Monday 10 December 2012

Chatsworth Park & Queen Mary Bower

The intention was to walk along the river bank in Chatsworth Park so we headed up the A6 but as we got to Matlock the weather changed for the worse with constant drizzle. We parked in Edensor just beside the church and just walked along the footpath over the iconic bridge into Chatsworth Park. We made a small detour and had a look at Queen Mary's Bower.

Queen Mary (Mary Queen of Scot's),was held prisoner at Chatsworth between May to September 1569, whilst there she was permitted the indulgence of air and exercise. The bower became one of her favourite spots.
On the bridge to Chatsworth Park
Queen Mary's Bower
Queen Mary's Bower
The main block of the Chatsworth House was re-built by the 1st Duke between 1687 and 1707, on the site of Bess of Hardwick's original Tudor mansion. The long north wing was added by the 6th Duke in the early nineteenth century. The house is built on sloping ground, lower on the north and west sides than on the south and east.
Many more structures stand in Chatsworth's grounds: There are two surviving Elizabethan buildings, the Hunting Tower and Queen Mary's Bower. Flora's Temple and the 1st Duke's Greenhouse survive from the 1690s. The Stable block and bridge were built by James Paine in the 1760s. Joseph Paxton's Conservative Wall and other glasshouses date from the C19th. The 11th Duke and Duchess added the Display Greenhouse in 1970.


View of the bridge from Queen Mar's Bower.
Bamford Edge in the background
Red Deer grazing
From Queen Mary's Bower  we walked up to the main car park in front of the House, then up to the stables and had a look around.
The stable block
Inside the stable courtyard
Ike, Geoff and Rob "Horsing" around on the mounting block outside the stables.
It had been constantly drizzling and we headed back to the car in Edensor village where we had our breakfast.
Looking back towards the stables with the Hunting Tower on the horizon
St. Peters Church in Edensor
After we had our breakfast we decided to call in at Cromford Mill, and luckily for us it was a Christmas themed weekend with various events happening. The rain stopped and the sun came out.
There was an interesting wood turning display going on and we had a look at that.
Wood turning 
Ike & Rob getting hints
All this power (fast shutter speed)
Same water (Slow shutter speed)
Garden section in the mill yard.
 To finish the day off a nice rainbow appeared over Cromford.
Rainbow over the complex
No pot of gold today
We got a bit wet today but still an enjoyable outing with mates, what more do you need.
Cheers


















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