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Introduction

Calke Abbey is a 300-year-old house built on the site of a former priory and completed in 1704 for Sir John Harpur. The family lived at Calke for almost 400 years, the name changing to Crewe and then to Harpur Crewe. Throughout the generations the family displayed a range of eccentric characteristics from being strangely reclusive to having an absorbing fascination with natural history.

How we present Calke to visitors

The National Trust is letting visitors see Calke as it was found in 1984, in a state of decline, to show what happened to many great country houses in the 20th century.

Corvidae - accessible, engaging, informative

Credits

Produced for the National Trust by Corvidae Ltd.

Photography

Richard Crowest, Simon Basketter (Corvidae)

Andreas von Einsiedel, John Hammond, Christopher Hurst, Rupert Truman (National Trust Photo Library)

Don Godfrey (volunteer)