When acquiring Calke Abbey the National Trust decided to make the building structurally sound but leave the house and its contents exactly as they found them:
The National Trust has made essential repairs to the fabric of the building and restored the Flower Garden to its gaudy Victorian glory, but, inside, it endeavours to present the place as it was found, preserving Calke Abbey’s potent, but fragile, atmosphere of quiet decay. So a matchbox still props up the broken leg of the china pug dog in the Entrance Hall.
Today, Britain’s country houses are generally in better heart than they have been since the mid-19th century. Calke Abbey reminds us of a bleaker time not so very long ago.*
This approach to the conservation leads to a fascinating incite of the history of the building and its owners.
*From the Calke Abbey guide book.
And people say I should tidy my room up!
I feel likewise about my house after the other occupant has messed it up
I’m pretty sure I saw this room on A&E’s show “Hoarders” last week
Aw, all those poor deer. Antlers everywhere, how unnerving. So clearly, there was no woman in this house, at least one with any sort of say as to what the contents of this home were whatsoever. Or was this just his “man cave” room?
(I tried to click on the cabinet case to the left to see what was being collected in rows, but I couldn’t tell – and am not sure I want to know
I do, however, like the fact that there’s a china pug doll in the front hallway, propped or not!
There was no woman in the house when the house went into decline the final male occupant lived in just two rooms of the house and this was one of his ‘collections’!!
When I saw the reference to pug doll (dog) It made me think of your Puggie
And the match box made me smile 
I’m thinking because the other rooms were filled to the brim with other taxidermy projects?
Aw, thanks for thinking for Monsignor Snuggy Pug – hesagudboy!
Coincidently, before I even read this, I started a post yesterday on Pugs in all their puggishness, after watching a video of one dancing with a baby, whether he wanted to or not (which is now posted on my blog). Snuggy’s in the last video, if you can stand the little crazy voices I do, while playing with him;)
Unless you’re a pug lover, you may be bored senseless, but a couple of the videos are pretty cute.
There were cases and cases of taxidermy collections throughout the house. You will note I didn’t photograph them, I found them rather disturbing…
I particularly like the vid of the the Pug and the little girl
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . . .
The jumble makes my smile
but I am not one for stuffed head trophies on the wall, let alone on the bed…
Why is everyone laughing? A few of us single males like collecting interesting bits and pieces from the real old ‘better’ days.
After-all I can’t see people of either sex collecting todays bling and tat?
Now on the subject of ’stuffed head trophies’ would it surprise you to know that I share my home here with a few of these?
I never liked the idea of stuffing live creatures, but when they were clearing out Lord Desborough’s trophies at Taplow Court – yes, you guessed – some ended up in my spare bedroom. :O
A subject for a future post.
Cheers…… Bernard
(By the way I’ve put up Part 2 of Taplow Court on ‘Blast from the Past blog).
Awwww, Bernard …a few trophies is fine…even several, if they’re ON THE WALL
But like…3 heads, lying on a bed, on the pillows?
(Reminds me of that scene in the “Godfather” with the horse’s head, ugh).
Hey, I get the accomplishment piece. For instance, right now, I have Detroit’s lucky, prize 3D Eventing saddle over an end table in the corner of my living room – wouldn’t have been my first thought, but I kinda like it there.
A man should make his mark on the home, he lives there too
Now that does surprise me that you have some of those stuffed trophies in your spare bedroom, I don’t remember seeing any in your photos
I think this room was the spare bedroom or the collection room, rather than the place the owner slept
I will check you your post
A man after my own heart! Who was it who said that a tidy desk is the sign of a sick mind?
Along the lines of a tidy house means a boring mind.
I won’t be able to sleep in such room with so many eyes staring at me!
I don’t think he slept in there…
My spare room
Not sure that it’s the best choice of things to be placed on the bed … it’ll give them a creek in the neck counting stars or … sheep ! … & give me the creeps trying to get to sleep later … might start dreaming as to what else is in the bed 
The thought of those things on a bed near to me, would give my the creeps too!!