Calke Abbey NT, Ticknall, Derby

Not too sure what to expect here. National Trust presented Calke Abbey as an illustration of the English country house in decline. A massive amount of remedial work but no restoration has been done and interiors are almost as they were found in 1985 so the decay of the building and its interiors has been halted but not reversed. Before the NT work of the late 1980s everything had remained untouched since the 1880s.

I thought that this would also have been the case in the gardens. But most had been well kept and in modern day usage, as the fruit and vegetables were all for sale.

The only area not kept in production was the massive 2nd walled garden. A few old pear trees still clinging to the walls.

However the smaller walled garden was well kept, and this housed the orchard and vegetable garden.

Some unusual apples were Nottingham Pippin and Maltster amongst many others.