Calke Abbey is a Grade I listed country house near Ticknall, Derbyshire, England, in the care of the charitable National Trust.

The Priory was initially an independent community, but after the death of Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester in 1153, it (along with most of his Derbyshire estates) became part of the dowry of his widow, Maud of Gloucester.

[4] A loan to cover this huge amount was made possible by John Preste (Prest and other variations), a Master Grocer of London, for which he received from Prior John Young a 99-year lease dated 31 August 1537 for Calke Priory with various lands and permissions, stating 59 years being prepaid to reflect the amount lent.

A further condition stated that the lease was for Frances and her heirs only – meaning when she later married William Bradbourne in 1557, he was not allowed to take ownership of Calke, as was normal practice in Tudor times.

[10] Meanwhile the freehold of Calke was granted by King Edward VI to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick (later Duke of Northumberland), for services in Scotland.

Her death in 1572, without any heirs, precipitated a court battle about the rightful ownership until 1573/4, when lawyer Richard Wendsley achieved a settlement to enjoy the lease under the title of John Smyth and Grace (nee Prest).

The house was built around a courtyard with the south range serving as the entrance front, with a gatehouse; two projections in the foundations at the northeast and northwest reveal the locations of 2 stair-turrets.

[15] When he died, his eldest daughter, Hilda Harpur Crewe (1877–1949) sold some of his collection of birds, butterflies and fishes to pay death duties.

She was succeeded by her nephew, Charles Jenney (1917–81), who was the eldest son of Frances Harpur Crewe, the fourth daughter of Sir Vauncey.

[16] Set in the midst of a landscape park, Calke Abbey is presented by the National Trust as an illustration of the English country house in decline.

The ancient deer park of the Calke Abbey Estate is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest[18] and national nature reserve,[19] particularly noted for its rare wood pasture habitat and associated deadwood invertebrate fauna.