in 1549, Sir William Cavendish, who came from an old
Suffolk family and had been awarded monasic lands for his service to the king, bought the estate of Chatsworth from the Agard family and soon afterwards began to build on the site of the present house. The building was incomplete at his death and was completed by his widow, Bess of Hardwick. It passed eventually to William Cavendish, who became the first Earl of Devonshire in 1618 and is the ancestor of all later earls and dukes of
Devon.
The park is open year round. The house is open from late March to late October. Admission is charged.
The rail station of Chesterfield is 30 minutes away by taxi.
