Hardwick Hall

Hardwick Hall sits high on a hill in Derbyshire, with stunning views all around. It was the home of the legendary Bess of Hardwick who was a wealthy woman in her own right before consolidating her position further by marriage. She would eventually become the richest woman in England after Queen Elizabeth 1st. The house dates back to 1590 and is significant because of a number of features including its huge windows. This was the start of the era when a home could be domestic rather than fortified and Bess made the most of this in her house. The ruins of Hardwick Old Hall, which was much more like a castle, still stand next door to the new house. Inside, there are many rooms to see as you climb up through the different levels of the house.

Right at the top of Hardwick Hall is a room which stretches from one side to the other – the Long Gallery (pictured above). This would have been Bess of Hardwick’s entertaining space and even has a ‘throne’ area. The walls of this room – and many others at Hardwick – are covered in tapestries. Bess used them like wallpaper, placing portraits and paintings over the top. You’ll also see bedrooms, a stunning table in the entrance area with a gallery above and some of the more functional areas in the house. Our favourite room is the one that was specially constructed to house the many documents that Bess of Hardwick had. The room is completely covered with wooden drawers. She invested heavily in property and it’s thought these drawers were used for the deeds for each of her houses.

Outside, the stables area is now a restaurant and then you can explore the formal gardens. There’s a great kitchen garden along with orchard areas and walkways surrounded with formal planting. The summer house is worth calling into also. You’ll notice that the rear of Hardwick Hall is almost a mirror image of the front. It’s a truly striking building – so much so that the frontage was used as the mansion of Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. After exploring Hardwick Hall you can visit the ruins of the old hall next door, or walk down the hill to the historic Hardwick Inn for a pint and pie.

Hardwick Hall is open all year round with entrance to the house typically from 11am to 3pm. Adult admission to Hardwick Hall and gardens is £19 (2024 prices). A family ticket is also available. Admission is free for members of the National Trust.

LOCATION & MAP

Address: Hardwick Hall, Doe Lea, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S44 5QJ
Phone: +44 1246 850430
Email: hardwickhall@nationaltrust.org.uk

The entrance to Hardwick Hall is easy to reach from Junction 29 of the M1. Use postcode S44 5RW to get to the right entrance. The closest railway station is Chesterfield from where you can pick up a taxi or catch the Pronto bus from Chesterfield coach station.