You wouldn't want to be the window cleaner! (Hardwick Hall (Chesterfield))

Member Name: garymarsh6

Product:	Hardwick Hall (Chesterfield)
Date:	10/09/09 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Housing Englands finest rare and priceless tapestry.

Disadvantages: A long steep walk up to the house if you park at the bottom.

Hardwick Hall.


Having recently visited Chatsworth it was a natural inquisitiveness that I wanted to then explore Hardwick Hall the home of Bess Hardwick who was instrumental in the building of nearby Chatsworth house.


Who was Bess Hardwick?

Elizabeth Hardwick otherwise known as Bess of Hardwick was born on the 27th August 1627 and grew up at Old Hardwick Hall from fairly comfortably well off family. It was customary in those days for young ladies and gentlemen to enter service at a fairly senior level such as a companion and would not have done menial or heavy duty work. It was here where she met the first of four husbands. She was only 12 when she married and he Robert Barlow, was 14 years old but as he was a sickly person he died a year later leaving her unconsummated but financially well provided for with a 3rd of his estate going to her.

Her second marriage in 1547 was to Sir William Cavendish and they had 8 children during this marriage however only six children survived. Through this marriage she gained the title Lady Elizabeth Cavendish. Her husband had been married twice before and was much older than she he also had two children who were older than she was from his previous marriages. He was flattered to have a young bride. He was very wealthy acquiring land from the dissolution of the monasteries and estates in Suffolk and the South of England. Elizabeth persuaded him to sell this land and acquire the land that we now know as the Chatsworth Estate. He died ten years later after building Chatsworth. From this marriage came the Devonshire Dukedom dynasty that is very much around today.

Her third marriage was to William St.Loe who also had a lot of properties. He died probably due to poisoning by his younger brother but he had left all his wealth and property to Bess who was only in her late 30's. She became the second richest woman in the whole of England after Queen Elizabeth the 1st being worth millions of pounds at today's equivalent rate and having amassed this through her marriages coming from a modest background.

Queen Elizabeth played matchmaker and furnished the marriage between Bess and George Talbot the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury hence her becoming known as the Countess of Shrewsbury. He was charged with the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots whom stayed with them from time to time at Chatsworth. This was not a particularly happy marriage and Bess bought Hardwick old hall from her brother and lived there for six years until the death of her husband in 1590 after which she was instrumental in the designing with architect Robert Smythson the building of Hardwick new Hall where she spent the remainder of her life dying there in 1608 at the grand old age of 80.

Hardwick Hall.

Hardwick Hall is a magnificent property which highlights grand and gracious living from the Elizabethan age. It took seven years to build and on top of the house there are the initials E.S. on the parapets. It is built high on a hill over looking the derelict old hall and commanding wonderful views of the valleys below and the Derbyshire country side. The hall is built of local stone and is three stories high. Each floor has thousands of tiny windows which was a sign of wealth and there was a saying coined 'Hardwick Hall more glass than wall' and this is certainly true.

Hardwick Hall houses the most impressive collection of tapestries in the world; practically every wall is covered by magnificent tapestries and embroideries to cover the whitewashed walls and to provide warmth. There was no plumbing or heating in the house apart from fire places which would have had roaring log fires but it must have been absolutely freezing to live here and not very nice for the poor servants who had to walk up all the stairs with water from the ground floor to the upper floors. There was no electricity in the house and it would have been dimly lit by candles. There also were no toilets and chamber pots would have been used at night which would have been collected by the servants and walked through the house and downstairs for disposal. Not a pleasant job I shouldn't wonder for anyone.

What is unique about this house is that the higher the floors went the higher the rooms were built. There are other features that were unique to Hardwick Hall. The high servant's quarters were on the ground floor and would have housed the more senior servants whereas the others or junior staff would have lived in near by accommodation around the estate. The entrance hall used to be the dining room for the servants and there is a large trestle table and benches where they would eat. There is a gallery above the hall over looking it. The children of the family would live on the top floor of the house and come down to the dining room to eat their meals and return to the top floor where they were taught by governesses. There are is some wood panelling and a couple of tapestries on the wall but nothing compared to the rest of the house. A large plaque above the fireplace is Bess's coat of arms are inlaid are a set of real antler horns. There is a massive painting of Bess on the opposite wall.

On the ground floor there are exhibitions of the fine needlework that was sewn and embroidered by Bess and Mary Queen of Scots from her time spent imprisoned at Chatsworth. Much of the furniture and paintings hanging on the walls were moved from Chatsworth to furnish this massive house.

When there were visitors to the house the house would become awash with servants who would just have to find a place to sleep anywhere within the house. The ground floor also housed the kitchen and laundry facilities.

There is a grand staircase leading up to the middle floor which is open on one side so you would need to hold on to small children just in case. Here are found the state rooms. The first room you come into is an extremely grand room with tapestries covering all the walls. It is known as the High Great chamber. At the top of the walls are painted plaster frescos depicting hunting scenes. The room is exceptionally high and must have been quite cold. On the floor is a carpeting made out of reeds which is still used today. To prevent it drying out and turning to chaff it has to be lightly moistened with water to maintain it.

Here in this great hall Elizabeth would greet and dine with important visitors to her house and there is a pair of throne chairs under a canopy so that all eyes were on her. Her chair was easily identifiable as it was embroidered and had gold tassel threads and her initials on it. Here the guests would eat quite sumptuously before moving to the retiring rooms however being that it was quite a way from the kitchen it was more than likely that the food was never served piping hot.

To the side of the large banqueting hall the guests would have been able to play games and be entertained. There is a large games table with various inlaid games on the surface. In the middle of the long wall is a grand fire place with the coat of arms of Bess featured quite largely.

After leaving the banqueting hall you enter the long gallery hall which is one of the longest halls in any house in the country. Most halls like this would only have been found in very rich households or in palaces stretching the whole length of the house. In those days a long hall signified power and status and would have been used to display wealth. It would have been here when the weather was bad that the guests would promenade up and down the hall.

All the walls are adorned with tapestries and paintings usually of the monarch and family members. There are two large alcoves with windows all around and on the wall side of the hall there are two very grand fireplaces. In the middle of the hall there are two throne chairs again sat beneath a canopy. The windows allowed the hall to be quite bright but now they are shaded by blinds to protect the rare, delicate tapestries from being ruined by the sun. Leading off from the hall are small retiring rooms for people to relax in. One had been turned into a library and there is some very old wood furniture here that is delicately carved.

On the top floor of the house were smaller more homely rooms in which the family lived, All of these rooms were smaller and more comfortable and it is here that Bess died in her bed.
Some visitors might find it somewhat overwhelming with tapestries adorning every available space on the walls but it is a treasure that you may never see anywhere else in the world on this scale. We should be proud of our national treasures especially as they are left in trust for us to experience and enjoy.

During the 2nd world war the house was used as a training base for the RAF due to its position on top of the hill and the suitability for a landing strip. The soldiers were billeted here during the war and once the war was over the lakes at the bottom of the hill were dredged and 300 bicycles were discovered probably nicked by the soldiers who were going to be late returning to barracks.

The Hardwick estate consists of some 300 acres of parkland and gardens. Around the house in the front courtyard and at the rear were formal gardens and to the side orchards, herb and vegetable gardens. There are woods, forests, lakes and fields to explore on foot. Some of the buildings are still in use today, a 17th century inn currently used as a pub and restaurant which was probably used as staff quarters, stables, a restored flour mill with a water wheel at the entrance to the Hardwick Estate there is also a stone masonry workshop which is still used today and all kinds of other small buildings and farms. There is also a farm shop and cafeteria. There are even two small properties that can be rented for between 6 and 12 people.

The old Hardwick hall is situated right near the brow of the hill and would have had wonderful views. Sadly this is now in ruins but it is preserved by English Heritage on behalf of the National trust. This must have been quite magnificent too in its hey day. You can explore the ruins which incurs an additional charge.

It is also possible to get married at Hardwick hall.


How to find Hardwick hall.

For drivers with Sat Nav assistance the address is:-

Hardwick Hall,
Doe Lea,
Chesterfield,
Derbyshire
S44 5QJ.

The hall is in view of the M1 motorway and leave at Junction 29.
There are plenty of brown tourist signs to direct you to the hall.

Parking is £1.50

We parked at the base of the hill at the inn and boy is it a steep walk up the hill. Take my advice and enter the estate by the Mill entrance and parking is right near to the house.

By train to Chesterfield then by bus.


Admission prices.

Adult £10
Child £5
Family £25
Garden only.
Adult £5
Child £2.50
Joint admission to Old and New Hardwick Hall
£12.75


Opening times are only between 12PM and 4.30PM or 11AM and 3PM in winter
Wednesday to Sunday only but you need to check.

If you are in this area please try and make a visit it is such a wonderful historical house preserved and maintained by the National trust.

Summary: A major significant display of rare hIstorical treasures.