A Visit to Renishaw Hall
When I was at high school, I discovered a rather strange poem by Edith Sitwell (1887-1964) in our class anthology that really caught my imagination. I can’t even remember what it was called, but I remember it was full of syncopated rhythms and really obscure references to Greek mythology that warmed my nerdish girlish heart.
As a result of this, I developed a lifelong interest in the three literary Sitwell siblings who grew up at Renishaw Hall in Derbyshire on the edge of the Peak District. Edith was an avant garde poet and something of an artistic icon (she had very unusual looks that she hated but that looked quite haunting in photos and paintings). She and her two younger brothers Osbert and Sacheverell (isn’t that a fabulous name?) all grew up together in difficult family circumstances and all ended up making major contributions to 20th century artistic life. Their mother was cold and their father wasn’t just cold, he was demanding and hypercritical. Given the absence of parental love, I think it’s hardly surprising the three children turned to writing to release their feelings!
Anyway, this isn’t an article about the Sitwells as artists, although I couldn’t blame you for thinking it might be! If you’d like to know more about this fascinating trio and their achievements, this Wikipedia article is a good place to start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Sitwell And check out the fabulous photo on the right that Cecil Beaton took of Edith in her 70s.
This is actually an article about the day I finally got to visit Renishaw during my recent jaunt to England. I’d got close a few years ago, but the hall ended up being closed when I was in the area. It was a huge thrill finally to set foot on the place that nurtured all these marvelous writers.
There’s a lot to see at Renishaw. If you go on a Friday (like we did), you can do a tour of the house which is still very much a family home where the everyday mixes with masterpieces of 20th century art. There’s a museum about the Sitwells and their achievements. There’s a very nice tea shop! And there are the famous Italianate gardens designed by that unloving Sitwell papa. These days, they’re Renishaw’s major claim to fame.
Photography wasn’t permitted inside the house, but I went a bit wild in the beautiful gardens. It’s a while since I’ve been in the UK in summer – I usually go in spring to see the bluebells. I’d forgotten how lovely and lush a late summer English garden can be. So I hope you enjoy these selected shots!
