Designed by the famous Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson, the Hunting Tower was completed around 1582 for Bess of Hardwick.
The Hunting Tower is situated on the crest of the hill above Chatsworth House and is accessed via the footpaths and trails through Stand Wood; the views of the park are well worth the climb.
Originally, the Hunting Tower may have been a banqueting house or summerhouse and, as its name implies, it was also used by the ladies to watch the hounds working when hunting in the park below. Guests would have enjoyed the contrasting views to the west, with its ‘tamed’ landscape, including the house and formal gardens below and fields beyond.
Inside, a steep spiral staircase provides access to each of the four floors, with each room following the unusual exterior shape of the building.
Did you know you can stay in the Hunting Tower? Learn more here.
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Estate Walks
Every Tuesday from 1 April until 28 October 2025
Take in some of the best views and discover fascinating stories about Chatsworth on this guided walk.
Plant Identification Garden Walk
Wednesdays; 10 September & 15 October 2025
Discover the hero plants of each season on this guided tour of the Chatsworth Garden. We’ll share the botany, history and stories behind some of Chatsworth’s most fascinating plants.
Garden Insights Tour
24 September, 22 October 2025
Join the garden team for a tour of the Chatsworth Garden, picking up expert advice and tips along the way.
Connect with Nature Wellbeing Days
17 September 2025
Nature wellness days inspired by the seasons.
Cutting Garden Floristry Workshop
Friday 25 July & Thursday 11 September 2025
Create a seasonal arrangement using flowers from the Chatsworth Garden.
Kitchen and Cutting Garden Tour
10 October 2025
Join Mick Brown on a tour of our Production Gardens; discover their history, what we grow and why. Includes garden entry.
'The Hen Party' with Arthur Parkinson
12 October 2025
Author and illustrator, Arthur Parkinson, celebrates the launch of his new book 'The Hen Party' with a talk and book signing covering his lifelong passion for chickens and Chatsworth.
Includes garden and farmyard access.
