A traditional English aristocracy home – Chatsworth House 英式傳統貴族大宅 ~ 查茲沃斯莊園

Chatsworth House is located in the Peak District in England and is one of UK’s finest state home. If you’re not familiar with the location of the Peak District, then Chatsworth House is 260km north of London. If you’re a football fan, it’s 65km south east of Manchester, and for Beatles fan it’s 115km east of Liverpool.
查茲沃斯莊園位於英國的峰區，是英格蘭其中一間最宏偉及受歡迎的大宅。 不太認識英國地理的話，峰區位於倫敦以北約260公里。如果你是一位足球迷，它位於曼徹斯特以東南65公里，又或者如果你是一位披頭四粉絲它位於利物浦以東115公里。

The House has been owned by the same Cavendish family since it was completed in 1560. The House of Cavendish was one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century has produced many politicians. The family also had a connection with the American ‘royal family’ when JFK’s sister Kathleen Kennedy married into the family in 1944. Today, the current owners still live in this 126 room house, of which around 20 rooms are open to the public.
大宅在1560年建成，從那個時候開始一直屬於同一 Cavendish 家族擁有。 幾個世紀以來都是英格蘭最顯赫的家族之一，多位男生都是重要的政客。 他們跟跟美國”皇室”甘迺迪家族也有點關係，美國甘迺迪總統的妹妹在1944年就嫁到這家族。 家族的後人現在仍然居住在這家有126間房間的大宅，而其中有20多間房間公開給公眾參觀。

I went to Chatsworth in the summer of 2012 when I went to the Peak District for a weekend. It was a last minute decision to visit so I hadn’t booked our tickets in advance. Luckily I got there early in the morning, and there wasn’t a long queue for the tickets. It didn’t take me long to get the tickets.
我在2012年夏天到峰區遊玩，之前其實沒有打算去 查茲沃斯莊園，所以沒有預先訂票。那天我一早便到達莊園，幸好排隊入場的人不算很多，所以很快已經購了票。

As I went through the entrance to the house, the first room is the Hallway. I wonder if in the old days the two foot men stood there all the time to welcome the distinguished guests?
從大門口進入大宅參觀，第一眼就見到一個很華麗的大堂。不知道當年是否都會有兩位傭人站在哪裏歡迎貴賓呢?

It seems no expense was spared to build and decorate the house. The work on the railings and wall panels, as well as the library were lavish, but not vulgar.
大宅內外建造富麗堂皇，可以看得出當年主人絕沒吝嗇。 從樓梯旁到長廊的欄杆， 牆上的精細雕刻，及書房內的裝潢，絕對是豪華而不帶俗氣

My favourite room in the house is the main dining room and that’s where I spent most of the time. As I walked through the dining room doors, the first thing I see is the massive chandelier hanging down from the ceiling.
整間大宅我最欣賞就是大飯廳，我在這裏停留最多時間。 踏進飯廳的第一眼，我看到從天花吊下來一盞很華麗的水晶燈。

 

The regal red hand painted wallpaper adorned the room, and I was told that many of the paintings and silverware were from those yesteryears.
飯廳的牆壁上貼上莊嚴綺麗的紅色手繪牆紙。聽導覽員說房間內很多的油畫，銀器和餐具都是從16世紀保存下來。

 

The 18 people dining table was laid in the utmost formal manner. The designs on the silver candlestick holders and flower stands, reflected the aristocratic lifestyle from the old days. The whole setting looked as if it was fit for a king. In fact, in 1832 the young Princess Victoria dined in this very room when she stayed at Chatsworth House. She returned again 11 years later as Queen Victoria along with her husband Prince Albert.
飯廳中間有一張大餐桌，可以共18人用餐。 桌面擺設整套傳統英式高級餐具。銀器燭台架和插花瓶的設計都反映當時貴族的生活。整個擺設即使招待皇室也絕不失禮。 其實，在1832年維多利亞公主曾到訪查茲沃斯莊園，曾經在這大飯廳用膳。11年後當成為維多利亞女王後，又再與丈夫阿爾柏王子回到查茲沃斯莊園。

 

I spent so much time admiring everything in the dining room that I had to rush though the rest of the rooms inside the house. Next time, I’ll take you to the magnificent gardens of Chatsworth House. Stay tuned.
我在大飯廳逗留很久，所以其他房間也只是走馬看花，隨便逛逛。 下次我將會為大家介紹查茲沃斯莊園的花園，跟大家繼續分享 。