Chatsworth House Theatre, Bakewell, Derbyshire

See also - Derby Theatres

Above - A Google StreetView Image of Chatsworth House - Click to Interact

Chatsworth House has a private Theatre tucked away on the first floor of a tower at the end of the long north wing of the house, built by Sir Jeffry Wyatville between 1820 and 1832. It is a rare survival of a private Theatre in a British stately home, more commonly found in European Stately Houses.

Right - A Google StreetView Image of Chatsworth House and Tower in 2013.

The room was designed as a multi-purpose Banqueting Room and used for balls, charades, card games and other forms of entertainment. The floor is flat with windows along the side walls.

Above - The Proscenium and Stage of the Chatsworth House Theatre in 2002 - Courtesy David Garratt

Entrance is through a central doorway in the rear (east) wall, over which is a small balcony, originally intended for musicians and later used as part of the auditorium, with two large slightly raised boxes either side of the entrance. Opposite the balcony is the stage with a classical proscenium arch with plush velvet house curtains, which are running tabs (curtains). The proscenium is richly painted on a flat surface, in trompe l'oeil decoration giving the impression of richly decorated plasterwork around the arch and tasselled drapery. The permanent stage and proscenium were installed in 1896. Until this time, if a stage was needed, a temporary platform would be used.

Above - The Proscenium and Ceiling of the Chatsworth House Theatre in 2002 - Courtesy David Garratt

The Theatre's ceiling is highly decorated with panels painted by Cheron and Thornhill, and with infill by Crace. At the time of writing (2023) these panels are in storage following their removal for safekeeping during the Masterplan conservation project (2005-2018).

The stage is shallow and, due to its location beneath the Belvedere temple attic, does not possess a flying grid. It does still have many of the original wings, scenery and borders - all painted by William Hemsley and his studio - and the requisite backstage hardware: pulleys, hemp ropes etc. There is also still a splendid Act drop (not hung regularly any more, but kept rolled up) depicting Chatsworth house in Elizabethan times, painted by Hemsley after an 18th-century painting by Richard Wilson (itself a copy of a painting by the 17th-century painter, Siberechts). It is worth comparing this cloth with the act drop at the Gaiety Theatre on the Isle of Man, which was also executed by Hemsley.

Right - The Ceiling decoration at the Chatsworth House Theatre in 2002 - Courtesy David Garratt.

The stage dimensions are:- Stage depth 13 feet 4 inches, with a scenic width of 23 feet 8 inches. The overall stage width is 30 feet. The proscenium width is 16 feet by 12 feet high. There is no orchestra pit; historically, the band was arranged at the foot of the stage, separated from the audience by a rail hung with fabric. Since the House is Grade I Listed, so is the Theatre.

Left - The Proscenium Arch at the Chatsworth House Theatre in 2002 - Courtesy David Garratt.

In the second half of the 20th century, the Theatre was used for a variety of purposes, from a gallery of social history objects in the 1960s to a textile conservation workshop in the early 2000s. It annually hosts the children’s Christmas party, thrown by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire for the children of staff of the Chatsworth House Trust. At the time of writing (2023), it remains a multi-purpose space for presentations, staff training and to host performances by a local amateur dramatic company, the Chatsworth Players. During the pandemic, the Theatre acted as a second mess room for Room Guides to give them more space. By remaining flexible to this variety of uses, it operates in much the same way as it was originally intended. Due to limited accessibility, the Theatre does not form part of the regular visitor route. However, it is often possible to see it by joining a special tour of the Belvedere. More information on the Theatre can be found on the Chatsworth House blog here.

Above - The Ceiling decoration at the Chatsworth House Theatre in 2002 - Courtesy David Garratt.

The above article on the Chatsworth House Theatre was kindly written and sent in for inclusion on the site by Louise Calf in July 2023. It replaces an earlier article by David Garratt, written for the site in 2013, which was less detailed than the above but is still available to read at the Wayback Machine Archive Here.

If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.