Haddon Hall

The Seat of the Duke of Rutland

Haddon Hall is the seat of the Duke of Rutland. It is often described as a picturesque and romantic fortified manor house. It is one of the best preserved medieval houses in the country and is also one of the most popular of the great houses of Derbyshire.

Haddon Hall on the Screen

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

a The BBC adatptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, which was first aired in the autumn of 2006, used Haddon Hall as Thornfield, Mr Rochester's manor house. Part of the filming for Jane Eyre required Haddon Hall to be destroyed by fire. By utilising sophisticated pyrotechnic special effects, Haddon Hall was engulfed in 'flames' through the night during the filming of key 'Thornfield' sequences. Many locals made emergency calls to the Fire Brigade, who eventually had to position fire engines at the entrance of the Hall to allay fears that the stately home was being destroyed!

The BBC film crew spent 10 weeks at Haddon during the spring of 2006 year with the final filming of Jane Eyre taking place in May 2006.

Haddon Hall was previously used for the 1996 Franco Zeffirelli version of Jane Eyre.

Pride and Prejudice

The 2005 film of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, staring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Bennet was also filmed at Haddon Hall.

Elizabeth I

Haddon Hall was used for the 1998 film Elizabeth staring Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I.

Haddon Hall Architecture

Although it retains the simple lines of a great medieval manor house, it has a long and complicated architectural history. It is built exclusively of local materials; local stone and the native oak are found in the fabric of the building. There is no alien brick or marble used in its construction.

Despite the many towers and battlements, this is not a castle. Haddon Hall is primarily a residence. The earliest parts of the buildings date from the 13th century, a time when fortification was a prime consideration for buildings.

Special features of Haddon Hall include the 34 metres (110 feet) oak and walnut panelled 'long gallery', priceless tapestries, exquisite frescos, and 16th and 17th century furniture.

The gardens outside were originally laid out in the 1600s. They are notable for their resplendent rose gardens and six stone terraces.

Haddon Hall History

The rich history of this house is helped by the fact that, since the 12th century, only two families have held it. The Vernon's held the house first. Sir George Vernon is probably the most well known. He was referred to as the 'King of the Peak' due to his lavish hospitality at Haddon Hall.

In 1558, his daughter, Dorothy Vernon eloped with Sir John Manners. Sir George did not approve of his daughter's marriage and it is thought that he did not extend his famous hospitality for the wedding celebrations.

When Sir George died in 1567, the estate (which included Haddon Hall) passed to Dorothy and her husband. From then onwards, the Manners have held the Hall. The current owners, the Dukes of Rutland are descended from the Manners.

There are monuments to Sir George and Dorothy in the All Saints Church in Bakewell.

From the 18th century the Hall began to deteriorate. It was not until the early 20th Century that work began to restore itl to its former glory.

In the 1840s, the Duke of Rutland amply showed the power he could wield. The railway from Rowsley to Buxton was originally proposed to go through the Wye Valley, which is where Haddon Hall is situated. This route was approved by parliament in 1846. His strong opposition at this time almost caused the route to be changed to go through the Derwent Valley, which would have taken it through Chatsworth. However, the Derwent route would have bypassed Bakewell. The citizens of Bakewell wished to have a station and approached the Duke for help. His opposition to the Wye Valley route soon changed and he became a champion of the route through the Wye Valley. This new route was debated in the House of Lords, and the Duke successfully ensured that the railway would pass through the Wye Valley. Powerful to the end, he did impose certain terms for the railway as it passed over his property. It goes through an unnecessary cut and cover tunnel for 1,000 metres.

Visiting Haddon Hall 2009

Haddon Hall and Gardens are open from the beginning of April to the end of October from 12 noon to 5pm with last admission at 4pm.

2009 admission charges are £8.75 for adults, £7.75 for Senior Citizens and £4.75 for children. There is also a Car Parking fee of £1 per car. Inside, there is a restaurant and gift shop. It is regretable that access to Haddon Hall and its garden is very limited for visitors with disabilities and wheel-chair users. It is recommended that you phone Haddon Hall on 01629 812855 to discuss before visiting.