I’ve enjoyed numerous weekends in the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District but this was the first time that I’d had an opportunity to visit during the warmer, summer months.
We made an early start one Saturday in July and after travelling down the M1 in bright sunshine we arrived at Hardwick Hall just as it was opening. The hall lies nine miles from Chesterfield and is approached by a long driveway through its extensive grounds. Positioned high on an escarpment, the hall is a rare survivor of the 16th century.
Standard admission is £17 and free to National Trust members. Tickets also include entrance to the adjacent ruins of the Old Hall which is maintained by English Heritage (this however was closed at the time of our visit). Tours of the hall are self guided with volunteer National Trust members on hand in many of the rooms to point out features and to answer questions. Walking through the gatehouse and into the Great Hall, it felt as if we were stepping back in time.
Hardwick Hall was home to Bess of Hardwick, one of the most influential women in the Elizabethan era. This formidable and talented woman was responsible for the creation of both Hardwick Hall and neighbouring Chatsworth House. Her four marriages led Bess to become the Countess of Shrewsbury.
Wandering through the majestic rooms gave us a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the 16th century gentry with walls adorned with fine textiles and tapestries. The palatial rooms were designed to impress for extravagant entertaining.
We followed the main staircase up to the High Court Chamber and the adjacent Long Gallery which runs along the entire length of the east side of the house. Along here are displayed some of the finest collections of Elizabethan tapestries and embroideries in Europe.
Below stairs we viewed the kitchen, scullery and laundry, learning about the life of Hardwick’s servants and their daily chores that kept the hall functioning.
Outside, we strolled through the gardens with their herbaceous borders awash with colour. Within the grounds are picnic areas, the Great Barn restaurant and the Stables gift shop which was filled with appealing souvenirs, scarves, rugs, books and gardening essentials. Hardwick Hall.
Back in the car we drove into Chesterfield to have a look around the town and to climb up the famous Crooked Spire for which the town is most famous.
We found the town centre to be very attractive with its rows of Tudor buildings and historic open air market with stall holders offering everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to household items, clothes and fabrics.
Facing the market square lies the historic market hall which was built in 1857 and upgraded ten years ago when a glass roof was installed. Strolling around, we came across some interesting traders including Ginspired, a stall jam packed with craft spirits, many from local distilleries including Chatsworth Gin and White Peak, the latter of which we had taken a tour of on a previous trip to Derbyshire.
Just outside the market hall we spotted a cheese shop so made a made a bee line for it. The Cheese Factor is a specialist cheese shop stocking over 150 different varieties of cheese from around the world.
This long established family business was started 57 years ago by Roy Davidson and is now run by his son Simon. Besides cheese, the shop supports other local businesses by stocking products such as Derbyshire oatcakes, biscuits and bread.
It was then time to take the 2.30 p.m. Crooked Spire tour at the parish church of St. Mary & All Saints. We joined a group of 15 people standing by the organ and learnt a little about the history of the medieval church before starting our tour.
There were 144 steps to climb but these were broken down into manageable chunks with our first stop being in the bell ringing chamber. After hearing about bell ringing techniques, we continued slightly higher to see the bells themselves, timing our visit perfectly to hear them chime 3.00 p.m.
The stone spiral staircase became narrower from this point on as we followed its twists and turns out onto the church rooftop. It was extremely windy up there so we were restricted from being able to walk all the way round but were still able to take in the far reaching views of the Derbyshire countryside and of the town below.
Climbing the Crooked Spire is an absolute ‘must do’ when visiting Chesterfield and I’m so glad we found time to be able to do it. Crooked Spire Tours.
Before returning to the car we discovered more interesting parts of the town centre to explore including the narrow alleyways of The Shambles. Along there we came across Adorn Jewellers, a small independent retailer specialising in silver jewellery and unusual gemstones.
I particularly liked their Blue John and Whitby Jet rings and pendants. Not only is the small shop an absolute gem but the owner’s two pet Cairn terriers are absolutely gorgeous too!
For our weekend away, we’d arranged to stay at the CASA Hotel on the edge of town. This modern four star hotel was constructed in 2010 with its decor having a subtle Spanish theme reflected in its stylish Barca Bar and lounge areas.
We were booked into a Junior Suite that was so spacious I can hardly believe what the larger ones would be like. With a bedroom, lounge and balcony furnished with luxurious outdoor furniture, we were very comfortable.
After relaxing for awhile we then had dinner in the hotel’s 2 AA rosette Cocina restaurant located on the first floor.
Seated at a cosy corner table we enjoyed Lebanese style Guinea fowl, succulent lamb rump, finishing with a dessert of lemon curd meringue.
Each of our dishes was cooked to perfection, very flavoursome and beautifully plated. Wines were available by the glass or bottle and our white Rioja was the perfect choice for a warm summer’s evening.
What a lovely day we’d had exploring Hardwick Hall and Chesterfield but with two full days remaining we still had much to look forward to.
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