Calke Abbey Is A National Trust Day Out With A Difference

Set in the county of Derbyshire, where you have a choice of some of the finest stately homes in Britain, Calke Abbey represents an entirely different face to the National Trust, one that is probably not repeated with any great regularity throughout Britain.

For, an institution that prides itself on its superb presentation skills has made a conscious and deliberate effort to retain Calke Abbey in the state of decline in which the house was presented to the nation in 1985 by the Harper-Crewe family in lieu of death duties. It seeks to show how many similar properties suffered as a result of a lack of investment, many indeed did not survive.

This is quite a decision by the National Trust, which has a reputation that is second to none in restoring the buildings in its care to a condition that shows how they would have been in their pomp. The attention to detail during improvement and restoration programmes is a byword for professionalism, and it is a brave, yet pragmatic decision to allow Calke Abbey to be marketed in the way that it is.

I suspect that pragmatism is the key to the decision as although it is more than a little surprising to see the condition when you visit the house, substantial sums have already been invested in securing the fabric of the building against further damage, and with the National Trust being a charitable body, it was felt that the limited funds of the Trust could be better spent in other directions. Such decisions are probably a regular occurrence for the Trust, but the reality is particularly stark at Calke Abbey.

Holding a Grade I listing, Calke Abbey can trace its origins back to the twelfth century and its time as an Augustinian Priory. It suffered dissolution by Henry VIII, but was rebuilt between 1701 and 1704 in the style of a Baroque mansion. It received the name Calke Abbey in 1808, although as can be seen, it has not served as an abbey during its lifetime.

The Harpur family had retained ownership for nearly 300 hundred years, starting with the first baronet, Sir Henry Harpur, purchasing the estate in 1622. The fourth baronet, Sir John Harpur was responsible for the construction of what we see today, with ownership passing down to Sir Vauncey Harper-Crewe the tenth and final baronet, whose devotion in life was to his collection of natural history specimens.

The family were noted for their reclusive eccentricity, a perfect example of this being the gift of a wonderful state bed in 1714 that was never actually put together. Despite all of this the property is a joy to visit, with marvellous parklands and gardens to enjoy. Look out for the wonderful heating systems in the greenhouses!

As with many National Trust properties, opening hours out of season can alter so check the web site below for information.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke-abbey