GCSE History- Paper 2 Hardwick Hall and Bess of Hardwick facts

When did Bess build Hardwick Hall?

built in 1590, completed 1597 with the aim of impressing Elizabeth to visit on a Royal Progress.

What type of house was Hardwick Hall?

A Prodigy House

What is a prodigy house?

Large country houses built by courtiers (people from royal court) from 1570 and 1620 to impress the Monarch

Where was Bess born?

born in 1527 into the lower gentry class

Where did Bess grow up?

Grew up in a small manor house in Hardwick, Derbyshire (on the same site as Hardwick Hall).

What was Bess' first marriage?

In 1543 she married Robert Barlow (Robert Barley) at 16, he was 13 so the marriage was not consummated and he died in 1547.

What was Bess' second marriage?

In 1547 she married Sir William Cavendish and married for ten years, he died in 1557, leaving her in debt.

What was Bess' third marriage?

In 1559 she married Sir William St Loe a very wealthy member of Elizabeth's court.

What happened when Bess' third husband died?

St Loe died in 1565, leaving Bess very wealthy from inheritance of the large estates of farmland, as well as coal mines, glassworks, iron foundries and ships that he owned.

What was Bess' fourth marriage?

In 1567 she married for the fourth time to one of the richest men in England - George Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury.

What did Bess do to Hardwick in the 1580s?

She rebuilt her old manor house

What happened when her fourth husband died?

George Talbot died in 1590, leaving Bess one of the wealthiest people in England.

How did Bess become one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in England at the time?

Bess was intelligent and ambitious - she had connections and friends in the royal Court (William Cecil, Robert Dudley) and got on well with Queen Elizabeth herself.

How did Bess increase her wealth outside of her inheritances

She was a good business woman (her money came from sheep and arable farming, she owned mines and quarries which produced the lead and bricks for Hardwick Hall.

How did Bess avoid losing money from loans?

She was clever when making business deals and only loaned to people who had enough money/land to pay back their debts.

Who designed Hardwick Hall?

Robert Smythson was the architect who designed Hardwick Hall (He was well known and had worked on a number of significant buildings before).

What was the design of Hardwick Hall like?

Hardwick Hall had a modern design, with no central courtyard like in a medieval house/castle.

What feature was on each of the three main floors?

windows that increased height with the height of the building. This provided amazing views and was also a status symbol as glass was so expensive.

How did Hardwick Hall represent the order and structure of Elizabethan society?

the servants would be on the ground floor, Bess and her family on the first floor and any royal visitors or other important guests would occupy the second floor.

What was the loggia?

a covered walkway at the front and back of the house which provided space for outdoor exercise.

How many rooms did Hardwick Hall have?

It was designed with 46 rooms, in a double row, with rooms side by side reflecting the wealth of its owner.

What was the roof made of?

lead

What was the famous phrase that described the amount of glass used on Hardwick Hall?

'Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall.' was a common phrase due to standing out from other Elizabethan houses

What were the windows used for in Hardwick Hall?

windows were a status symbol as glass was so expensive. They also gave wonderful views from the guest rooms.

What happened to the windows as you went up each floor?

they became progressively bigger

What was on the top of every tower?

Flemish inspired crests enclosing Bess's initials E.S. (Elizabeth Shrewsbury) showing her pride in the house and achievements.

What stood at the entrance to the grounds?

a medieval gatehouse

How was Hardwick Hall kept warm?

Fireplaces were placed in the centre of the rooms to help radiate the space and the tapestries were used for insulation to keep warn air in

What was the great hall used for?

an impressive first room that guests entered due to its size, but was also used by servants to socialise on the ground floor.

What led to the most prestigious rooms?

a magnificent stone staircase

What was the long gallery?

one of the largest in Tudor mansion houses - it was used for guests to enjoy the wonderful views and for indoor exercise.

What did Bess buy for the long gallery?

Bess bought tapestries that had belonged to Sir Christopher Hatton and used them to display Greek mythology such as the story of Acteaon and the story of Penelope.

What did Bess have on the first floor?

Bess had her own withdrawing room and bedroom on the first floor.

What did Bess have to show her worldly cultural interests?

a set of six beautiful French stools and Turkish carpet to show her worldly cultural interests.

How many paintings did Bess have by 1601?

around 97 paintings, 67 of which were portraits

What were features of the garden?