Visiting Derbyshire

Chatsworth to celebrate childhood with a new season of activities

A new family festival, a reimagined adventure playground and a multi-sensory art exhibition are just a glimpse of the year-long cultural programme of events coming to Chatsworth under the theme of ‘Celebrating Childhood’, encouraging visitors to experience Chatsworth and its rich history from a new perspective.

From Saturday 16 March, Chatsworth House and Garden will re-open to visitors with the launch of this year’s exhibition, Picturing Childhood. The thought-provoking and multi-sensory exhibition is designed to be enjoyed by all ages through the lens of childhood. It will include rarely seen artistic masterpieces from the collection, some of which will be on display for the first time, alongside new commissions and loans.

Visitors are invited to see, touch, smell, feel, think, do, and play through new commissions and loans by artists that encourage hands-on and perspective-bending interactions, including a unique scent experience curated by food historian and scent artist, Tasha Marks, and ‘Anthronaut’ series by Abigail Reynolds, which invites visitors to shift their visual perspective of Chatsworth.

Chatsworth House Trust is also working with educational partners to ensure the exhibition creates opportunities for collaboration with those in the local community. Children from Athelstan School in Sheffield will be invited for a ‘Chatsworth takeover’ week in June, including taking charge of its social media channel.

Chatsworth is partnering with The Reading Agency, which will help share the charity’s extensive learning resources with over one million subscribers and connect with local families to guide the content of special mindfulness areas, complete with books selected by young users of Chesterfield Library.

In addition to annual favourite events including the Chatsworth International Horse Trials, Country Fair and the spectacular Christmas display, Chatsworth is launching its inaugural family festival. Taking place from 25 – 27 May, families will be invited to unleash their creativity and let imaginations run wild. Developed for all ages, activities will include mastering gravity-defying circus skills, learning bushcraft, running for gold in sports day races, walking in the footsteps of dinosaurs and scavenger hunts.

Elsewhere on the estate, Chatsworth’s much-loved woodland adventure playground is undergoing a large-scale redevelopment, enhancing opportunities for imaginative free play and immersion within the beautiful surrounding nature of the estate. Set to reopen from April, families can enjoy an exciting day out packed full of adventure and play within the safe setting of the farmyard and playground.

The year-round learning and cultural programme will include a series of events including expert-led talks, tours and workshops for adults and children to explore new pastimes or develop an existing skill, many of which will be centred on the theme of ‘Celebrating Childhood’ at any age.

These include Historic Waterways Tours led by the landscape team through Stand Wood; Cutting Garden Floristry Workshops where participants will learn how to create seasonal arrangements using flowers from the garden; Macramé Plant Hanger workshops led by a local artist, Lamb feeding experiences; and guided tours of Picturing Childhood by exhibition curator Gill Hart.

This season will also see the launch of a new pricing initiative, aiming to take active steps to remove barriers to entry and demonstrate Chatsworth House Trust’s commitment to Chatsworth being a place for everyone. This includes a £10 year-round children’s ticket, giving access to the house, garden, farmyard and adventure playground.

Jane Marriott, Director of Chatsworth House Trust, said: “Through this season celebrating childhood, we hope that our visitors can experience Chatsworth from a new perspective – one that is playful and inquisitive, that celebrates learning and encourages a deeper connection and enjoyment of Chatsworth’s rich history.

“Childhood is something that unites us all. This year we will continue to commission new and exciting artists, introduce our first Chatsworth Family Festival, and develop our learning programme that is packed with opportunities to develop new skill. We look forward to welcoming visitors of all ages to join us for a new perspective at Chatsworth.”
William Burlington, Chairman of Chatsworth House Trust, said: “We are thrilled that 2024 will be a year of storytelling, discovery and play as we celebrate children and childhood at Chatsworth throughout the year.

This year’s exhibition presents exciting new work by exceptional artists alongside the very best works from the historic collection, some on show for the first time. The exhibition has been designed to provoke wonder and to encourage new and different ways to get involved with art and ideas in the house and landscape, and we hope it will bring joy to people of all ages.”

For more information on the events being held at Chatsworth throughout the next 12 months, please visit the website here: https://www.chatsworth.org/events/
And for more information on the Picturing Childhood exhibition, please visit: https://www.chatsworth.org/events/picturing-childhood/

To find out more about upcoming events taking place across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, head over to our events page.

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Chatsworth - Season Opening 1 2024

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Chatsworth opens new dining experience in North Derbyshire

Chatsworth has announced the opening of a new daytime dining offer, located at the Peak Shopping Village in Derbyshire.

An original oak table from the Victorian kitchen at Chatsworth takes centre stage in the contemporary daytime dining offer opening in the village of Rowsley, on the edge of the Peak District.

Located within the retail and leisure offering at Peak Village, Chatsworth Kitchen celebrates quality, seasonal dishes sourced from the estate and a community of farmers, producers and makers from across the Derbyshire Dales.

With a bespoke interior featuring hundreds of items from the stores and kitchens at Chatsworth, the new food and retail concept provides a relaxed and welcoming place to enjoy delicious, fresh food selected daily from the estate’s farms and gardens.

The launch menu showcases the best of local produce from Chatsworth Gin cured salmon with capers and sherry vinegar shallots, to marinated estate beef with roasted cherry tomato and herb couscous, and Chatsworth lamb cutlets with fig, goats cheese and spinach salad. Deli plates offer a choice of flatbreads baked fresh in the bread oven or a seasonal baked tart and fresh salads while popular children’s dishes will be updated regularly.

The majority of the food is made on site, while the freshly baked pastries and dessert items will be created under the watchful eye of Chatsworth’s experienced pastry chef in the stables kitchen by the house.

Alongside the dining experience, a thoughtfully curated retail offer of more than 300 items of quality food, drink, kitchen and homewares is available.

Working closely with retail consultant Lady Burlington and the Chatsworth team, Sheffield based design agencies Whitehead Commercial and 93 have created an interior that effortlessly blends heritage artefacts with a modern and fresh approach.

Lady Burlington said: “We were inspired by the old kitchen at Chatsworth, and have brought a variety of pots, pans and artefacts from Chatsworth to the restaurant. Sustainability and authenticity have been central to this project; we have reused and repurposed items including chairs, doors and panelling, with many of the tables made from reclaimed flooring from the estate.

“Chatsworth Kitchen celebrates local produce, suppliers and makers, and we hope it will become a place for people to spend time together and enjoy great food, before exploring the many new shops opening at Peak Village.

“The Peak District has a wealth of wonderful produce and passionate, talented craftspeople, and we look forward to doing our part to support these businesses; from established names like David Mellor, who has provided stoneware and cutlery, to our candle maker in Barlow and young talents like potter Joe Heath working on the Chatsworth Estate.”

With indoor and outdoor seating, the Chatsworth Kitchen can seat 130 people, and is open from 9.30am – 5.00pm daily, seven days a week. The new venture has also seen the creation of several full-time jobs, as well as casual short-term work and opportunities for career progression for existing employees.

Chatsworth’s Head of Catering, Chris Bailey-Jones, said: “Food is at the heart of the Chatsworth Estate and therefore it should be no surprise that at Chatsworth Kitchen, estate reared and grown produce is celebrated in every dish.
“The menu looks to build on emerging food trends while never losing sight of the importance of local, seasonal and sustainable food that showcases Chatsworth, Derbyshire and indeed the wider country.

“The restaurant will give a distinctly Chatsworth twist to great service, being informal, fun and even a little quirky. All of this is helped along with a carefully crafted drinks list, looking to shine a light on local providers in a setting that is perfect for a relaxed lunch with friends or a family get together.”

With centuries of heritage in growing, harvesting, cooking and making, Chatsworth Kitchen builds on the estate’s past with an outlook to the future, supporting local producers, with a mindful approach to the environment and sustainability.

Chatsworth Kitchen is part of a long-term investment and development plan for Peak Village, which was purchased in 2021 by The Devonshire Group, the company that represents the interests of the Devonshire family at nearby Chatsworth. Aiming to offer something different from traditional high streets and shopping centres, and welcoming local businesses and national brands, Peak Village is on track to become one of Derbyshire’s leading retail and leisure destinations.

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Newborns highlight Rare Breeds success at Chatsworth

While visitors have been enjoying the sights and sounds of its latest newborns this spring, Chatsworth Farmyard has been particularly celebrating the latest additions to its breeding programme for rare and sometimes critically endangered animals.

Two Albion calves, Bronte and Queenie, have been born in the past ten days. Originally called the ‘Bakewell Blues’ because of their origins in Derbyshire, Albions are listed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) as the most rare ‘priority’ breed.

Meanwhile, Eugenie, Chatsworth’s Suffolk Punch mare is expecting another foal in the next couple of weeks, having successfully delivered visitor favourite ‘Huxley’ last year. The RBST considers the Suffolk Punch to be critically endangered with fewer than 500 purebred horses registered in the UK. Eugenie is one of only 72 female Suffolk Punches, making them more endangered than the Giant Panda.

Bagot goat kids and Gloucester Old Spot piglets are due soon and are listed as ‘at risk’ breeds while the farmyard is also hoping for some rare breed chicks from its Derbyshire Redcap chickens.

The Farmyard has been welcoming plenty of newborns this spring, though not all are rare breeds.  A Donkey foal, lambs, goat kids and piglets are all expected additions in the next few weeks.

Chatsworth Farmyard is home to a number of the country’s rarest breeds of livestock and equines, including Suffolk Punch horses, Shire horses, Albion cattle, Bagot goats and Cream Legbar and Derbyshire Redcap chickens, as well as British Landrace pigs and Eriskay ponies.

“We are delighted to welcome our two beautiful Albion calves. They’re incredibly rare and I have always wanted to have some of these wonderful cows here. Given their local heritage it feels like the perfect fit at Chatsworth Farmyard,” said Farmyard Manager, Melissa Underwood.

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) awarded RBST accreditation to Chatsworth Farmyard last year, recognising its important contribution to the conservation of some the rarest livestock and equine breeds native to the UK.

RBST is the national charity that works to secure the future of rare breeds of native livestock and equines. Chatsworth Farmyard is now part of the 25-strong network of RBST accredited farm parks which take part in crucial conservation programmes, manage special breeding groups, and support education about rare breeds and why they matter.

Chatsworth Farmyard and Adventure Playground is open daily to visitors (www.chatsworth.org).

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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