KEDLESTON HALL
KEDLESTON HALL
A lavishly decorated National Trust property in 800 acres of beautiful parkland. With so much to do all the family will love a visit.
Where is it? – Kedleston Hall is 4 miles to the north-west of Derby on the Allestree to Hulland Ward road (SK312403)
What to do? – Visit the hall which is one of the best surviving examples anywhere of the work of Robert Adam. A National Trust property is lavishly decorated with fine collections of paintings, furniture and sculptures. The marble hall has been described as ‘one of the most magnificent apartments of the 18th century in England.
Relax and take a walk around Kedleston Park and enjoy the wonderful scenery. Walk sheets are available at the National Trust office, detailing both long and short walks. Alternatively, you can use the walk on this website which describes the points of special interest (link below). There is always plenty to do and to keep the children occupied.
.Where to eat? – The restaurant at Kedleston is in the Great Kitchen, where banquets were once prepared for the Curzon family and their guests. It has changed very little over the years and you can still clearly see many of the original kitchen attributes. Here you can enjoy a morning coffee and perhaps a slice of cake, a light lunch or indulge in a cream tea.
There are plenty of good quality public houses, restaurants and cafes on the western side of Derby and in the surrounding countryside.
The ancient church is all that remains of the medieval village of Kedleston. A public road passed just over 150 yards from the former old red brick house which the current building replaced.
While the house was being built, the old village was demolished and the public highway moved. The houses were rebuilt outside the park boundary. Only the church remained. The park was extended and landscaped and the turnpike road was rerouted.
The gardens were landscaped in the form of a fashionable Pleasure Ground of that period. A ha-ha, or sunken wall, was built to allow uninterrupted views of the parkland, while at the same time not allowing the animals to get too close to the house.
