Hardwick Hall

Hardwick Hall is an Elizabethan country house in England built in the late 16th century for Bess of Hardwick. The house was constructed around 1590 to 1597 and is a well-known example of high-status Elizabethan domestic architecture.

The building is notable for its tall, regular façades and very large windows, arranged to display wealth and status. Interior spaces include formal reception rooms, long galleries and domestic service areas that illustrate the layout of a grand late Tudor household.

Historically the house was commissioned and occupied by Bess of Hardwick and has been preserved as an important architectural monument. It is open to the public under the care of a national heritage body and interpreted with period furnishings and displays.

Geographically the house sits in Derbyshire near the small towns and villages of the county, within easy reach of regional road links and visitor itineraries in central England.

• Construction: Constructed between about 1590 and 1597 for Bess of Hardwick and principally attributed to architect Robert Smythson, the house is a landmark of Elizabethan architecture.
• Visitor information: Famous for its extensive glazing and pronounced vertical emphasis, the house is now managed and presented to the public by a national heritage organisation.

What to See #

• Main house: A three-storey Elizabethan country house built as a showpiece residence with large windows, extensive galleries and formal state rooms dating to the late 16th century.
• Service ranges: Service ranges and former domestic offices that historically supported the household and are now interpreted for visitors as part of the historic property.