A Spectacular Interior

Last Wednesday I posted about Kedleston Hall , a grand house in its own parkland on the edge of Derby. Today I am taking you back there to give you a little taster of the spectacular interior. We arrived before the house was open and so were able to join a talk in the marble hall on the history and architecture of the house. This also gave us the opportunity to enter by the great north portico which is reached by stone steps as shown in the external photos shown the other day. We had a little wait for the beginning of the tour during which Student Daughter took this view of the ornately carved portico ceiling. I might add that the bulge in the pillar is just an optical illusion created by the camera.

We then entered into the first of the rooms on the 'piano noble' notably this grand hall.

It was designed you Robert Adam to give the impression of an open courtyard in the Roman style lit mainly from above. The grand Roman theme is added to by the statues in the alcoves and the remarkable alabaster columns.

Perhaps even a possibility for No. 2 of the summertime photography scavenger hunt Stripes.

The inlaid Italian marble floor is now posing quite a few problems for the National Trust. The weight of all the columns is taking its toll on the floor and the ceiling below and the public are no longer allowed access across it.

This means a detour through some of the other rooms to reach the saloon at the far end. The wait to get there is worthwhile to see the fabulous ceilings at the full height of the house.

Then a look back through the doors to the hall and entrance.

A few further photos taken by Student Daughter show the grandeur of the rest of the rooms.

Grand but certainly not cosy and comfortable!

The ground floor also has a large exhibition of some of the collection of items brought home from India by Lord Curzon who was Viceroy of India in the beginning of the 20th Century. Many of these are very interesting but not considered PC in this day and age.

I don't think I would want that in front of my fire!