Chatsworth House or Haddon Hall?

I've visited both and while they are both worth visiting , Chatsworth wins this hands down . Spend a whole day , the house is magnificent and the tales of the history that surround it are fascinating . You will also need a fair amount of time for the grounds and gardens . Watch this video about it , its a must for acquainting you with the story of Chatsworth - https://youtu.be/lF9qKPDg9sA?si=EoIYttiz08plX4Ld Haddon Hall is a very different experience, more introverted and a different history By the way , the comment about seeing Chatsworth from the car park is insane , and only good if one is there to check off boxes !!

We visited Chatsworth last December for the second time. Haddon we visited in 2002 (?). Chatsworth, for sure, if I had to choose. I don't think the farm shop is worth going out of the way for.

You can easily hit the farm shop in Pilsley and it's also a very short drive to Edensor , and the cemetery at the Parish church there . When you watch the video , you'll see why a stop there is worthwhile .

They used to have 2 for 1 admissions ,at one time, for Chatsworth if you made advance reservations. I have traveled extensively thru England, Wales and Scotland and I had to pick just one of the English Treasure Houses it would be Chatsworth.
The interior will blow your socks off...as it not just furnishings but fantastic murals and staircases and many fool the eye features. It is still so vivid to me. Don't miss it.!

Okay, all you persuaders, I'm hooked on Chatsworth now! Thank you all so much for your thoughts, as it sounds absolutely wonderful! I'll keep Haddon Hall on the menu and possibly visit if I have time, but will be visiting Chatsworth!

And steven, I will definitely watch the video - thank you for that!

By the way , the comment about seeing Chatsworth from the car park is insane , and only good if one is there to check off boxes !!

That was definitely not what I intended. I probably explained it badly, but it sounded like I could get in to see the gardens and a look at the outside of the house, but just not the inside. I probably misunderstood what the writer was saying. 😊

Oops, Sorry ! I just checked , to be sure ,and the carpark entails a fee .

They are very different. Chatsworth is described as one of the Treasure Houses of England, so that will give you some idea of just how grand it is - it has gold leaf on the window frames! It is surrounded by extensive and very impressive gardens. You can buy a ticket just for the gardens if you don't want to see the inside of the house and you do get good views of the outside of the house from the gardens. You can easily spend a full day here.

If you have booked a ticket then this gives free car parking. You only pay for the car park if you are visiting the surrounding estate and walking in it.

Haddon Hall is smaller, more intimate and older. The inside is less impressive than Chatsworth as it is Tudor rather than C18th. It has some of the best preserved Medieval kitchens in the country (you don't see the kitchens in Chatsworth.) The chapel is also more interesting as it still has medieval wall paintings. The gardens aren't as extensive. You could probably 'do' Haddon Hall in half a day.

I'd be hard pressed to choose between them. Are you planning to visit any other stately homes during your stay? If so where as that could influence your decision.

I have not been to Haddon Hall, but I really enjoyed my visit to Chatsworth House despite the fact that I was very tired at the time (I had Covid but didn't know it at the time since I had none of the characteristic Covid symptoms).

I might go see Castle Howard, wasleys, but I haven’t decided yet. A lot depends on the rest of my itinerary and how much time I have to see every single thing in the area. 🙄 Actually I’ve been pretty good about winnowing stuff out so that I’m not running around like crazy.

At any rate, I’ve been to Castle Howard before, so it wouldn’t kill me not to see it although I did like it. But that’s probably the only really ornate place that I might go to outside of Chatsworth and Haddon Hall.

For me Chatsworth is the outstanding stately home in the UK, second to none. Just looking from the outside after going all the way across the Atlantic would be madness.

Thanks, John. I think it's definitely Chatsworth for me. And the more I think about it, I've decided against Castle Howard. I've seen it before, and I know going there would take up at least a half day, which could be better spent visiting places I haven't seen.

Sensible decision Mardee. Castle Howard just isn't in the same league as Chatsworth. The family tell me that Harwood House just north of Leeds is pretty good too, but I've not been there...

wasleys, thanks! That's interesting that you mentioned Harewood House. I read something about it the other day and I've added it to my list (that was one reason Castle Howard had to go). It looks really nice and I love the history there. Plus I can get an afternoon tea there, which is an extra bonus. :-)

This is the gravestone mentioned by Rebecca- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/St_Peter%27s_Churchyard%2C_Edensor_-_grave_of_Kathleen_Cavendish%2C_Marchioness_of_Hartington_%28n%C3%A9e_Kennedy%2C_1920%E2%80%931948%29.JPG

However note that Billy is not buried here, but in Belgium- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14039483/william-john_robert-cavendish

EDIT- I've watched the video to ensure PBS had not made an error, these things matter to a historian, like me. And they haven't. They don't actually state where Billy is buried, so this is a mis-understanding. Maybe a lack of clarity in the programme, or a lack of knowledge that for most of WW1 and WW2 those who fell in war overseas were not repatriated for burial. There were a few exceptions in the early days of WW1, but the loophole was soon closed. In the UK repatriation of fallen armed forces personnel is a very modern thing.

Hi , Rebecca ! The link in my post upthread , goes to the PBS Chatsworth video . , Its also a favorite for me , ever since I first watched it years ago !

Well worth a swing by Althorp on your trip if you have the time or inclination.

Thanks, Rebecca! I did watch the video (steven had linked it also) and it was pretty cool I'll to find time to watch the rest.

Althorp would be a pretty far swing as it's some distance away from pretty much everyplace I'm going. :) Plus I think I checked it out before and it's only open in July and August. But it would be interesting to see!

No apologies needed ! The other programs are also great . I bought a copy of the whole series , about ten years ago , as I recall . At that time they were only available from Amazon UK in PAL format and region 2 coding . I actually have an extensive collection of British films and documentaries . so I had purchased a region and code free DVD player , which allows me to indulge in many of the great films and dramas produced in Britain .

I love them both Mardee, and used to live in Derbyshire and so visited frequently. But if I had to choose just one it would be Chatsworth for all the reasons everyone has given above.

Jacqui

Thanks, Jacqui! That's the one I picked as I don't think I will have time for Haddon Hall.

That must have been wonderful living in Derbyshire. Of course, it's not Skye. 😊