No doubt about it,this one is definately majestic
By ruby222
@ruby222 (4847)
October 11, 2008 12:43pm CST
A few days ago I went for my first ever visit to Chatsworth house,near Bakewell Derbyshire,and you may think thats nothing unusual,but given that I have lived in Derbyshire for nine years ,im wondering why I have never been before!But in another post I referred to a building as being majestic,which met with great hilarity!lolol,well let me tell you Chatsworth can only be described as majestic,wonderful,beautiful,and a few other things besides.The house is filled with works of art,the paintings on view to the public are stunning.It was interesting to learn that any piece of art work that is owned by the National trust must them be displayed within the house.The architectural beauty of the house would be hard to equal,the wood carvings,these are highlighted on the massive fire places.There are glass pier mirrors,and ornate china.The chandeliers must weigh a ton too,and how they clean them Lord only knows.But one thing I wasnt able to get my head around was the present Duke of Devonshire displaying his modern art collection within the grounds of Chatsworth..there we have some of the finest gardens that exist,and some wonderful statues,and there in the midst of them is the odd few `modern works of art`..a statue..or lol it purports to be a statue!and a few other very bizarre looking items.In the house there are a few pieces of modern art displayed too..there was two fireplaces,each of which had a number of white china `tubes`,some with lids and some without.well the only decision that I could reach was that they were some kind of old fashioned bed warmer!!so I decided to ask the guide,and was quite taken aback when the guide told me it was a piece of modern art called the `Sounding line`..and these china tubes when placed in a row,were symbolic,of what she did not know,but assured me that they were.
Georgina,one of the very early Duchess of Devonshires was a colourful character,she married the Duke,who then went on to take another lover,so Geaorgina ended up in a menage a trois,she apparently in later years became quite an unhappy woman.She wrote prolifically,writing letters to friends and family members on a daily basis.But her penchant was gambling,any type of gambling,and she went into her latter years steeped in debt,her creditors were piling the pressure on,and on her death bed she let it be known that she wanted her gambling debts to be repaid,which upon her death the Duke did.The Duke then went on to marry Sarah Foster,the other `wife`.and lived with her for the remainder of his life.It is just so extremely interesting to take a stap back and remember how they lived in years gone by.
6 people like this
9 responses
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
11 Oct 08
[i]Hi ruby,
wow..I feel like while reading, I am also having a tour! LOL!
Thanks for sharing and I am sure the place is very memorable to you!
so, you're having a vacation that is why I didn't see you here for quite sometime?
[/i]
3 people like this
@ella1bella (839)
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14 Oct 08
It certainly was an epic Ruby,a bit like War and Peace,but lol I think that you just got carried away ,the breathtaking beauty of Chatsworth had you in its grasp.and the life of the Duchess sounds incredibly interesting.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
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14 Oct 08
I went to Chatsworth for the first time when I was about seven Ruby. I fell in love and have visited several times since. I'm quite fond of Haddon Hall too. I was so inspired that I always wanted my own stately home. Well now I have one. It's my home and it's in a state and on and estate. P1ke Towers is well known in Wiltshire and I'm sure that you know it too. I love the violin on the back of the door in the State Music Room. I cannot for the life of me remember what that type of painting is called. But it is very realistic. Thank you for a happy memory.
3 people like this
@ruby222 (4847)
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14 Oct 08
Piky,it pulled my strings when I read of your love for Chatsworth house,it is a remarkable building,a little like my own house too,but mine is on a smaller scale.The violin is a wonderful illusion,a Trompe de Loeil,maybe the spelling is a little wrong there,but `a trick of the eye`.in front of us were some gentlemen from the Emirates and the tour guide asked them to return to the door and look at the `violin` on the door lol they were so taken aback.Haddon is on my list of homes to do,very well known for its large tapestry hangings,we were saying about the tapestries in Chatsworth,we thought they must be flemish or german,there was some intricate woolwork called berlin woolwork.As for the happy memory ..you are most welcome.
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@littleowl (7157)
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11 Oct 08
Oh ruby that sounds fantastic!!! It is wonderful to go to places steeped in history to see and perhaps feel how they lived then...it is also amazing to see the architecture of these places when they were made so long ago and how high the ceilings are and the paintings on some of them..it makes you question 'how did they do it and how long did it take for them to do it',...yes it is a true these places are 'majestic'...littleowl
3 people like this
@ruby222 (4847)
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14 Oct 08
The artwork is magnificent Owl.The ceilings are richly painted with cherubs and Gods,and incredible feat in anyones eyes.The oldest room in the house is the Oak room,it was a set of Oak panelling bought at auction by the sixth Duke,it originally came from a german monastery.It was then taken to Chatsworth and made to `fit` the room,and subsequently was used as a gentlemans smoking room.The apinted hall is the first that any visitors see and it depicts scenes from the life of Julius Caesar,magnificent.One of the other rather strange things to be housed at Chatsworth is a titanium fan,given to them by Rolls royce.
1 person likes this
@ruby222 (4847)
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11 Oct 08
It was a lovely day Humbug..actually I was just rambling away t myself here lol sometimes it does the soul good!!and it beats telling the dag about my day out rofl.Well how is life treating Humbug,and has my stripey little friend done anything exciting since I last talked to him.I am sure that you may have a little more news than I have here...I have one eye on the X Factor here..on the television,and my fingers on the keyboard..
2 people like this
@Humbug25 (12540)
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11 Oct 08
Sorry I didn't mean to intrude into your thoughts but you did seem to be saying it aloud 
Well my kids have been keeping me busy as usual as well as the dentist and the doctor hahaha. Had cronic toothache in the week and had to visit the emergency dentist. Have been having dizzy spells for the past 7 weeks or so and the doc doesn't seem to have an answer, possibly vertigo which I had many years ago. The blood test I had a few weeks back came back as all ok. We ruled out pregnancy as we came to the conclusion that I would have had to have slept with someone recently for that to have happened and I can't seem to recall any of that sort of business happening unless some guy broke in my house while I was asleep!! Never a dull moment in the life of a humbug eh?
Well my kids have been keeping me busy as usual as well as the dentist and the doctor hahaha. Had cronic toothache in the week and had to visit the emergency dentist. Have been having dizzy spells for the past 7 weeks or so and the doc doesn't seem to have an answer, possibly vertigo which I had many years ago. The blood test I had a few weeks back came back as all ok. We ruled out pregnancy as we came to the conclusion that I would have had to have slept with someone recently for that to have happened and I can't seem to recall any of that sort of business happening unless some guy broke in my house while I was asleep!! Never a dull moment in the life of a humbug eh?3 people like this
@ruby222 (4847)
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11 Oct 08
Humbug..I was sharing my lovely day with sall my fellow mylotters,it sometimes is good to share..but I have not been away on holiday,just had a day or two out,which is a lovely change.Thr weather was good too which helped.It seems as if you have had a lot on your plate too Humbug..thats life though,and as long we keep smiling that is fine,its what keeps us all going!!!
4 people like this
@Jerrybbb (67)
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14 Oct 08
If me and the missus go out for the day we genrally go somewhere where theres a bit of life,say Blackpool or Southsea,where theres a pier,with bingo and arcades,the wife likes the slot machines,the one armed bandits,and she luves the penny slots too.She always gets us both a candy floss and then off to the chippy for some tea,weve had some good days out at Blackpool,dancing the afternoon away at the tower ballroom.Thinkin of goin on a coach trip there next year if I get the overtime at work.
@Pikelet (79)
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14 Oct 08
Im in Derbyshire too Ruby,near Matlock,a place that is flooded with visitors most weekends lol and its a real pain.The place is so good,we have nice pubs where you can get good pub lunches and cafes and coffee houses.There is a mining museum there too.But its the home of the Harley Davidson ..so to speak..and every weekend ,especially in the summer we have the roar of the engines twenty four hours a day,it can be very wearing Ruby.Admittedly the bikes are custom built,well many of them are,but they are so noisy.
2 people like this
@ruby222 (4847)
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14 Oct 08
Matlock is a very picturesque place Pikelet,there is something for all of the family there too,arcades for the children,shops for the adults and fish and chip shops to get some lunch.They have recently built a new branch of Sainsburys at the bottom of Matlock,a very modern looking building it is too.
1 person likes this
@ella1bella (839)
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14 Oct 08
Wilton house was one of the best stately homes that I have ever visited,the house opened to the public in 1951 and is the home of the Earl of Pembroke.Wilton was built on the site of a ninth century nunnery,which was founded by King Alfred.The ninth Earl was an architect,and he designed the Palladian bridge which spans the River Nadder..this was way back in 1737.I know that you can hold seminars ,functions and that it is licensed for weddings there too.This is another house filled with art,and there are statues by Nicholas Stone in the gardens.There is a great portrait hanging there believed to have been painted by the circle of Rembrandt in 1629.its not signed or even dated but it was bought in Holland by the eighth Earl..its called Rembrants mother.
@ruby222 (4847)
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14 Oct 08
Hi Ella,but you havent said where Wilton house is??!!lol I have heard of Wilton carpets ,the very expensive wool carpets,is it anywhere near where they are made maybe.It sounds idyllic.We are so lucky here in Great Britain to have all of these wonderful places.
1 person likes this
@ella1bella (839)
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14 Oct 08
Just back from an exotic holiday and still spending Pike,well my my,the credit crunch hasnt touched you has it?and may Ruby and I ask what you used to do in Wilton?or would that be deemed as being a little nosy!..but Wilton carpets last forever,many years ago I had a large square,before fitted carpets were thought of,and that square lasted for many years,it went out of fashion way before it wore out.I see the shares in Waitrose have gone down,the John Lewis group is showing signs of a decline..just put that in to cheer you up.
@chubbycheeks (135)
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12 Oct 08
Modern art is a bit of a poser to me,I have been to see some recently,and thought very little of it Ruby.I once went to see some statues by Barbara Hepworth,they were really modern and way out ,and were difficult to understand.I have looked on the Sothebys web site and have seen some of the artwork displayed at Chatsworth house,as I understand it ,it seems that the art work is for sale,and I see there is a figure of a woman on fire by Salvador Dali.There is another there that is just two simple crescents joined together,it has a russian look about it.The Tate modern must be crammed with modern art work,a friend of mine went,she was really let down by the tate modern displays.It may be worth taking a look at the Taes website to see what the works of art are like there.
2 people like this
@ruby222 (4847)
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14 Oct 08
Chubby,you and I are of the same ilk.I too find modern art very difficult to comprehend.The artwork at Chatsworth is indeed for sale,on the Sotheby`s website,but thousands of pounds are being asked for it,and it doesnt have a patch on the work that they did centuries ago.I have an email come regularly from the Tate modern,but I still fail to understand the artwork.The official website of the Salvador Dali museum is in Florida.Like you I find his work surreal and sometimes troubling.It is almost as though his soul was tormented when he was creating the works.Did you know that Salvador had a great interest in mythology,which he developed after reading a lot of Sigmund Freuds work.Dali had a troubled relationship with his father,he also had problems with neuroses and obsessions hence maybe the weird works.
1 person likes this
@curlyshirley (24)
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12 Oct 08
Im a member of the National trust,and we go all over the country visiting the places of interest.Now if you join for the first year you will get twelve months membership for the price of nine months,plus a free gift thrown in,so thats a good deal.The National trust offers gardens,castles,stately homes and wildlife,as a part of its package.We joined online,its simple and when you join online you get mailed a temporary admission card too.The trust has over three hundred places of interest to visit.Why not try it for a year and see how you get along .
@ruby222 (4847)
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14 Oct 08
Oh Shirley!Have you ever been to see Lacock Abbey?..the former home of William Henry Fox Talbot,a pionerr in photography,a medieval cloistered abbey converted into a beautiful country house.There is a good museum there dedicated to photography,and the village of Lacock is stunning.The location for Harry Potter,Pride and prejudice,The Other Boleyn girl and The Cranford Chronicles.LOL I forgot to say that Lacocok is in Wiltshire in case you had no idea where it was!!
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