Today we are going back in history, Hardwick hall was the home of Elizabeth Shrewsbury, better known as Bess of Hardwick {Google search} She was born 1527-1608and after 4 advantageous marriages she outlived all her husbands and became the richest most powerful woman in Britain after Queen Elizabeth I, Her son became the first Duke of Devonshire and with her help he built Chatsworth House, Lots of my ancestors worked here. this house was built c 1590, it now belongs to the National Trust, an organisation that buys these properties to preserve them for the nation, today all their properties are free admission..........which is why I'm here :D they aquired Hardwick Hall in the 50s because when the 10th Duke of Devonshire died the family had £50,000,000 death duties to pay so as part of the settlement they gave Hardwick to the nation

Another view, Bess's bedroom was the middle on the right

Here is a close up of her crest.Elizabeth Shrewsbury

We now move over to the Old Hardwick Hall built by Bess's father in the early 1500s

Some fine old brickwork

And some of the old beams still in situ

This was the Kitchen

Another wall, note the crest above the fireplace

And this is what the walls would look like in their prime

A general view of the "old" hall