Hardwick Hall, National Trust

During a weekend in Nottingham we visited Hardwick Hall, a National Trust Elizabethan house filled with tapestries, embroidery, and furnishings, that was built in the late 1500s by Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, who was one of the richest women in Elizabethan England.

The first thing we did at Hardwick Hall was sit at one of the picnic tables in The Stableyard, which was a large green space that had toilets, a restaurant, kiosk, bookshop, and a small shop.

Ryan and Thomas had a lot of fun running around, rolling on the grass, and hiding behind trees.

After our Stableyard break, we walked along a path that took us to the entrance of Hardwick Hall.

I didn’t know what to expect when we got inside, but I was really impressed, and something about it felt like I was walking through the house exactly as it would have been when the Countess lived there.

Almost every room in Hardwick Hall was covered in tapestry, making it a place containing one of the finest collections of tapestry and embroideries in Europe.

We also went downstairs and saw the kitchen, which had been altered over the years to make it as up to date for the time period as possible.

My favourite room, the Long Gallery, was full of tapestry and artwork, which showcased how wealthy the Countess was.

The house was also built to display her wealth, as it was constructed with a lot of glass, a material that was expensive and rare at the time it was built.

I loved Hardwick Hall, it was really impressive, and the amount of tapestries was astounding.

After we explored the house we walked around the gardens, and because we visited in summer there were many things for kids to do, including archery, games, and bean bags to relax on.

We spent a few hours at Hardwick Hall but didn’t do any of the walking trails, some of which included walking around the lake, and the Lady Spencer walk, which had a woodland play trail in it.

We also didn’t do the Welly Walk, which offered fantastic views of the house, or the Sculpture Walk.

I would love to go back and walk through the house again, and see what the gardens are like during different seasons.

Hardwick Hall is open 11am – 3.30pm, and for non National Trust members costs £16 for adults, £8 for children, under 2s free.

Hardwick Hall is located at Doe Lea, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S44 5RW.

Related posts:
National Trust days out
6 great day trips in England
5 tips for surviving road trips with toddlers

What are some of your favourite National Trust places?
I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below.