Hardwick Hall: National Trust Guidebook

by Annie Bullen

This guide book tells the story of Hardwick Hall, an Elizabethan architectural gem, designed and built to proclaim the wealth and status of an extraordinary woman. Bess of Hardwick knew that her hill-top mansion, its tall turrets supporting her stone-carved initials and its facade glittering with thousands of panes of costly glass, would be the marvel of its time. Today's visitors will still marvel as they use this book to explore Bess's domain, climbing the grand processional staircase to her suite of overpoweringly grand state rooms or the more intimate family floor made cosy by her descendants. Her collection of precious tapestries and rare needlework hangings on the ground floor is unique, as is the story of hugely wealthy, shrewd and formidable Bess, four-times married, and the most remarkable Elizabethan woman next to the Queen herself.

Genres: History

64 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2015

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

National Trust guidebooks can often be just long lists of the furniture and paintings in the room. This one however is excellent. It starts with some history of Bess. Then guides as through the main part of the house as if we were an Elizabethan visitor. This is the best part. Then follows descriptions and history of the rest of the site.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice to read the expanded history

[Paul Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very detailed info about the Hall, Bess the designer, financier and effectively builder of the hall

[Keith Barraclough · Rating 5 out of 5]

A far more interesting guide book than some very informative and succinct. I really liked this one, well done National Trust.