For those who like their heritage with plenty of personality, a visit to Derbyshire is a must. The county is blessed with a number of distinctive homes that reflect the passions and prejudices of their unusual owners. Bess of Hardwick was a local lass made good: she began life as a squire’s daughter and ended up as one of England’s richest Elizabethan women. She built Hardwick Hall, a lantern-like edifice adorned with her initials, and also owned Chatsworth where her Devonshire descendants still live. Local squire George Vernon built Sudbury Hall without the help of an architect. Its magnificent Long Gallery was used in the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice. Other local gentry with a vision include the Curzon family at the Italianate Kedleston, The Manners family at verdant Haddon, the eccentric Harpur Crewe family at crumbling Calke Abbey and William Peveril (illegitimate son of William the Conqueror) at ruined Peveril Castle.

1 CALKE ABBEY
This property came to the National Trust in 1985, little changed by the reclusive Harpur Crewe family since 1880. It has since undergone essential repair work, but its decline has been halted, rather than hidden. This gives a time-capsule effect, where visitors can experience a great house in decline, rather than in its heyday. The house is chock full of peculiar family heirlooms: don’t miss the salon, which is filled with stuffed animals and family portraits. One of Calke’s greatest treasures is a state bed with colourful silk hangings, given to the family in 1714 but never erected. Leave the house via the spooky tunnel that emerges in the brewery, before taking a stroll in Calke’s extensive grounds.

2 PEVERIL CASTLE
Perched above Castleton village, Peveril castle offers impressive views of Hope Valley. Built in the 11th century by William Peveril, illegitimate son of William the Conqueror, the castle passed to Henry II when Peveril failed to back Henry’s right to the throne. The King proceeded to take a keen interest in Peveril, then known as the ‘Castle of the Peak’; and it was here, in 1157, that he received the homage of King Malcolm IV of Scotland. After 1400, the castle fell into disrepair, before Walter Scott’s romantic four-volume novel Peveril of the Peak made it popular once again. Today, the castle is a desolate but evocative ruin.

3 HARDWICK HALL
Built by Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury (also known as Bess of Hardwick) in the 16th century, Hardwick stands as a memorial to the power of this remarkable woman. Six towers are adorned with her initials, ES, and huge glass windows turn the house into a glittering status symbol. Ironically, today’s visitors will find Hardwick rather dim. Shutters stay closed to protect a world-famous tapestry collection, including an early 16th century example showing biblical scenes of King David and King Solomon at the top of the main staircase. A 166ft long gallery contains a vast Elizabethan portrait collection, including a portrait of a lushly attired Elizabeth I, whose underskirt is thought to have been a lavish Christmas gift from Bess.

4 HADDON HALL
You might recognise Haddon Hall from Zeffirelli’s Jane Eyre or Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth. It also provides the setting for the soon-to-be released remake of Pride and Prejudice. Although Haddon has existed on the site since Norman times, the house is a mixture of architectural styles blended by the use local stone. The south aisle of the chapel is Norman, but the north aisle is 14th century, the chancel 15th and the roof 17th. In the 14th century banqueting hall, look out for a small iron manacle and lock, which would clasp the wrist of anyone who did not ‘drink fayre’ while the rest of their drink was poured up their sleeve. Haddon also boasts mature and well-tended gardens.

5 SUDBURY HALL
Sudbury was the brainchild of local squire George Vernon who rebuilt the mansion without the help of an architect during the reign of Charles II. The building becomes more complex as you move from lower to upper levels, as Vernon became increasingly skilled and employed superior craftsmen. The hall is furnished with some interesting artefacts, including delightful timepieces and a large barometer. But the most magnificent feature of the house is the ceiling of the Long Gallery. Its entire length is adorned with ornate images including shells and emperors’ heads surrounding a central rosette. The Long Gallery featured in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

6 CHATSWORTH HOUSE
The ‘Palace of the Peak’ is an exquisite house, gallery, museum and family home that will take your breath away. Paintings by Rembrandt, Van Dyke, Freud, and Gainsborough adorn the walls while ceilings demonstrate the artistic skills of Louis Laguerre and Antonio Verrio. There are some marvellously quirky curiosities on display, including a colossal foot acquired by the sixth duke in 1839 and a Turkish barge that sits mysteriously in a hall. The fun continues in the 105-acre garden: children will love the maze while adults should track down the elegant 300-year-old cascade that falls 200 yards down a hill.

7 KEDLESTON HALL
Set in over 800 acres of pleasure gardens, Kedleston is a neo-classical-style mansion just three miles from Derby city centre. It was built between 1759 and 1765 for the first Lord Scarsdale, Nathaniel Curzon, whose family had lived in the area since the 12th century. The house was designed to showcase works of art and museum exhibits, and renowned Scottish architect and designer Robert Adams was responsible for much of its interior. One such show room is the vast marble hall, supported on 20 Corinthian columns and rising impressively to the plasterwork ceiling. For a taste of the orient try the Eastern museum, which is packed with artefacts collected by Lord Scarsdale when he was Viceroy of India, at the dawn of the 20th century. If you would like to trace Adams’ distinctive influence through the gardens, head to the fishing room, boat house and hexagonal summer house.