Calke Abbey
Encyclopedia
Calke Abbey is a Grade I listed country house near Ticknall
, Derbyshire
, England, in the care of the charitable National Trust
.
The site was an Augustinian priory
from the 12th century until its dissolution
by Henry VIII
. The present building, named Calke Abbey in 1808, was never actually an abbey
, but is a Baroque
mansion built between 1701 and 1704.
The house was owned by the Harpur family
for nearly 300 years until it was passed to the Trust in 1985 in lieu of death duties
. Today, the house is open to the public and many of its rooms are deliberately displayed in the state of decline in which the house was handed to the Trust.
in 1622. They were baronets from 1626. The current house was rebuilt by the 4th baronet, Sir John Harpur, between 1701 and 1704. The 10th baronet, Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe was devoted to his collection of natural history specimens. When he died in 1924, his daughter, Hilda Mosely, sold some of his collection of birds, butterflies and fishes to pay death duties. When she died in 1949 she was succeeded by her nephew, Charles Jenney who changed his name to Charles Harpur Crewe (born 1917). His sudden death in 1981 led to crippling death duties
(£8m of an estate worth £14m) and the estate had to be handed over to the nation by his brother Henry (born 1921 - died 1991).
To the side of the house is a large quadrangle of buildings forming the old stable yard and farm, complete with old carriages & farm implements. The outbuildings incorporate a brewhouse, that was linked to the main house by a tunnel.
, the National Trust presented Calke Abbey as an illustration of the English country house in decline. A massive amount of remedial work but no restoration has been done and interiors are almost as they were found in 1985 so the decay of the building and its interiors has been halted but not reversed. Before the National Trust
work of the late 1980s everything had remained untouched since the 1880s. The Trust manages the surrounding landscape park with an eye to nature conservation. It contains such features as a walled garden
, with a flower garden and a former physic garden, now managed as a kitchen garden
.
Some years after Calke was handed over to the National Trust to settle death duties, an heir was discovered: Andrew Johnson, a distant cousin of the Harpur family. Johnson was a wealthy resident of Vermont and the owner of important stands of timber and of a lumber business, though the popular press in Britain referred to him as a "lumberjack". Johnson was given the use of an apartment in the Abbey, which he and his family have used on occasional visits.
Ticknall
Ticknall is a small village and civil parish in South Derbyshire, England. Situated on the A514 road, close to Melbourne, it has three pubs, several small businesses, and a primary school. Two hundred years ago it was considerably larger and noisier with lime quarries, tramways and potteries. Coal...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England, in the care of the charitable National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
The site was an Augustinian priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
from the 12th century until its dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. The present building, named Calke Abbey in 1808, was never actually an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
, but is a Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
mansion built between 1701 and 1704.
The house was owned by the Harpur family
Harpur Baronets
The Harpur, later Harpur-Crewe Baronetcy, of Calke Abbey in the County of Derby, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 8 September 1626 for Henry Harpur. He was a grandson of Richard Harpur, Justice of the Common Pleas, of Swarkestone Hall, Swarkestone, Derbyshire. The fourth...
for nearly 300 years until it was passed to the Trust in 1985 in lieu of death duties
Inheritance tax
An inheritance tax or estate tax is a levy paid by a person who inherits money or property or a tax on the estate of a person who has died...
. Today, the house is open to the public and many of its rooms are deliberately displayed in the state of decline in which the house was handed to the Trust.
History
The estate was bought by the Harpur familyHarpur Baronets
The Harpur, later Harpur-Crewe Baronetcy, of Calke Abbey in the County of Derby, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 8 September 1626 for Henry Harpur. He was a grandson of Richard Harpur, Justice of the Common Pleas, of Swarkestone Hall, Swarkestone, Derbyshire. The fourth...
in 1622. They were baronets from 1626. The current house was rebuilt by the 4th baronet, Sir John Harpur, between 1701 and 1704. The 10th baronet, Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe was devoted to his collection of natural history specimens. When he died in 1924, his daughter, Hilda Mosely, sold some of his collection of birds, butterflies and fishes to pay death duties. When she died in 1949 she was succeeded by her nephew, Charles Jenney who changed his name to Charles Harpur Crewe (born 1917). His sudden death in 1981 led to crippling death duties
Inheritance tax
An inheritance tax or estate tax is a levy paid by a person who inherits money or property or a tax on the estate of a person who has died...
(£8m of an estate worth £14m) and the estate had to be handed over to the nation by his brother Henry (born 1921 - died 1991).
To the side of the house is a large quadrangle of buildings forming the old stable yard and farm, complete with old carriages & farm implements. The outbuildings incorporate a brewhouse, that was linked to the main house by a tunnel.
Present day
Set in the midst of a landscape parkLandscape garden
The term landscape garden is often used to describe the English garden design style characteristic of the eighteenth century, that swept the Continent replacing the formal Renaissance garden and Garden à la française models. The work of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown is particularly influential.The...
, the National Trust presented Calke Abbey as an illustration of the English country house in decline. A massive amount of remedial work but no restoration has been done and interiors are almost as they were found in 1985 so the decay of the building and its interiors has been halted but not reversed. Before the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
work of the late 1980s everything had remained untouched since the 1880s. The Trust manages the surrounding landscape park with an eye to nature conservation. It contains such features as a walled garden
Walled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
, with a flower garden and a former physic garden, now managed as a kitchen garden
Kitchen garden
The traditional kitchen garden, also known as a potager, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden - the ornamental plants and lawn areas...
.
Some years after Calke was handed over to the National Trust to settle death duties, an heir was discovered: Andrew Johnson, a distant cousin of the Harpur family. Johnson was a wealthy resident of Vermont and the owner of important stands of timber and of a lumber business, though the popular press in Britain referred to him as a "lumberjack". Johnson was given the use of an apartment in the Abbey, which he and his family have used on occasional visits.