaster ceiling. The fireplace is made of marble and has a special blue mineral called Blue John. There is also a pipe organ in this room. The organ's case was designed by Robert Adam.
The Library
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The library has a Roman-style door leading to the Saloon. The bookshelves were designed by Robert Adam. The ceiling has a pattern of octagons. The large desk in the library was built in 1764.
Other Interesting Rooms
The house also has a "Caesar's Hall" on the ground floor. Below the Saloon is the Tetrastyle Hall. This room was turned into a museum in 1927. It was created with help from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
You can also see many interesting items belonging to George, Lord Curzon of Kedleston. He became the owner in 1916. He was also the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. Lord Curzon collected many items from India and the Far East.
One famous item is Lady Curzon's peacock dress. This dress was worn in 1903. It was called the peacock dress because it had many precious and semi-precious stones sewn into it. Today, these have been replaced with fake stones, but it still looks amazing!
Kedleston Hall is sometimes called The Temple of the Arts. This is because it holds so many collections of art, furniture, and statues.
Gardens and Grounds
The beautiful gardens and grounds you see today were mostly designed by Robert Adam. Nathaniel Curzon asked him in 1758 to work on the park. The landscape gardener William Emes had already started work there. But Adam became the main designer.
During this time, the old gardens were changed. They used to have straight canals and geometric ponds. Adam changed them into natural-looking, winding lakes.
Adam designed many small buildings and structures for the park. These are called "follies." Some were never built, but many were. These include the North lodge, which looks like a triumphal arch. There are also entrance lodges, a bridge, a waterfall, and the Fishing Room.
The Fishing Room is one of the most noticeable buildings in the park. It is in the Neoclassical style and sits by the upper lake. It has a pool and a boat house underneath. Some of Adam's ideas for follies were almost as grand as the main house itself!
The gardens and grounds today are mostly the same as they were over 200 years ago. Parts of the park are special because of the many insects that live in its old trees.
Later History
Kedleston Hall During World War II
In 1939, Richard Curzon, 2nd Viscount Scarsdale offered Kedleston Hall to the War Office. The house was used in different ways during the war. It was a place for soldiers to gather and a training camp.
It was also one of the "Y-stations." These stations collected radio messages. If the messages were secret, they were sent to Bletchley Park to be decoded.
After the War
In 1957, Viscount Scarsdale started a project to fix the outside of the house. This cost a lot of money, about £30,000. Lord Scarsdale paid £10,000, and the government paid the rest.
In 1973-74, the roof of the central part was replaced. The outside stone was also cleaned. This cleaning showed the stone's natural pink color.
The National Trust Takes Over
By the 1970s, Kedleston Hall was too expensive for the Curzon family to keep. When Richard Curzon, 2nd Viscount Scarsdale, passed away, his cousin Francis Curzon, 3rd Viscount Scarsdale offered the house to the nation. This was done instead of paying inheritance taxes.
A deal was made with the National Trust. They would take care of Kedleston Hall and its park. The family could still live in a part of the house, called the Family Wing, without paying rent. This wing has 23 rooms. Today, Richard Curzon and his family still live there.
The National Trust started a big restoration project in 1987-88. It cost £1,000,000. The West Pavilion got a new roof. A new heating system was put in. The grand staircase was also made stronger.
See also
In Spanish: Kedleston Hall para niños
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Kedleston
- All Saints Church, Kedleston, the traditional burial place of the Curzon family.
- Raj Bhavan in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. This building was the official home of the Governor-General of India. It was built to look like Kedleston Hall. By chance, George, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, who owned Kedleston Hall, became Viceroy of India in 1899. So, he lived in both houses!
A writer named E. V. Lucas once said that in Calcutta, it was easy to feel like you were suddenly back in England. He noted that Government House (Raj Bhavan) was "serene and spacious" and a copy of Kedleston Hall.
