More glass than wall? Is this true of Hardwick Hall? And how do we find out? Links between History and Numeracy

An earlier Tudor building

Then there is this!!

With its massive windows and fine proportions it is an impressive statement of the power and wealth of its creator who made sure the statement was made quite clear by having her initials ES carved on stone letters at the head of the towers! You’ll find out why in a minute. The hall was notable for the size of its windows and the sheer amount of glass used, very rare in similar houses of the period.

Background notes (for teachers) Hardwick Hall is one of Britain's finest Elizabethan houses built for Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Shrewsbury, who moved in to her latest creation in October Bess of Hardwick, rose from humble origins to become one of the most powerful people in the court of Queen Elizabeth I. She married four times!!, each time gaining more wealth and her fourth husband was the Earl of Shrewsbury, one of the richest and most powerful of the English nobles of the time.

The house itself stands in a commanding position overlooking the surrounding countryside next to the ruins of Hardwick Old Hall. The original Old Hall may have dated from the 14th century, but the ruins you can now see were, curiously, built only a few years before the 'New' Hall alongside.

The story is that Bess had a furious dispute with her husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and in 1584 had to leave their home at Chatsworth. She came to the Old Hall at Hardwick and largely rebuilt it as a place for herself to live. However, when the Earl died in 1590 her finances became much more secure and she immediately began the construction of the 'New' Hall. The Old Hall was abandoned and gradually became a ruin.