So many of our guests come and stay with us because we are so close to Chatsworth House, which has to be the biggest international draw in the area. The story of Chatsworth begins with Bess of Hardwick who built the original house in the mid 16th century with her then husband Sir William Cavendish. Their great, great grandson became the 1st Duke of Devonshire. But, unusually for the time, it was Bess who made the greatest mark on history because after her husband died she went on to marry twice more and build an even bigger and more majestic house just a few miles down the road, right beside her much more humble birthplace – Hardwick Hall.

Nothing is left of the original Elizabethan Chatsworth that Bess built, but Hardwick still stands today a proud monument to Bess’ extraordinary wealth and power – it has her initials displayed on the turrets just in case anyone was in any doubt who lived there. In those days glass was extremely expensive and outside of religious buildings windows were very small affairs, but at Hardwick no expense was spared and there are so many windows that people used to say Hardwick Hall – more glass than wall. Today the house is owned by the National Trust and it is well worth a visit – it truly is an Elizabethan masterpiece.

Hardwick Hall is just half an hour’s drive from The Old Station House B&B.