The people at National Trust had the great idea to keep one of their properties in the state it was in when given to them: Calke Abbey. Styling it an ‘un-stately home’ was a great idea – the State Bed is in good order, but everything goes rapidly downhill from there.

Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, who was the 10th Baronet, was a mad collector – and even though many of his natural history specimens have been sold by his descendants to pay death duties, many more remail to give Calke an atmosphere uniquely its own.

A few pictures I made there: