Take a virtual tour of Chatsworth House and gardens - from the comfort of your own armchair

Chatsworth House has launched a multimedia tour of its great house and gardens, for those who are missing paying the estate a visit during lockdown.
Chatsworth House multimedia tourChatsworth House multimedia tour
Chatsworth House multimedia tour

Joining the multimedia tour from their own homes, armchair adventurers can now travel through the centuries of history found in grand state rooms such as the Painted Hall, Sculpture Gallery and Library.

And rather than using professional narrators, Chatsworth House has chosen to interview its in-house team for both film and voiceover to highlight their expertise, warmth and authentic connection to the estate over many years.

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In more than 40 ‘postcards,’ the team recreates the feeling of visiting Chatsworth’s famous landscapes, rooms and artworks by sharing not just facts and figures but personal insights and hidden stories about the people who have made it what it is today.

Room guide Nicky Crewe explains how a Royal visit that never happened made the Painted Hall so impressive; Mick Brown from the garden team explains how the gravity fed Emperor Fountain can reach 200ft; curator Dr Alex Hodby explores the role of the Veiled Vestal Virgin in ancient Rome; while the Duchess of Devonshire talks fondly of family christenings in the Chapel, using a huge silver gilt wine cooler as a font.

Chatsworth worked with Antenna International to develop the multimedia tour, which was originally designed for visitors using handheld devices on site.

The tour has been adapted and posted onto Chatsworth’s website to share the passion and expertise of its team as visitors are temporarily unable to visit in person.

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The house, garden and farmyard, gift shops, and restaurants are closed until further notice, though the estate’s car parks and park picnic shop will reopen on May 29.

As a vital food service outlet, the Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop in nearby Pilsley remains open.

A statement on Chatsworth House’s website this week reads: ‘Access to the car parks will only be possible with a pre-booked ticket. We ask that all visitors respect our local communities, staff and each other, and only travel to the area if you have booked a ticket.’

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