Hardwick Hall

The sun was shining, and I have a new car to try out, so Pat and I whizzed one junction down the motorway to Hardwick Hall. We’ve both been before, but, on at least one occasion, that involved accompanying a group of school children, itching to touch everything and desperate to eat their sandwiches. We were a little bit better behaved than that, and had a great day immersed in Tudor history.

Hardwick Hall is fascinating for anyone interested in textiles. Most striking are the huge tapestries covering many of the stone walls. These were purchased by the formidable Bess of Hardwick for colour and warmth in the large rooms, but also as a symbol of her wealth and status. The tapestries  are faded now, with patches and repairs in places, which I found very evocative – a reminder that all artefacts have their own history.  Their fragile state means that most of the rooms are kept quite dark, which makes photography difficult. However, the National Trust has loads of information here http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/place/hardwick-hall.

A squirrel hiding in the tapestry. Photo by Pat because I wasn't tall enough to get the camera angle.

The tapestries are impressive in their size and workmanship, and largely depict stories from the Bible. The figures are on a grand scale, which personally I don’t find very  appealing. I was much more inspired by the Noble Women hangings, commissioned by Bess. These show strong women from classical mythology such as Penelope and Lucretia, and symbolised Bess’s power, wealth and education. Who could fail to be impressed! I was interested in the construction of the hangings.  They are made from fabric taken from Medieval church garments, including velvet, satin, silk and cloth of gold and silver. This has been cut up, appliqued and outlined with gold and silver thread.  The National Trust is great about supplying detailed information about the hangings, their meanings and their makers.   http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1129593.2

A grand four poster.

The house is full of other rich textiles.  I’ve always wanted to sleep in a four poster bed, and this one has gorgeous, heavy curtains. At the other extreme, there were colourful examples of proddy rugs in the kitchens and servants’ quarters. And there is modern work on show as well. This beautiful panel marks 400 years since Bess’s death. The portraits are very finely done, but I especially liked all the embroidered animals dotted around.

The displays around Hardwick have been updated since I was last here, and I loved the way information is now presented in a creative way using fabrics and furnishings. Here’s a quote describing Lady Arbella Stuart

And rather less glamorous

Textiles are fragile, and there has been a concerted effort to restore and preserve the precious collection at Hardwick. There is a wealth of information on display to describe the construction of the pieces, and the conservation that has taken place, right down to the identification of bugs that eat away at the fabrics. It was great to see the examples of the back of the tapestries, where the colours are less faded owing to the lack of exposure to light.

Comparing the back and the front of the tapestries

There was also an interesting exhibition about Evelyn, the last Duchess at Hardwick, who died in 1960. Evelyn was committed to the preservation of the textiles within the Hall, and worked on the some of the tapestries herself. Her workbox was on display too, a personal touch amongst all the grandeur. 

Even a Duchess can have a messy workbox