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FABULOUS FOLLIES
...and Landscape Curiosities

Derbyshire

AULT HUCKNALL                                                 SK 462 637

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​Hardwick Hall Gatehouse 












Date taken: 08/04/2009

AULT HUCKNALL                                                 SK 462 637

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Hardwick Hall Gazebos

The gazebos in the garden wall at Hardwick Hall were probably designed by Robert Smythson in 1590-97.









​Date taken 08/04/2009

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AULT HUCKNALL                                                  SK 461 636

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Hardwick Old Hall Conduit House

The conduit house at Hardwick Old Hall probably dates from the late 16th century.




















Date taken: 09/04/2009


BIRCHOVER                                    

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The Hermit's Cave

At the foot of Cratcliffe Rocks is a cave with a carving of Jesus on the cross. It was recorded by Pilkington in 1789 but dates from earlier times.

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BIRCHOVER                                                            SK 236 621

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Rowter Rocks












Date taken: 20/07/2009

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BUXTON                                                                   SK 054 717

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Solomon's Temple

At 1,441 feet above sea level on the summit of Grin Low, and sometimes known as Grin Low Tower, is the 20 feet high Solomon's Temple. It is built on the site of a Bronze Age barrow, and perhaps replaced an earlier structure. Solomon Mycock was the man who was responsible for raising money by public subscription to build the tower in 1896, and 100 years later it was restored by public money and is now part of Grin Low Country Park.



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CALKE                                                                        SK 370 223

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Icehouse
The icehouse at Calke Abbey has two entrances and two long rectangular chambers. It is the only one of its kind in England and was probably built in the late 18th century.


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CALKE                                                                        SK 370 223

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The Orangery

The orangery in the kitchen garden at Calke Abbey was built in 1777 and the glass dome added in 1837.

Orange, lemon and lime trees were grown in it, as well as myrtle, mimosa and bougainvillea and a collection of pelargoniums. A Chusan Palm survives to this day.


CARSINGTON                                                         SK 244 515

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  Stone Island

  Stone Island was designed by Lewis Knight in 1991 for   the Severn Trent water Company and cost £50,000.

  The standing stones are erected on a snail shell mound   that forms both a viewing platform and an eyecatcher.

CHATSWORTH                                                          SK 257 701

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Chatsworth Bridge

The bridge leading to Chatsworth House was designed by James Paine and completed in 1761. On the south side the cutwaters support pedestals with late 17th century sculptures by Cibber. 

The bridge is said to have been based on Italian prototypes such as the Roman bridge at Rimini in Italy. 

The bridge at Kedleston is called Chatsworth Bridge because of its resemblance. 

 CHATSWORTH                                                     SK 257 703

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  Queen Mary's Bower

  Thought to have been built on an ancient earthwork,   Queen Mary's Bower is said to have been made for Mary   Queen of Scots to take the air when she was in captivity   at Chatsworth.

  It was restored in the early 19th century by Wyatville. 

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​Date taken: 24/10/2014

CHATSWORTH                                                        SK 260 702

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Temple of Flora

The Temple of Flora was designed by William Talman in 1693-5 as a bowling house. It was moved to its present position in about 1765 and is now the public entrance to the gardens.

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Date taken: 14/10/2013

CHATSWORTH                                                      SK 263 700

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Cascade House

The Temple or Cascade House was designed by Thomas Archer in 1703 and was finally completed in 1711. The stone carvings are by Henri Nadauld and Samuel Watson. Paxton and Holmes partly reconstructed it in about 1833, when a tunnel was made below. It was fully restored in the 1990s.

Thomas Archer also designed the Pavilion at
​Wrest Park GRAVENHURST Bedfordshire 

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CHATSWORTH                               

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Summerhouse












Date taken: 24/10/2014

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​Date taken 24/10/2014

CHATSWORTH                                                       SK 261 702

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The Conservative Wall

Paxton and Robertson made a forcing wall in about 1832. Paxton called it a conservative wall because it conserved heat. In 1848-50, Paxton glazed it to form a greenhouse
in steps up the hillside; 331 feet long and 7 feet wide.






​Date taken: 24/10/2014


CHATSWORTH                                                       SK 261 701

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The First Dukes Greenhouse

The greenhouse was originally built in 1697-98 and was rebuilt in 1749-50. Joseph Paxton also made alterations in 1832.








​Date taken: 24/10/2014



CHATSWORTH                                                       SK 264 695

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The Grotto

The Grotto was designed in 1798 by White Watson, a Bakewell geologist, who was paid £66. 18s. 9d. for his 'time and trouble for designing the grotto and for fossils'. It was built for Lady Georgiana Spencer (1757-1806), the wife of the 5th Duke. The roof of the grotto was originally thatched and a summerhouse was added later.  




Date taken: 24/10/2014


CHATSWORTH

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Revelation

Revelation is a water sculpture designed by Angela Corner in 1999.









Date taken: 24/10/2014


CHATSWORTH                                                       SK 260 701

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The Great Conservatory

The Great Conservatory at Chatsworth was built in 1836-1840 and was designed by Joseph Paxton and Decimus Burton. It covered just over three-quarters of an acre and the 24,560 sash bars measured about 40 miles. In 1843, Queen Victoria drove through it in a carriage.

After the 1st World War, the plants had died and Charles Markham, the grandson of Joseph Paxton, supervised its demolition in 1920.

CHATSWORTH                                                      SK 261 702

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Stables

The Stables at Chatsworth were built in 1758-63 and were designed by James Paine for the 4th Duke of Devonshire.








​Date taken: 24/10/2014


CHATSWORTH                                                      SK 265 706

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The Hunting Tower

The Hunting Tower, or The Stand, was possibly designed by Robert Smythson for Bess of Hardwick in about 1582.

Being built as a free-standing prospect tower, it is said to be Britain's  first folly tower.

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CRICH                                                                      SK 343 554

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  Crich Stand

  
There was a limestone prospect tower, 40 yards   northwest of the present tower, built by Francis Hurt in   1788. When quarrying started to undermine the tower it   was taken down in 1849 and the date stone and masonry   from it was used in building Cricjh Stand in 1851. This   tower was also affected by subsidence, and demolished   in 1922.  

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The present memorial at Crich to the Sherwood Foresters was built in 1923.

​There is also a lighthouse monument at Ulverston, Lancashire.
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Date taken: 24/09/2018

DERBY                                                                      SK 355 350

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  Arboretum Entrance Lodge

 
The Entrance Lodge was designed by Henry Duesbury in    about 1850.

ECKINGTON                                                           SK 436 785

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  Renishaw Classical Temple

  There is a small 20th century temple in the woods near    to Renishaw Hall.








  Date taken: 25/09/2015
   

ECKINGTON                                                          SK 441 785

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  Renishaw Gothick Lodge

 
The early 19th century Gothick Lodge was the entrance   arch on the approach drive to Renishaw Hall and was   moved to its present position near to the lake in the mid   19th century.







  Date taken: 25/09/2015

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ECKINGTON                                                           SK 436 785

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  Renishaw Gothick Temple

  The Gothick Temple at Renishaw was designed by   Joseph Badger as an aviary in the early 19th century and   is now used as a pets' cemetery.








  Date taken: 24/09/2015

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ECKINGTON                                                            SK 436 785

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  Renishaw Orangery












  Date taken: 25/09/2015

ECKINGTON                                                            SK 436 786

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  Renishaw Stables

  The stable court at Renishaw was designed by Joseph   Badger of Sheffield in 1795. Within the pediment is the   Sitwell coat of arms made in Coade stone.








  Date taken: 25/09/2015

EYAM                                                                            SK 216 764

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Garden House

​The two-storey pavilion in the garden of Eyam Hall was built in the late 17th century.  









​Date taken: 24/09/2018

KEDLESTON                                                               SK 312 407

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Bridge

The bridge at Kedlston was designed by Robert Adam in 1771. Below it is an integral cascade. 

​Because of its similarity to the one at Chatsworth it is called the Chatsworth Bridge. 






​Date taken: 23/09/2018

KEDLESTON                                                                SK 311 407

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Fishing Room

Robert Adam designed the Fishing Room in about 1769 in the neoclassical style. It contains a plunge pool and boathouse. 








​Date taken: 23/09/2018

KEDLESTON                                                               SK 311 403

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​Game Larder












Date taken 23/09/2018

KEDLESTON                                                               SK 311 405

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​Bentley Well

Robert Adam designed the Bentley Well in 1763. It is also known as the Lion's Mouth as water issues from a lion mask below the gabled canopy. 








Date taken: 23/09/2018

KEDLESTON                                                               SK 306 404

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Hermitage

Robert Adam laid out the Long Walk in 1760 and planned temples, alcoves and seats as 'incidents' along the 3 mile long walk or drive.

​Only the ruin of the rustic temple known as the Hermitage remained, and has recently been restored.

The large plane tree was probably part of the original composition. 


Date taken: 23/09/2018

 OLD BOLSOVER                                                     SK 471 706

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Garden room

The garden room is in the garden of Bolsover Little Castle.







Date taken: 29/09/2003

MATLOCK BATH                                                   SK 295 587

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The Victoria Tower

The Victoria Tower may have been so called because of Queen Victoria's visit to Matlock in 1832, but the tower was built in 1844 by John Petchell, the owner of the Heights of Abraham.



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MATLOCK TOWN                                                   SK 306 590

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Riber Castle

Riber Castle was built for John Smedley, the owner of the hydro in Matlock, between 1862 and 1868 at a cost of £60,000. His original idea was to build a 225 feet high observatory.

The castle was once a private school and was bought by the local council in 1936 for £1,500. In 1963 it was bought from the council for £500 and became a zoo, and was back on the market in 1990 for £1.5 million.

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MELBOURNE                                                         SK 391 247

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Icehouse

The icehouse at Melbourne Hall was made in the late 18th century and has later repairs.

MELBOURNE                                                         SK 391 248

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Grotto

The Grotto at Melbourne Hall is also known as The Wishing Well and has sulphurous waters in it. It was made in the early 19th century with bricks covered in tufa, shells and marble. Inscribed on a stone is a poem by George Lamb:

     'Rest weary stranger in this shady cave, 
      and taste if languid of mineral wave'


MELBOURNE                                                         SK 390 250

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The Muniment Room

The early 17th century Muniment Room at Melbourne Hall was originally built as a dovecote or garden pavilion. It was altered in 1709 when London and Wise laid out the gardens for Thomas Coke. William Cook of Walcot carried out the work.


NETHER HADDON                                                   SK 235 663

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Haddon Hall Terrace

Terracing dating back to the 16th century was replaced with 17th century terracing and stone steps.

The early 20th century summerhouse replaced an earlier one. 
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STANTON                                                                     SK 251 633

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Reform Tower

William Pole Thornhill, of Stanton Hall, had a tower built on Stanton Moor to commemorate the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832, in honour of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845). Grey was a Whig Prime Minister from 1830-1834.

The tower may also have been used as a hunting tower.

WIRKSWORTH                                                           SK 283 543

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StarDisc

With a diameter of 40 feet, StarDisc is a celestial amphitheatre and stone circle created by Aidan Shingler. 

​It was unveiled by Pete Lawrence, BBC The Sky at Night presenter, on September 10th 2011. 




Date taken: 23/09/2018

YOULGREAVE                                                       SK 210 642

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The Fountain

The conduit head was erected at Youlgreave in 1829 by the Youlgreave Friendly Society of Women.

Copyright Ray Blyth 2018