Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire (AQA GCSE History)

What is the historical environment? - Summary

Hardwick Hall is the historic environment for the 2025 AQA Elizabethan England, c1568-1603 exam. For the historic environment for the 2026 paper, please read our guide on The Globe theatre.

The historic environment question is a 16-mark question on the Elizabethan England c1568 -1603 course. The historic environment is a place or event from the past. 

Within this question, you will be expected to examine the relationship between a specific site, Hardwick Hall, and the key events, features or developments within the Elizabethan period. 

Your knowledge of the historic environment should cover the following aspects of the site: 

• The location 

• The function 

• The structure 

• The design 

• People connected with the site 

• How the site reflects the culture, values and fashions of the time

• How the site links to important events and/or developments of that historical period 

• How those aspects have

  • Changed from earlier periods

  • Changed or stayed the same during this period 

The question will ask “How far do you agree” with the statement outlined in the question. When Hardwick Hall was the historic environment for the 2018 Elizabethan England c1568 -1603 paper, the question was: “The main change that Elizabethan country houses demonstrated was the new fashions of the time.” How far does the study of Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire support this statement?

Background

Hardwick Hall 

• Many stately homes and country houses were built during the Elizabethan period 

  • The Dissolution of the Monasteries created both wealth and vacant land for the gentry and nobility to purchase 

• Hardwick Hall is an example of an Elizabethan country house

  • Built between 1590 and 1597 

  • It was built for Elizabeth Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury

    • Known as Bess of Hardwick 

• The house and garden were first built by Sir William Cavendish and Bess of Hardwick in 1555

• Bess brought Hardwick Hall back from Chancery for £9,500

  • When Cavendish died, Bess’ brother owned the house. When he fell into debt and imprisoned the house went to the Crown 

  • From 1585 to 1590, Bess enlarged and remodelled the house

Who was Bess of Hardwick?

• Elizabeth Hardwick, Bess, was a member of the gentry during the Elizabethan period 

• Bess was married four times 

• Bess’ marriages provided Bess with the wealth she needed to transform Hardwick Hall 

  • Bess married Sir William Cavendish in 1547

    • Cavendish was a wealthy man who gained his wealth from the Dissolution of the Monasteries 

  • Her third marriage to Sir William St Loes provided Bess with a higher social status and wealth 

  • Bess’ final marriage was to George Talbot, the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury 

    • Shrewsbury owned agricultural land, coal mines, glassworks, iron foundries and ships 

    • However, this relationship broke down in 1583 and Bess decided that she needed her own property. Bess decided to remodel Hardwick Hall 

• Bess and Shrewsbury had a good relationship with Elizabeth I

  • They were given the responsibilities of guarding Mary Queen of Scots in 1569

  • In the mid-1580s, Elizabeth supported Bess when her relationship with Shrewsbury brokedown

  • Their relationship with Elizabeth showed their power and influence in England 

• The Earl of Shrewsbury died in 1590

  • Bess was in her 60s 

  • Bess became one of the richest people in England 

• Bess was known for being: 

  • Hardworking 

  • Organised 

  • A good businesswoman 

  • Intelligent 

  • Beautiful 

• Bess demonstrated that the gentry class were becoming increasingly wealthy during Elizabeth’s reign 

  • Bess’ wealth, status and power is demonstrated throughout Hardwick Hall 

Robert Smythson 

• Robert Smythson was an architect and surveyor 

  • The role of the architect was new during the Elizabethan period

• Smythson had previously worked on Longleat House as a stonemason 

  • Which Bess greatly admired 

• Smythson was inspired by Rennaissance architecture 

  • This was reflected in houses Smythson designed such as Hardwick Hall and Wollaton Hall

Location 

• Hardwick Hall is in Derbyshire

  • This is 150 miles north of London 

• Hardwick Hall was built next to Hardwick Old Hall 

  • Bess’ father, John Hardwick, owned the property 

  • Hardwick Old Hall was a medieval manor house 

  • Bess also renovated Hardwick Old Hall as well as Hardwick Hall

Benefits of the local area to Bess of Hardwick

• Bess used new technology and building materials to help build Hardwick Hall 

  •  Such as glass to help build the house

 Function

•  Country houses before the Elizabethan period were designed to provide: 

  • Defence and protection of the inhabitants

  • Employment for the local area 

  • A communal centre for the local community 

• Houses  during the Elizabethan period were created to: 

  • Demonstrate wealth 

    • Owners wanted to show this on both the inside and outside of the house

  • Provide comfort and privacy for the inhabitants 

  • Demonstrate intellect and fashion 

• Elizabethan homes demonstrated that England was peaceful

  • Residents, nobility and gentry in England felt that they could build homes rather than fortresses 

Structure

• Houses before the Elizabethan period were structured around an internal courtyard 

  • This was to provide protection 

• However, due to influences from the Renaissance period, the structure of houses changed dramatically 

• Houses during the Elizabethan homes were designed to show

  • Symmetry 

  • Balance 

  • Order 

• The Elizabethan country home structure was typically

  • Symmetrical 

  • Built on an ‘E’ or ‘H’ shape 

• Hardwick Hall was a typical Elizabethan-style house created by Robert Smythson

Symmetry 

• The Rennaisance style inspired the structure of Elizabethan houses

  • Symmetry was used in homes to demonstrate

    • Culture 

    • Refined taste 

• Hardwick Hall was symmetrical mainly on the outside of the building. This is shown in:

  • The entrance facades 

  • External elevations 

• Symmetry allowed for Hardwick Hall to have:

  • No internal courtyard 

  • Double or triple piles 

    • Rows of rooms that have one, or two, corridors between them 

    • Before the 1540s homes were usually one room deep

Hierarchy

• The structure of Hardwick Hall demonstrates the Elizabethan “Great Chain of Being” hierarchy 

  • The ground floor was for the servants 

    • Featuring the hall and kitchens

  • The middle floor was for the family 

    • Featuring the Great Chamber and the Chapel 

  • The top floor was for royalty

    • Featuring the Great High Chamber  

AWAITING IMAGE

An image showing the floorplan of Hardwick Hall

• Hierarchy is also featured in the glass windows 

  • As the windows ascend, they become bigger 

    • This contributed towards the houses' symbolism and demonstration of hierarchy in Elizabethan society 

    • Highlighting the belief in the “Great Chain of Being” in the Elizabethan period 

The roof 

• Hardwick Hall had a double row of rooms which needed double pitches with a M- shaped valley gutter between them

  • They were made out of lead 

    • This was a new technology of the time. Previously houses did not need double pitches as the houses were only one room deep

    • All the lead made for Hardwick Hall was made at Bess’ own foundries at Aldwark, Winster and Bonsall 

  • They had to be accessible 

    • For repairs and general use of the roof

Windows 

• Glass windows in Elizabethan houses became very popular 

  • Before Elizabeth’s reign, glassmaking in England was almost non-existent  

    • The glass was mainly imported 

  • The glass industry in England grew due to the demand for big windows in Elizabethan houses 

    • Glass showed great wealth in an Elizabethan home 

  • Glass was a new technology which Bess used in her building of Hardwick Hall 

• One of the most distinctive features of Hardwick Hall is its glass windows 

  • Hardwick Hall is known as having “more glass than wall” 

  • Bess created her own glass factory to supply the glass for Hardwick Hall 

• The designer of Hardwick Hall, Robert Smythson, included bay windows allowing for: 

  • Private conversations 

  • A place to admire the view

Loggia 

• A loggia is a covered walkway

• Inspired by the Italian Renaissance 

• The loggia allowed people to:

  • Exercise in poor weather 

  • Admire the gardens during poor weather 

• At Hardwick Hall, there is a loggia on both the western and eastern sides of the house

• The original loggia at Hardwick Hall was meant to run around the entire house at ground level 

  • However, this would have taken away the light from the lower level 

Gardens and grounds 

• Medieval houses used their grounds mainly for hunting

• From the 15th Century onwards, homeowners used their grounds for relaxation and pleasure 

• Today, the character of the gardens at Hardwick Hall is a mix of Renaissance and Victorian influence 

• The Renaissance elements of Hardwick Hall are shown in the following:

  • The symmetrical pattern of the gardens 

    • In square or quarters 

  • Cultivated gardens 

    • Hardwick Hall has walled enclosed gardens 

  • A kitchen garden and orchard

    • This supplied the house with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs

• Hardwick Hall does have some remains of a medieval manor 

  • This is shown in the gatehouse

Design

• The design of the house was influenced by:

  • French and Italian Renaissance styles 

  • Flemish designs 

• However, it was also influenced by 

  • Patrons 

  • Friends 

  • Family 

  • Craftsmen from the time 

  • The designer Robert Smythson 

• Hardwick Hall had 46 rooms, excluding service rooms. The main rooms in the hall are: 

  • 14 bedchambers

  • A Low Great Chamber 

  • A High Great Chamber 

  • A Great Hall 

  • The long gallery 

  • A chapel 

The Low Great Chamber and the High Great Chamber 

• The Great Chamber at Hardwick Hall is located on the first floor 

• The Great Chamber was used for:

  • Dining 

  • Entertaining 

• The function of the High Great Chamber was the same as the Low Great Chamber. However, this was used for entertaining royalty 

  • This displays the influence of hierarchy at Hardwick Hall 

• In the High Great Chamber the queen's coat of arms above the fireplace 

  • Bess often included references to the royal family

    • This was a display of her loyalty as well as royal power and authority

The Great Hall 

• Great Halls of the Medieval period and the Elizabethan period differed greatly 

• The Great Hall at Hardwick Hall is incorporated into the entrance 

  • It was designed as a large communal space 

  • The hall is on a 90° angle 

  • It is in the middle of the house 

    • Making it more practical and warmer 

The long gallery 

• Long galleries were not a common feature of a country house before the Elizabethan period 

• Long galleries were created as a place to walk when the weather was poor

  • Long galleries were opened or closed so they could be used in the winter or the summer months 

• The long gallery at Hardwick Hall is:

  • Positioned on the top floor 

  • Runs down the whole east side of the house 

  • Takes up the majority of the top floor 

  • Provides views of the gardens and local landscape

  • Displays artwork

    • Painting of the family, royalty and the ancestors 

    • Tapestries 

    • Sculptures 

• Bess collected paintings 

  • By 1601, Bess had collected around 97 paintings 

  • Paintings provided a message that Bess used in her decorating 

    • Paintings of her family were alongside those of Queen Elizabeth I, William Cecil and the Virgin Mary 

    • Bess chose to display paintings of Elizabeth I to represent the queen's power and authority 

  • These paintings demonstrate Bess’ influence and power during this period

The 'Blue Room'

• The 'Blue Room' during the Elizabethan period was known as the ‘Pearl Bedchamber’ 

  • The 'Blue Room' is known as the 'Blue Room' today because of the colour of the furnishings and the bed

• The 'Blue Room' was a private bedroom on the first floor, also known as the family floor 

  • This floor was less grand and more comfortable than the rooms on the second floor

• The 'Blue Room' contains many typical features of an Elizabethan house such as:

  • A four-poster bed 

    • Embroidered with silver, gold and pearls showing the wealth of the Gentry during the Elizabethan period

  • Brussels tapestries 

    • The tapestries told the story of Tobias and the Angel. This was a story that Bess enjoyed 

  • A stone overmantel 

    • The overmantel portrayed a religious scene from the Book of Tobit 

• The purpose of the 'Blue Room' during the Elizabethan period was for social gatherings with the family 

  • It was furnished for: 

    • Eating 

    • Playing games and cards

    • Reading 

    • Relaxing 

  • This room demonstrated the change that houses went through during the Elizabethan period. These homes were no longer created for protection but for relaxation and socialising 

The Chapel 

• The Chapel was used both by the household and by the family 

  • The upper part was reserved for family 

    • Demonstrating how hierarchy is displayed at Hardwick Hall 

  • The lower part was used by the household 

• Bess wanted a private place to worship

  • Queen Elizabeth I did this at Hampton Court 

    • This showed Bess’ influence and power as she wanted to be compared to Elizabeth I

Staircases 

• Before the Elizabethan period, staircases:

  • Were throughout the house 

  • Used by everyone 

• In the Tudor period, staircases became a main feature of a house 

  • Elizabethan used a timber and stone framework 

    • Allowed for elaborate decoration 

• The staircase at Hardwick Hall features: 

  • A stone staircase 

  • Tapestries lining the walls 

• The Hardwick Hall staircase provides a grand processional route from the entrance hall to the Great High Chamber 

• Servants were not permitted to use these staircases unless instructed

  • The back staircases were created for the servants

  • Sometimes, the family were not allowed to use them if royalty were at the house

Stonework 

• Much of the interior and exterior masonry work at Hardwick Hall was completed by John and Christopher Rhodes 

  • Other masons completed some of the exterior stonework

•  Flemish ornament stonework is shown in:

  • The crests on the towers

  • Bess’ initials on the towers - “E.S”

Marble and woodwork 

• Thomas Accres created the marble work at Hardwick Hall 

• Many of the fireplaces at Hardwick Hall were made out of marble 

  • Such as the fireplace in the High Great Chamber 

  • These fireplaces offered more warmth and comfort 

• The woodwork at Hardwick Hall was based on Flemish patterns. These designs were very fashionable at the time 

  • However, unlike many houses of this period, Bess preferred to use textiles rather than wood panelling to decorate her house 

• The use of these materials demonstrates:

  • The increase in wealth of the gentry 

  • The availability of new materials in Elizabethan country homes

Furniture and furnishings 

• The furniture and furnishings at Hardwick Hall were:

  • Practical and enjoyable 

  • Used to demonstrate wealth and status 

    • However, Bess was sensible with her money. She would refurbish old pieces and only buy new ones when necessary 

  • Largely French or made at Hardwick 

    • Rooms with a higher status had French furniture 

    • Rooms used every day were furnished with furniture made at Hardwick 

• Bess’ use of furniture and furnishings demonstrates:

  • The increase of wealth amongst the gentry throughout Elizabeth’s reign 

  • The influence of Renaissance designs on builders and the gentry in England 

  • How new materials were used at Hardwick Hall