Tour Details
The tours are limited to about 20 people and last about 1 ½ to 2 hours and must be pre booked to guarantee a place – Tel: 01773 520 084. You will be able to see the myriad of downright odd contents of Carnfield Hall collected by James Cartland and his relations over the past two centuries. James will tell you stories about both them and the dramatic history of his home. It is £15 per person including tea afterwards. Send cheques/postal orders for full amount (payable to J.B Cartland) after booking your place on tour. Tour starts 2.15pm, gathering outside front door (bring a picnic beforehand) with parking two minutes walk away. Location: 1 ½ miles west of Junction 28 (M1) on the B6019 left hand side. Alfreton parkway station is 5 minutes walk and there is a bus stop outside the gates.
For all bookings please contact Mr JB Cartland on 01773 520084 or write to:
Mr JB Cartland
Carnfield Hall
South Normanton
Derbyshire
DE55 2BE
Tour Guide
The guided tour by the owner – James Cartland, takes in most of the beautiful rooms across two floors. The Great Hall, Library and Georgian Dining Room, two 1620 Staircases panelled Elizabethan parlour and several old panelled bedrooms. The Hall has been well known for its ancient panelled rooms for two centuries. The house is furnished with the enormous collection which reflects not only Mr Cartland’s collecting bug – over fifty five years of it, but numerous family treasures and items relating to the Hall.
Royal relics such as Princess Charlotte’s wedding stockings and a few hairs from the head of Edward IV (1483) can be seen. If requested well in advance collections of documents (from about 1500) relating to the Hall, South Normanton and Alfreton can be seen as well as Sheffield plate and a huge collection of tea cosies (yes, really, they are quite extraordinary). All these can be seen if asked for in advance. Especially good for antique societies.
The house was described in Simon Jenkin’s “`1000 Best Houses” as a “miniature Calke Abbey”.
Carnfield Hall is only open for visits of ten or more (booked in advance). The tours last around 1 1/2 hours (or 1 hour if the group divides into two)
Afternoon Visits: 14.30 onwards – £6.00 per person.
Evening Visits: 18.30/19.00 – £8.00 per person (10-26 visitors only)
If you wish to view the costume collection please mention this when you make your booking, much is on show but smaller items hidden away.
Contents of Carnfield Hall
The fascinating contents are based on the Cartland family possessions originally housed at the The Priory, Kings Heath, Birmingham. This estate was bought in the early 19 Century by James Cartland who opened his Brassfoundry in Weaman Street in 1810. Over the next 100 years, it became one of the largest in the world under the auspices of his son John (1811-1889), a noted industrialist who sat on the boards of 70 companies and was a city councillor. His oldest son John Howard (1849-1940) was not only the chairman of the great western Brassfoundry, but a great traveller and collector – Many items are at Carnfield. On one occasion 1889, he was returning with other Birmingham industrialists from the Melbourne (Australia) exhibition when they were marooned on an island in the pacific. They were rescued after being threatened with becoming the next meal by the unfriendly chief of a gunboat from Fiji; I still have the chief’s soup spoon!
In 1940, his great Nephew Ronald the heir to the Priory MP for Kings Norton was killed and Dunkirk along with his brother Tony. Their sister Bartara, the romantic novelist, being a girl couldn’t inherit and the Priory estate passed to my father Captain John Cartland and his cousin Geoffrey Cartland Crawshay on the death of the uncle a few weeks later.
The sight of the Priory is now Camp Hill School and the contents were mostly sold at an auction sale in 1940 lasting 3 days during the (unknown word) of Birmingham. Numerous items remained in the family and many have returned to me as head of the Cartland family and last of the surname!
I have been a collector since I was about 5, in 1952, particularly on quirky things. Since buying Carnfield 22 years ago, I have had the space and opportunity to acquire more and have added many items sold out of my family that were originally in this house – including a huge archive of documents from its archives that disappeared in 1912.
I am still looking for a large semi aerial view of Carnfield panted about 1700 and sold for 7/6 in the 1912 auction. It was in Sheffield in 1952 and apparently the old multi gabled roof could be seen through the paint where it had been altered to show the new parapet. Where is it today?
Doll’s House
A recent addition to the collection is a huge dolls house specially commissioned from the (unknown word) Len Lewis – the well known maker and designer whose houses can be seen all over the world in private collections and museums. 5 Stories high and with 31 rooms, it is designed as an 18th Century mansion on an arched stand. In the process of being decorated and furnished in period style by James Cartland it is worth coming to see. 8 rooms have been completed so far, with the library and ball room in the near future.
Why not visit the Alfreton Antiques Centre before your visit: it’s just a mile away, 11 Kings Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire, Opening times: Monday- Saturday, 10.00 -4.30 and Sundays, 11.00 – 4.30. Website www.alfretonantiquescentre.com