Hardwick Hall
On Saturday 23rd September, our year 11 History classes departed from School at 8.00am to Hardwick Hall (Derbyshire). At Hardwick Hall we split up into three groups and all our groups were assigned with tour guides to take us around the Hall and Gardens. Our tour guide took us inside the Hall and he explained all the very important features about it, as well as the individual who built the Manor house (Elizabeth [Bess] of Hardwick). He also took us around the outside of the Manor house, showing us the gardens constructed around the house and we also saw the old Manor house that was built by Bess of Hardwick’s father. So we had a very detailed tour of the Manor house and we were told what features made it stand out above other typical Elizabethan Manor houses. Making our day very educational and helpful towards our GCSE History course. Finally we left Hardwick Hall at 2.30pm and headed back to School. (Abdul-Hakim Abid, 11H)
During the visit to Hardwick Hall, we were able to see the different ways in which Bess of Hardwick displayed her wealth and status during the Elizabethan era; there were many carpets inside Hardwick Hall which were imported from Turkey and used primarily to show the status of Bess of Hardwick. Furthermore, we were shown the Long Gallery during the tour, which contained mainly paintings and tapestries and there was also a place for exercise and recreation. Bess was actually rich enough to have the raw materials required for building the house instead of having to import them, and also hired Robert Smythson, a very well-known architect during the Elizabethan era. (Amaan Ahmed, 11W)
On the morning of the 23rd of September, year 11 students went to Hardwick Hall in order to gain a greater understanding of the Elizabethan house we are studying as part of our GCSE specification. We learnt a lot about the former home of Bess of Hardwick from the extensive over mantels atop every fire place to the staggering symmetry of the house. We had a lot of fun learning about the house and the cafè wasn’t bad either! All in all it was a very informative trip which helped us to gain a greater understanding of the house and how life was like over 400 years ago. (Jude Folorunso, 11N)
