Kedleston

Kedleston Hall has been the family seat of the Curzon family since the 12th century and, until it was taken over by the National Trust, it had the longest continuous male line in Derbyshire and one of the longest in the country. Nothing remains of the original medieval structure and little is known about it other than details recorded in a survey of 1657 which state that one of the doorways was over 500 years old and that there was also a large hall and a buttery.

 Since taking over the property, the National Trust has embarked on a major restoration programme and many of the stately home’s rooms have been beautifully furnished with contemporary pieces; modern photographs of the family can be seen mingled with priceless paintings and other treasures such as Blue John vases. Along with the house itself and the park with its lakes, there are the boat house and fishing pavilion to explore.

One member of the family, George Nathaniel Curzon, was the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. When he returned to England he brought back numerous works of art, carvings and ivories that can be seen on display in the Indian Museum in the hall. Though he was out in India for some time, George would not have missed his family home, as Government House in Calcutta is a copy of Kedleston Hall. Once back in England, George did not have much time to enjoy his lands: he became a member of Lloyd George’s inner War Cabinet, which met over 500 times during the First World War.

The nearby All Saints Church, in the ownership of the Churches Conservation Trust, is the only part of the old village that was allowed to remain when the rest was moved in 1765 to make way for the landscaped park around the Hall. It dates from the 12th century, and is of an unusual design for Derbyshire in that it is cruciform in shape and the tower is placed in the centre. Inside are Curzon monuments dating from 1275 to the present day, some designed by Adam. The only brass in the church is to Richard Curzon, who died in 1496. Perhaps the most magnificent tomb is of Mary, wife of George Curzon, Viceroy of India. It was built within a magnificent memorial chapel by her husband between 1907 and 1913, and is of white marble. The church has an unusual east-facing sundial. Because of its orientation, the dial only catches the sun between the hours of 6am and 11am. The hour lines are parallel with each other, with half hour lines in between. The gnomon is in the form of a letter “T”, the top bar of which casts a shadow across the dial. The inscription above the dial is “Wee Shall”, which cryptically links to sundial (soon die all) to make a sombre message. This is reinforced by the carvings on top of the dial, showing a skull between two hour glasses.