Sustainable Heritage Conservation
Chatsworth House—home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire—has captivated visitors for centuries. Nestled in the heart of Derbyshire, this world-famous estate has been occupied by the Cavendish family since 1549, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year who flock to experience its breathtaking public face: the historic house and its grand collections, the iconic formal gardens, the dramatic waterworks, sweeping parkland, and family-friendly farmyard and adventure playground.
Beyond its celebrated façade, the Chatsworth Estate stretches across 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, encompassing ancient woodland, productive farms, moorland, rivers, heritage villages, quarries, and a wide range of estate industries. This expansive and historic landscape requires meticulous upkeep rooted in traditional, sustainable materials—and that’s where linseed oil paint plays a starring role.
For decades, Chatsworth’s estate management team has championed linseed oil paint as the gold standard for protecting timber, maintaining historic buildings, and reducing long-term maintenance costs.
A Partnership with Brouns & Co
In 2014, Chatsworth Estate approached Brouns & Co for help with a challenge: their iconic Chatsworth Estate Blue—a signature color seen across doors, gates, and joinery—was consistently fading to grey. The issue stemmed from poor-quality pigments and misinformation from a previous supplier regarding zinc white.
Brouns & Co reformulated the color to ensure historical accuracy, vibrancy, and longevity, using:
High-quality earth pigments sourced for maximum stability
Cobalt blue, explicitly chosen because it resists UV bleaching (unlike ultramarine)
Factory-added zinc white for built-in mold resistance and optimal durability
The result was a finish that stays rich, true, and resilient in the estate’s varied climate—from shaded courtyards to sun-exposed elevations.
Chatsworth’s View on Linseed Paint Performance
“Brouns & Co linseed paint is tremendously easy to use and very cost-effective; it reduces our maintenance cycle, application time in labour, and cost in joinery repairs.”
—Malcolm Hulland, Buildings Contracts Manager, Chatsworth Estate
The Russian Cottage: A Unique Architectural Treasure
Among the estate’s most charming structures is the Russian Cottage, a storybook-like building inspired by a gift from the brother of Tsar Nicholas I. In 1855, the 6th Duke of Devonshire received an exquisitely detailed model of a Russian farmhouse as a token of friendship—rooted in the Duke’s earlier service as British Ambassador to Moscow in 1816. Although an official exchange visit planned for 1844 never took place, the gift inspired the Duke to build a full-scale cottage on the estate, now known as The Russian Cottage. Today, the cottage’s historic pine timbers are maintained using tar oil, which nourishes the wood and protects it from the elements.
Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop
Door - Chatsworth Blue and Blackout
