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Derbyshire; Outside of the Peak District
  • Andrew's Travels
  • Andrew's Travels

Derbyshire; Outside of the Peak District

Visits to places in the county outside of the Peak District Read more
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    August 2, 2025
    Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; Outside of the Peak DistrictTraveler
    Old Hardwick Hall (viewed from "new" Hardwick Hall)
    Old Hardwick Hall (viewed from "new" Hardwick Hall)Old Hardwick Hall; Old Elizabethan plaster friezeOld Hardwick HallClose up of some of the friezesHardwick Hall, viewed from Old Hardwick HallHardwick Hall is one of the finest Elizabethan buildings in the UKAnother view of Hardwick HallInside Hardwick Hall; applique embroidery of noble women and their virtuesApplique embroidery; Penelope flanked by Perseverance and PatienceWall tapestryElizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, surrounded by tapestriesPenelope and UlyssesOne of the 13 Gideon Tapestries in the Long RoomClose up of the Coat of Arms and the Hardwick StagThe Sea Dog Table; the only one of its kind in the UK, and a very important piece of furnitureOne of the bedroomsWall friezeHardwick Hall GardenView back to Hardwick HallThe Old Stables

    Hardwick Hall

    August 2, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We're off to Bakewell in the Peak District National Park area of Derbyshire for a week; this is an area we have been to many times in the past.

    En route, we stop off at Hardwick Hall, near Chesterfield in Derbyshire. This is closely associated with the lady that built it; Elizabeth Hardwick, later the Countess of Shrewsbury, and popularly known as Bess of Hardwick. Bess was born in 1527 on the site of "old" Hardwick Hall and rose to a position of great power in Elizabethan society (partly due to four marriages to increasingly rich suitors - Barley, Cavendish, St Loe, Talbot!); she died in 1608.

    We visit Hardwick Old Hall first; it is now a towering roofless shell; built between 1587 and 1596 on a high rocky ridge,, it fell into disrepair after after the death of Bess"s husband, and she started preferring places like Chatsworth House and built the newer and grander Hardwick Hall. The old hall still has some lovely Elizabethan plaster friezes.

    Next to the old hall is the newer Hardwick Hall, one of the finest Elizabethan buildings in the UK, and built by Bess between 1590 and 1597. It is well known own for its rich furnishings, tapestries, and large windows, all of which have been preserved by Bess"s descendants, the Dukes of Cavendish, and now the National Trust.

    It has been an excellent diversion en route to our rented house in Bakewell.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; Outside of the Peak DistrictTraveler
    1View of Bolsover Castle taken from the air (image from the cover of a book in the Visitor Centre)
    1View of Bolsover Castle taken from the air (image from the cover of a book in the Visitor Centre)Outside Bolsover CastleThe red doors leading into the Little Castle after crossing the yardLittle Castle and the Venus FountainVenus FountainThe gardens against the walls of the Fountain GardenView of the Little Castle from the sideEntrance to the Little CastleGrand Hall; Ceiling ArtworkGrand Hall; Ceiling ArtworkPillar RoomStar ChamberStar ChamberHeaven Closet CeilingElysium Closet CeilingElysium ClosetPortraitsView of Terrace Range from the Little CastleView of Terrace Range from the Little CastleView of Terrace Range from the frontTerrace RangeTerrace RangeView of the Vale of Scarsdale from the Terrace RangeRiding SchoolInside the Riding School Building

    Bolsover Castle

    August 17 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We visit Bolsover Castle on our journey back from Wirksworth to home.  Bolsover Castle and Hardwick Hall (see earlier post) are closely linked through the powerful Cavendish family; the two are only about 4.5 miles apart. Whereas Hardwick Hall was built by the formidable Bess of Hardwick (Countess of Shrewsbury) in the 1590s, the land at Bolsover was bought by Bess's son, Sir Charles Cavendish, in 1608 and he began transforming the medieval castle ruins into a modern retreat.

    Bolsover Castle is now under the care of English Heritage and famous for being a 17th-century "party palace" built for show rather than defence; it features the following:
    1) the Little Castle - this was built on 12th century medieval ruins and mimics a fortress with towers, but with large windows and luxurious rooms for entertainment,
    2) the Terrace Range - the vast and stately Terrace Range overlooking the Vale of Scarsdale is now a dramatic roofless shell.
    3) the Riding School - this is the oldest surviving complete riding house in England and commissioned by William Cavendish (riding master to King Charles II),

    We start by visiting the Little Castle via the Fountain Garden and walking around the various rooms on several levels; after that we explore the Terrace Range before looking at the Riding School; see captions of photos for details.

    It has been an interesting visit.    Read more