Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England

Bess of Hardwick was a formidable woman. Born into minor gentry, she had firm ideas from a young girl, of where she wanted to be in society and would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.

Hardwick Hall was Bess' family home and retains its personal feeling, which I believe to be unique amongst stately houses that are open to the public. I stayed on the estate, and walking the grounds it was very easy to loose myself in the different layers of its history.

Whilst it's the Elizabethan era that first springs to mind when you think of Hardwick Hall, a more modern period seemed to be equally as vibrant for me. The building's ties to WWII and the estate's use as a training ground, still echoed to me when recording; the EVP featured on the video highlighting this period are remarkable.