GRAND HOUSES

In Derbyshire, you can see one of Adam’s earliest commissions – considered one of his greatest achievements – on a visit to

Kedleston Hall (nationaltrust. org.uk/ kedleston-hall). Created for the Curzon family to rival the mighty Chatsworth House 30 miles away, the layout and design perfectly embody the Adam brothers’ pioneering ‘movement’ principle. This 18th- century show palace – it was commissioned as more of a vanity project than a working family home – still dazzles thanks to its scale and incredible interior details. Neoclassical, Grand Tourinspired elements abound, from the Marble Hall that evokes a classical villa interior, to ceilings that wouldn’t be out of place in the great churches of Rome. Thanks to the National Trust, Kedleston has undergone extensive restoration over the past three decades to reinstate Adam’s opulent vision, making it the place to see his respect for neoclassical design fully realised.

Fewer than 100 miles south, the foundations of Croome

Court date back to the 17th century (nationaltrust.org.uk/ croome). They were retained by the 6th Earl of Coventry when he renovated the house in 1751. Capability Brown was brought in to transform the estate, while Adam began work on the interiors in 1760. A !er the 10th Earl was killed in action in 1940 during the Ba"le of Dunkirk, the estate could sadly no longer support its own upkeep and the house fell into disrepair. Croome is now in the hands of the National Trust.

RIGHT The ornate plasterwork ceiling in the circular Saloon at Kedleston Hall. BELOW View of the house seen across the lake at Croome Park, Worcestershire. TOP RIGHT Intricate decoration on the exterior of Chatsworth House.