Peak Experience

Between 1838 and 1842, the Duke of Devonshire had the village of Edensor moved from its original location in order to improve the views from Chatsworth House.  The original Norman church was demolished and replaced by this 1870 church by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the new village.  Some ancient fragments, such as the Norman pillars and the south porch dating from the 1400s were incorporated into the new building.

 

A picture of edensor church A picture of the monument to Bess of Hardwick’s sons

 

The gruesome monument to Bess of Hardwick’s sons, William and Henry Cavendish dates from the 1600s, and you’ll find it in the southeast chapel.  It shows William as a shrouded corpse and Henry as a skeleton.

 

The chapel also contains a wreath of everlasting flowers Queen Victoria sent to the funeral of the assassinated Frederick Cavendish in 1882, and a brass plaque to John Beaton.  Beaton was a servant to Mary, Queen of Scots during her imprisonment at Chatsworth House.

 

President John F. Kennedy’s sister, Kathleen, married the eldest son of the 10th Duke of Devonshire.  She died in a plane crash in 1948 and is buried in the graveyard here.  A plaque in the church commemorates Kennedy’s visit to her grave, shortly before his assassination.

 

The church is generally kept open.  There are no tourist facilities in the village, but many at nearby Chatsworth House.