Chatsworth House pilots free entry scheme to improve access amid cost of living crisis

The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire open the gates to Chatsworth House, where groups of up to eight can visit at no cost. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA View image in fullscreen The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire open the gates to Chatsworth House, where groups of up to eight can visit at no cost. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Chatsworth House pilots free entry scheme to widen access amid cost of living crisis Initiative in conjunction with Derbyshire Libraries aims to help struggling families access cultural experiences When Kate, a 47-year-old contract worker came face to face with Charlotte Brontë’s handwriting while visiting Chatsworth House, the avid reader, who counts Jane Eyre as her favourite book, struggled to contain her excitement. “I had a little bit of a moment,” she said. “I just thought: ‘Wow, that was actually Charlotte Brontë’s writing there on that page.’ That was pretty special.” It was her first visit inside Chatsworth House . Although she has lived just 90 minutes from the stately home for two decades, the cost of admission had long been a barrier. “We’ve been to Chatsworth before just to have a walk around the grounds, which are beautiful,” she said. “But going into the house and the gardens is something we’ve never done before as a family.” Kate, her husband and their two children are among the first to benefit from a pilot scheme designed to widen access to one of Britain’s best-known country houses. Through her longstanding membership of Swadlincote Library in Derbyshire , she borrowed a free seven-day Chatsworth community membership card that gave her family free entry to the estate. View image in fullscreen The painted hall at Chatsworth House. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian The initiative, launched by Chatsworth House Trust with Derbyshire Libraries, allows groups of up to eight people to visit the house, gardens and grounds at no cost. The pilot comes amid the growing cost of living crisis that forces families to prioritise basic necessities, putting many cultural experiences beyond their reach. Jane Marriott, director of Chatsworth House Trust, said the charity wanted to “share Chatsworth with as many people as possible”, adding that the partnership with Derbyshire Libraries would widen access to the estate and “champion the value of reading for pleasure”. The Community Membership passes (two per library) have been borrowed a total of 110 times from the 10 libraries since the scheme launched last month, quickly becoming the most borrowed item from the Derbyshire County Libraries for the month of June. “The house itself is so opulent and beautiful,” Kate said. “For me, the best bit was walking around places that you recognise from TV and film adaptations. I felt like I’d been there before because I’d seen it on screen. Standing next to the statues, seeing inside the rooms, it was pretty special.” View image in fullscreen The trust hopes the pass could become a model for widening access to heritage sites across