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Calke Abbey 
Ticknall, Melbourne, Derbyshire, England
Started 1701
Completed 1704
Status: Partially Extant
Ticknall, Melbourne, Derbyshire, England
Started 1701
Completed 1704
Status: Partially Extant
Special Info / Location/ Date
Special Info
Phonetic Pronunciation of House Name
Location
Country
England
District Today
Derbyshire
Historic County
City / Town / Village
Ticknall, Melbourne
Latitude
52.800556
Longitude
-1.457222
Date
Start Date
1701
Completion Date
1704
Circa Date
Images
Front and Side Facades
Click on thumbnail for a larger view
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Front and Side Facades
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Side Façade
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The Print Room
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The Saloon
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The Dining Room
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Dining Room Wall and Column
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Dining Room Wall Panel
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Dining Room Wall Decoration
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The Drawing Room
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Drawing Room Commode
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The Boudoir
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The Bird Lobby
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Bedroom
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Early Shower
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The School Room
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Architects
| Designed | Built new stairs to main entrance (demolished 1806), to James Gibbs's designs. |
| Date | 1727-28 |
| Attribution of this work is uncertain. |
| Designed | Conservatory for Sir George Crewe |
| Date | 1837 |
| Designed | Casino at Swarkeston (circa 1808; demolished). Coadestone Grotto, Cascade, and Gothic Bridge (demolished), all for Sir Henry Crewe between 1809-10. |
| Date | 1808-10 |
| Designed | Rebuilt House for Sir Henry Harpur, Bt., including Dining Room and Drawing Room (1793-94), Library (1804-05), Portico (1806-08), and 3 lodges. |
| Date | 1793-1808 |
| Designed | Riding School for Sir Henry Harpur, Bt. |
| Date | 1768 |
| Designed | Outside balustraded flight of stairs to main entrance for Sir John Harpur, Bt. (demolished 1806). Executed by Francis Smith. |
| Date | 1727-28 |
| Designed | Brick Stable block for Sir John Harpur |
| Date | 1712-14 |
Extant / Listed / References
Extant
Extant Type
Partially Extant
Extant Details
Listed
House Listed As
Grade I
Gardens Listed As
Grade II*
On SAVE Britain's Heritage's List of Buildings at Risk
No
Country House: Yes
References
Vitruvius Britannicus
Vitruvius Scoticus
J.B. Burke (Burke's Visitation of Seats)
Vol. I, p. 107, 1852.
Country Life
J.P. Neale (Neale's Views of Seats)
Access / Ownership / Seat
Access
Open to Public Please note: Houses listed as being open "By Appointment" are usually country house hotels or B&Bs.
Yes
Historic Houses Association Member
Phone Number If calling from the U.S., delete the first "0" in British numbers.
01332-863-822
Fax Number
01332-865-272
Email
Website
Awards
Current Ownership
Current Ownership Type
The National Trust
Primary Current Ownership Use
Visitor Attraction
Current Ownership Use / Details
Seat ("Seat" is loosely defined
as any family that occupied the house for a period of 2 years or more)
Today Seat of
A Past Seat(s) of
Sir John Harpur, Harpur family, Crewe family, Harpur-Crewe family, 18th century-1984.
Possible (Unsure) Seat of
History / Gardens & Park / Movies
History
Earlier House(s) / Building(s)
Calke Priory, a medieval religious house that was secularized during the reign of Henry VIII, once stood on the site of the current house.
House Replaced By
Built / Designed For
Sir John Harpur
House & Family History
The Harpur family fortune was made in the law; they obtained the Calke Estate in 1621. The current impressive House was built 1701-04. During the Napoleonic Wars Sir Henry Harpur commissioned Haydn to compose the Derbyshire Marches to provide his volunteer yeomanry with appropriate music. It was also this Sir Henry who renamed, in 1808, the house Calke Abbey (there was never an abbey on the Estate). The Harpur-Crewes had a long tradition (lasting until the late 20th century) of serving as High Sheriffs of Derbyshire. The males of the family had a streak of strangeness that revealed itself in the form of very reclusive natures with a passion for collecting all sorts of things, with a particular interest in natural history. The Library at Calke contains over 7,000 volumes and is one of the largest libraries in any Trust house. The National Trust took over this famous "sleeping house that time forgot" in 1985 with an unprecedented grant from the government of £4.5 million.
Collections
This field lists art objects that are currently or were previously in the collection of the house.
For information on the history of British currency, click here. To use a chart that allows you to compare the purchasing power of money In Great Britain from 1264 to any other year, including the present, click here. To use a currency conversion to see the current value of the British pound, click here.
For information on the history of British currency, click here. To use a chart that allows you to compare the purchasing power of money In Great Britain from 1264 to any other year, including the present, click here. To use a currency conversion to see the current value of the British pound, click here.
The Harpur-Crewe family collected stuffed birds and animals, shells, insects, eggs, fossils and carriages, plus many other unusual things that are today displayed in the House. There is also a very fine 18th century state bed, virtually untouched for 200 years, at Calke.
Comments
Gardens & Park
Garden, Park, Follies and Outbuildings
By the late 1820s there were over 50 varieties of geranium at Calke Abbey. A small yellow wallflower, called Cheiranthus Harpur Crewe, is widely grown today. Three lodges, including Middle Lodge, were designed by William Wilkins.
Chapel & Church
The Calke Church is Elizabethan, probably built by Richard Wendsley; it was remodeled in 1827-29 by Sir George Crewe.
Movies
Location for Movies / TV
"National Trust: National Treasures" (2006 - one of 10-part documentary)
Bibliography
| Author | Sayer, Michael |
| Year Published | 1993 |
| Reference |
| Author | NA |
| Year Published | NA |
| Reference | Summer 2002, pg. 3 |
| Author | Tinniswood, Adrian |
| Year Published | 1992 |
| Reference | pg. 2 |
| Author | Colvin, Howard |
| Year Published | 2008 |
| Reference | pgs. 170, 421, 428, 803, 944, 1121 |
Related Resources
There are no documents associated with this house.
