Television star Alan Titchmarsh writes new book about Chatsworth

Titled “Chatsworth: Its gardens and the people who made them”, the book contains a foreword by the Duke of Devonshire and exclusive never-before-seen images.

Alan explores the exquisite gardens that generations of creativity have produced, discovering the real-life stories behind each horticultural triumph and architectural wonder.

With his long-established relationship with the Cavendish family and his passionate knowledge of the house and gardens, Alan is the perfect guide with whom to explore the Palace of the Peaks.

Meet the indomitable Bess of Hardwick and her second husband Sir William Cavendish, who bought the Manor of Chatsworth for £600 in 1549 and built the first house there. Since then, the estate has evolved with each generation, from the 4th Duke and Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in the 1700s, to the Bachelor Duke and the indefatigable Joseph Paxton the following century. From Andrew and Deborah Devonshire, who inherited an estate that was on its knees in 1950 and ensured its survival when all seemed lost, to the 12th Duke and Duchess, Stoker and Amanda Devonshire, who have taken the reins since 2004.

Historic images and memorabilia newly unearthed in the estate archives feature in the landmark new book which contains specially commissioned photography.

“Chatsworth” is published on August 31, 2023, by Ebury Spotlight, priced £35. ISBN: 9781529148213.

Alan Titchmarsh is known to millions through his career as a television presenter of shows including Love Your Weekend, Love Your Garden, Ground Force, Gardeners' World, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and ITV's Spring Into Summer.

He has written more than forty gardening books, as well as twelve novels and three volumes of memoirs.

He was made MBE in the millennium New Year Honours list and holds the Victoria Medal of Honour, the Royal Horticultural Society's highest award.