Sunday 23 October 2011

Calke Abbey

With a new National Trust membership under our belts Andrew and I decided to take a trip down to the Cotswalds and enjoy the last few days of October sunshine.
On the trip down we stopped of at Calke Abbey in Derby. I had to share a few of the photos as this house was truly beautiful and an amazing experience.
With wallpaper peeling off the walls and overgrown courtyards you can't help but feel a certain presence of what once was. The rooms tell a story of a lost manor house stripped away to an almost abandoned, yet treasure ridden estate. I have never seen so many curious cabinets filled with every kind of bird and hare! I loved the room with hundreds of oil lamps grouped on shelves.  My camera was not enough as I wanted to capture everything through drawing. I certainly came away itching to get my sketchbook out. Owned by a eccentric family you are aware of a ghostly presence. The shutters are covering the windows so you get a feeling of what it must have been like to discover this house full of memories and collections. Maybe in 100 years someone might find a house with a few Dear Prudence cards and prints that are a bit worn and faded. That would be nice.



























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