Calke Abbey National Trust, Derbyshire

Tour Information

With peeling paintwork and overgrown courtyards, Calke Abbey tells the story of the dramatic decline of a country house estate. The house and stables are little restored, with many abandoned areas vividly portraying a period in the 20th century when numerous country houses did not survive to tell their story.

Discover powerful stories of a family who amassed a vast collection of hidden treasures. Visit the beautiful, yet faded walled gardens and explore the orangery, auricula theatre and the kitchen gardens. Escape into the ancient and fragile habitats of Calke Park and its National Nature Reserve.

Included in the Tour

Entrance into Calke Abbey and grounds, self guided house tour

This tour is accompanied by sisters Jacky & Sue, Wisteria Tours

Coach travel with Lakeside Coaches of Ellesmere.

Find out about the Itinerary…

A view of the wooded bank beside the mere pond at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Autumn colours begin in Serpentine Wood at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Rainbow of pumpkins and gourds on display in the Auricula Theatre at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Dahlia border in bloom in October at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Autumn sunshine on the mansion at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire

An un-stately home and country estate!

£81 per person or £60 for National Trust members

20^th October 2026

Ellesmere, Shrewsbury & Telford Services

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Tuesday 20 October

08.30 Departing Lakeside Coach Yard, Ellesmere

09.30 Departing Abbey Foregate car park, Shrewsbury

09.55 Departing Telford Services, M54 at J4/A464

Arriving back at Telford 17.30, Shrewsbury 18.00 and Ellesmere at 18.45. Timings TC 7 days before travel.

Booking your place

A non-refundable deposit of £30 per person is payable when booking. Full payment is due 10 weeks before departure.

Itinerary

Tour Details

Calke Abbey and country estate

Calke Abbey is a remarkable social document reflecting three centuries of country house life. Owned by the Harpur (later Harpur Crewe) family from 1622, each generation left their mark on its buildings, garden and park.

On taking over the estate, the National Trust decided to alter very little at Calke, seeing it as a place which uniquely preserved evidence for the lives of its owners, residents and estate workers, although it undertook a series of extensive repairs in 1986-8 before opening the house to the public. As a result, at Calke the past is remarkably well preserved, and very tangible.

Repaired, but not fully restored by the National Trust, the house and its substantial collection offer an evocative encounter with Calke’s past. The natural history collection at Calke, one of the largest and most varied collections of its type still in a country house setting, was assembled across a number of generations.

A third of the historic estate is recognised as a National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest. The ancient wood pasture and its historic avenues are home to over 650 veteran trees, more than half of which are considered ancient.

Refreshments

There are plenty of places to refresh and refuel including the café, shop and second-hand bookshop. With indoor and outdoor seating available, you can enjoy hot and cold drinks, light meals, snacks and treats in comfort.

Travel arrangements

Departing Ellesmere at 08.30 and Shrewsbury 09.30, Telford 09.55. Arriving back at Telford 17.30, Shrewsbury at 18.00 and Ellesmere at 18.45.

All timings are provisional and will be confirmed 7-days before travel and are dependent upon traffic on the day.

Booking your place

The tour price is £81 per person and £60 per person for National Trust Members. Please bring your membership card on the day.

A non-refundable deposit of £30 per person is payable on booking. Full payment is due 10 weeks before departure.

Includes return coach travel and entry into Calke Abbey with self-guided house tour.

And finally, we have an ‘All Weather Policy’ which means the trip will go ahead come rain or shine unless the Met Office announces it is unsafe to travel.

Accessibility & Mobility Information

For detailed information on accessibility at Calke follow this link.

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