Description: Kedleston Hall is a classical Palladian mansion built for the Curzon family between 1759 and 1765. The original design for the house was by Matthew Brettingham and James Paine. Work commenced on the houses and the pavilions were completed and work had started on the first floor of the main house when Curzon was introduced to the Scottish architect Robert Adam. Curzon was so taken by Adam's ideas that he employed him to direct the work on his new house. The entrance front is considered to be one of the finest Palladian facades in Britain. At its centre is an immense Corinthian portico on a high base with flights of steps approaching on either side. The state rooms are on a grand scale and have particularly good collections of paintings and original furniture. A museum of remarkable furniture and artefacts collected by Lord Curzon when he was Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905 is housed in the Eastern Wing. The house is set in 800 acres of parkland with an 18th century pleasure ground. Robert Adam was also influential in the layout of the park and created some charming features including the bridge over the lake, a fishing room with nearby boat-house, the hexagonal summer-house by the formal rose garden and an orangery.