Sunday, May 29, 2016

At Hardwick Hall

As promised here is my second post about our visit to Hardwick.  This time I will write about the new hall which was built by Bess of Hardwick in 1590 after the death of her last (of four) husbands George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.  Bess, born Elizabeth Hardwick, is a fascinating character who rose, throughout her long life, from being the daughter of a minor landowner of gentleman/yeoman stock to being a powerful figure in Elizabethan England and the second richest woman in the country after Elizabeth I.  This was achieved mainly from her ability to marry strategically and well.  I could fill many posts with the story of Bess but she is well documented so if you are interested in her life there are many books and articles to read.

Let's wander across from the old hall (see my post here) to the newer hall which was begun before the older one was completed.  

The architect was Robert Smythson who is also known for his work at Wollaton Hall in nearby Nottingham and Longleat House in Wiltshire

The building is quite imposing and also quite symmetrical which is unusual for Tudor buildings.


You can see the ES for Elizabeth Shrewsbury on the top of each tower.  I mentioned in my post on the old hall that at school not very far away we used to learn the saying 'Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall' and you can imagine how overwhelmed people would have been by their first  sight of the Hall when it was newly built.

You enter on the ground floor and these apartments were private family ones.  Visitors were ushered up the stone staircases, past the wall hangings and tapestries to the long gallery and the great chamber as the visitor rose through the hall the smaller and less significant he or she would feel.  It was a building built to display the power, wealth and importance of the owner.
I think the stairs are what I remember most about various visit to Hardwick.  I remember bringing my Mum in the last couple of years of her life.  She'd lived close by for many, many years and had never been inside only in the grounds so we went in whilst Paul stopped outside with my Dad.  We had to pause on the steps many times for her to catch her breath but she made it all the way through and was delighted to have been inside.




The Muniments room c.1603 where all the records of the the building and family deeds and records were kept.  I meant to ask if the drawers still contain any records or if they were at the main family seat at Chatsworth or even in archive offices.  I assume they are elsewhere.

A photo of a small section of  the Tobit table carpet which is on display under glass in the old school room as part of the 'Stitches in Time' exhibition.  The story told around the carpet is from the Old Testament and incorporates the date of 1579 and the initials G.E.T.S. for George and Elizabeth Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.

The table carpet looks unfinished and bare in places in the centre. This could, of course, be from wear and tear although the carpet would have been covered by a damask cloth at meal times.  In her will Bess requested that all her embroideries and needlework 'be protected from all manner of wet, moth and other hurt' but this wasn't done until fairly recently.  It took 18 years to find and re-assemble the 305 pieces of the carpet after cleaning and analysing the dyes and threads.

Above is the large, applique hanging one of four entitled 'Virtuous Women'. The one above depicts Penelope, wife of Ulysses. To her left is Patience and to her right Perseverance.  The four hangings, which are gradually being conserved, were brought to Hardwick by Bess from her home at Chatsworth.

Detail from one of the hangings on the stairs.  Most of the hangings were made in Flanders and bought in England, although more expensive than other wall coverings there were much easier to install as they can ready made.

Above in the Great Chamber are portraits of Bess herself, her granddaughter Arbella Stuart, who was also the niece of Mary, Queen of Scots and of course in the centre Elizabeth I.  A lot of this area of the hall is dedicated to an exhibition about the life of Arbella which is quite a sad one.  Link to more about Arbella.

The most outstanding feature of the Great Chamber are the plaster friezes around the tops of the walls mostly depicting hunting scenes.

I loved the details in it especially of the rabbit and deer.

The green cut velvet hangings on the bed  in the green velvet room date from the early 18th century.
The kitchens are now set out as kitchens.  This sounds an odd thing to say but the last time we visited the cafe was in this area,  it is now in the buildings where you enter the property.  We didn't visit it as we had a picnic lunch waiting in the car.

After visiting both halls we didn't spend too much time in the gardens so I took very few photos.  I just enjoyed walking around them

I couldn't resist taking one or two though especially of the clematis below.  The garden is enclosed in stone walls with lovely hedged walks and vistas of both old and new halls.


I apologise for the length of this post and hope you have enjoyed the facts and photos.  There is so much to see and take in and I realise that there are some things I have missed along the way.  Like the long gallery for instance and the exhibition about Evelyn, the last 'Lady of Hardwick.'

I'm so glad I visited again after such a long time.

29 comments:

  1. This is a lovely post, and not too long at all. I'm fascinated by history and have never heard of Bess of Hardwick before. Another blogger has also posted recently about Hardwick Hall. All the glass would have really been something in Tudor times. I wonder if any of it is original?

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    1. The glass would have been quite astounding to see I would imagine and a great show of power and welth. I wonder who the other blogger is? It isn't anyone I follow or have come across, I'd love to read what they thought of Hardwick Hall:)

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  2. I have enjoyed this post. This is an age where men had the power and authority of course (with the exception of the queen!) so it is fascinating to read about a woman who had 'made it'. Hardwick Hall does look very imposing. It's lovely to read that you have memories of being there, too.

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    1. Lots of memories of Hardwick and surrounds as I grew up in a village just a few miles away. It would have made quite a statement at the time - still does really:)

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  3. It's a while since I last went inside Hardwick and it looks as though there is more to see than there used to be so I shall try and go again this summer. I live the herb garden at Hardwick so that's another reason to go.

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    1. The herb garden is wonderful isn't it? The gardeners were all working in there when we visited so I didn't take any photos. There does seem to be more to see inside than there used to be plus the kitchens now. It was late 90s when I last went in with my Mum:)

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  4. I really enjoyed this post and would love to see both Hardwick Halls for real. Bess of Hardwick is a character that has fascinated me since reading a book about her awhile back.

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    1. Bess is quite fascinating isn't she? I was also fascinated with Arbella too what differnet lives they lead:)

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  5. Lovely reminder of our recent visit. The gardens are much more lush since we visited. It is an amazing place and lovely that you could share it with your mother. :). B x

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    1. There were some gorgeous plants in the flower beds and the gardeners were working on the herb garden, it did look very lush and green and the woodland walk was so pretty:)

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  6. So good to see Hardwick again with all the treasures inside. All those drawers really makes me think about Bess as a business woman and yet there are the beautiful textiles for which she was well known too. Love the plasterwork and how nice to have a memory of your Mum there too. :-)

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    1. Yes, Bess was a strong woman wasn't she? Love her embroidery and needlework but was also quite an administrator, so many other women must have run households efficiently but they are lost to history at least with Bess being so powerful her story has not been lost in the mist of time:)

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  7. I have so enjoyed reading this wonderful and interesting post. What a beautiful house and garden and Bess of Hardwick sounds such a fascinating woman. Lovely to see all the photos - those plaster friezes in particular are stunning.

    So glad you were able to go inside with your mum - it must have been so nice to share it all with her.

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    1. It was wonderful to see Mum's face as she took it all in and I'm glad she was able to go inside. Bess was a fascinating woman wasn't she? The plaster freiezes in the great chamber were wonderful:)

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  8. A great post Rosie. I would have enjoyed spending time there too. How I would love to have those wooden record drawers. They would be perfect for storing my beads and jewellery making paraphernalia! I hope you are enjoying the bank holiday. x

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    1. The drawers are wonderful aren't they? Makes you wonder what documents and family secrets were hidden in them:)

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  9. A very interesting post! I've never been inside but it's certainly a beautiful, grand building from the outside. I enjoyed my tour of the inside!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed visiting and seeing inside, Louise:)

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  10. I have that clematis in my garden! Thanks for sharing that with me. I think my favourite things at Hardwick are the textiles, though I'm very impressed with the muniments room

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    1. I was struck by the muniments room too. I loved the clematis, I wonder what it is called?:)

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  11. Ah I have a post on Hardwick lined up. Good to see your visit too. We didn't get round the gardens as it was pouring with rain. I loved the writing on the stairs too.

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    1. How lovely, I'll look forward to reading it. I wonder if we visited at a similar time? It was a lovely warm and sunny day when we visited:)

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  12. Thank you for the tour of the house Rosie. Very interesting and such posts are never too long for me. I knew famous paintings and wonderful textiles were there so thank you for sharing them. The plaster friezes are beautiful. I would love to see the Stitches in Time exhibition and the one about Arabella.

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    1. The one about Arbella is spread around the house with quotes on the stairs and on mirrors in the long gallery plus information embroidered on cushions. The frieze was wonderful and so full of detail:)

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  13. It looks so imposing as to be almost austere. Perhaps less so in reality. Hardwick has been on my list to visit for quite some time so I enjoyed the post. Thanks for the tour!

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    1. It seemed warmer and less 'damp and dusty' than it used to be when I visited many years ago. It felt brighter,lighter and more cared for inside this time:)

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  14. Hi Rosie, what an interesting place. I can barely imagine the surprise of seeing a building with so much glass after all those dark medieval homes. And a walled garden too - such perfection! Thank you for sharing your visit. Marie x

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    1. The walled garden and herb garden are lovely in the summer. Glad you enjoyed the visit:)

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  15. In the last couple of years I have read two books featuring Bess of Hardwick. What a woman she was! The story of Arbella is a sad one - but that was the story of so many high-born women of the time. Bess was unique in the way in which she escaped being solely a pawn. Her Hall is a monument to her determination and the force of her personality.

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