Here Not There... Again

Adventures of Bonnie and Jim

HARDWICK, OUR LAST HISTORIC HOUSE

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I was under the weather the day of this visit, so the pics aren’t the best.  Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire is said to be a testament to weath, power and ego.  Bess of Hardwick began building the grand Elizabethan   house in 1590 after the death of  her hubby, Earl of Shrewsbury, the richest man in England at the time and her 4th husband. Supposedly their constant arguments were so vitriolic that the word “shrew,” short for Shrewsbury, entered the vocabulary.

Bess had a big ego and wanted to leave her mark.  Her initials “ES”, Elizabeth of Shrewsbury, on everything from the gates that surround the property, to every parapet and surface.  She also loved needlework and was quite good at it.  The tapestries which line the walls are one of the great displays in the country.

One thing that separates Hardwick Hall from other historic houses is the use of glass, which was unheard of back in the 1500s.  In choosing glass, Bess made a visual statement of beauty, modernism and wealth. You could say she was cutting edge!

Part of the kitchen.
Part of the kitchen.
Old hall where Bess of Hardwick was born fell unto neglect after the new Hall was built.
Old hall where Bess of Hardwick was born fell unto neglect after the new Hall was built.
The tapestries on the walls throughout the house are astonishing.
The tapestries on the walls throughout the house are astonishing.

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The tapestries have faded after centuries so you can only imagine how vivid they were when they were new-or even 200 years old!
The tapestries have faded after centuries so you can only imagine how vivid they were when they were new-or even 200 years old!
The Long Gallery.
The Long Gallery.
Tudor Royals and members of Bess's family fill the Long Gallery.
Tudor Royals and members of Bess’s family fill the Long Gallery.

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Fantastic staircase up to High Great Chambers. The tapestries on the wall are 16th century.
Fantastic staircase up to High Great Chambers. The tapestries on the wall are 16th century.

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What makes Hardwick unusual is the use of glass. No other historic house has anything as modern as glass. You could say Hardwick was cutting edge (bad pun).
What makes Hardwick unusual is the use of glass. No other historic house has anything as modern as glass. You could say Hardwick was cutting edge (bad pun).