When I first decided to do a post on Chatsworth, the home of the Dukes of Devonshire, I didn’t realize that Wikipedia had a very large amount of information concerning the ducal home.
As you can see by the picture for this post, Chatsworth and the land surrounding that has belonged for 477 years to the Cavendish family since 1549 and has included enough acreage between the UK and Irish land owned by the family to come close to 100,000 acres at its greatest.
Chatsworth House has 126 rooms, but nearly 100 of them are not available to the public. Personally, I cannot imagine having and caring for a house that big. For one thing, I could get lost quite easily if I made a wrong turn when encountering a junction of hallways. And it would take a very large staff to keep that many rooms clean. I can picture them working all day and, maybe, into the night as well to keep a house that large neat and clean for living in AND being viewed by the public.
That doesn’t even include additional buildings such as the stable block which could house 80 horses, a blacksmith shop, and a carriage with arrangements for it’s care as well.
The dukes, from time to time, were forced by circumstances (taxes, and death duties) to pay out extremely large amounts of money. These circumstances compelled them to sell much of the acreage of land surrounding Chatsworth, and a goodly amount of paintings and items from the library. In spite of this, the Cavendish family still lives there.
The Wikipedia article brings out some of the pros and cons of Chatsworth and how the Cavendish family, made up of Dukes and Earls of Devonshire along with their wives and children, has maintained its residence in this remarkable house. I suggest that you take time one day to read about this beautiful home and the trials and joys the Cavendish family has endured for nearly 500 years.
Would Chatsworth have suited Darcy? Even though I think Elizabeth would have been flabbergasted by the size, the beauty and the sheer elegance of the home, I believe it could have fit Darcy and Elizabeth together very well. Darcy would have been used to it as he was raised with the house and grounds as his home, and Elizabeth was the type of individual who could adapt to any situation, even to a house more opulent than a castle.
If you have ever wondered what Chatsworth was like, I suggest you read Wikipedia’s lengthy article concerning this 400 year history of the Cavendish family and their homestead. Enjoy!
NOTE: Painting of Chatsworth by William Marlow was used for the cover of ‘Darcy Vs. Bingley,’ and the whole Darcy Versus series.
A MORE SPECTACULAR NOTE: William Cavendish, the Earl of Burlington and son of the current Duke of Devonshire, Peregrine Cavendish, is the heir to Chatsworth and will inherit one billion British pounds along with it. One British pound is worth $1.36 of US dollars. He will be inheriting one billion three hundred sixty million dollars…that is if I did my math correctly. smiley face
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