Bess of Hardwick is perhaps the most famous Tudor woman, outside of the extended Tudor royal family. A friend of Queen Elizabeth I, and confidant of Katherine Grey, she was also gaoler to Mary, Queen of Scots. An accomplished needlewoman, she is probably best known having built Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire; indeed, Hardwick Hall even bears her initials ES (Elizabeth Shrewsbury) in its external stonework.

Bess’s marital history is just as remarkable.

Bess was born around 1527, one of four daughters and a son born to John Hardwick of Hardwick, Derbyshire. It was a moderately prosperous gentry family. When her father died in 1528, When her father died in 1528, most of the family lands were taken into royal wardship until her brother James came of age. Bess’s mother, Elizabeth Leeke, remarried around 1529, to Ralph Leche of nearby Chatsworth, and had three more children, stretching the family finances even tighter. Leche’s constant problems with money meant that Leche spent the years from 1538 to 1544 in the Fleet Prison for debt and in 1545 he was committed to the debtors’ prison in Derby

With no dowry to attract a husband, 11-year-old Bess was sent into service in the household of Sir George and Lady Anne Zouche of Codnor Castle, a neighbouring family. Lady Zouche was a distant cousin of both of Bess’s parents and a friend and lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne Boleyn; following the queen’s downfall, she served her successor, Jane Seymour. Sir George was a gentleman pensioner to the king. It was in this household that Bess would have learned the ways of the aristocracy, whilst acting as a lady-in-waiting. Bess would have also made connections with various families through the other young people of the household.

Husband no. 1.

It was while she was living in the Zouche’s household that Bess met her first husband, Robert Barlow. The Barlows were acquainted with Bess’s stepfather, who was owed money on a land deal by Robert’s father, Arthur Barlow. It may well be that Arthur offered his oldest son and heir in marriage to Bess, with the amount owing from the court case written off in lieu of Bess’s dowry. Bess and Robert were married in the spring of 1543, with Bess being about fifteen and Robert a couple of months short of his fourteenth birthday.

The marriage was short-lived and possibly unconsummated, given their ages. Robert fell ill and died within eighteen months of their wedding day, on Christmas Eve 1544. When Bess applied to the Barlows for her widow’s dower, one-third of the income in rents and revenues from her husband’s estates, she was refused and a lengthy court battle ensued. A settlement was finally in 1546. It did not make her rich, but the annual income of £30 gave Bess a measure of independence when she was only 17 years of age.

Husband no. 2.

Bess may have met Sir William Cavendish, while staying at Bradgate Park with Lady Frances Brandon, Marchioness of Dorset. Frances was a granddaughter of King Henry VII and the mother of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen. Cavendish was twice-widowed, mature and rather rich, with 3 surviving daughters and no male heir. An experienced government official, he had been appointed Treasurer of the King’s Chamber in 1546 and had been knighted by the king on Easter Sunday of the same year. He had a portfolio of properties throughout the Midlands and a fine house in London.

When he met Bess in 1547, she was 19 and he was 40. A strong friendship developed, despite the age gap. They were married in the family chapel at Bradgate Park on 20 August 1547. Bess had a deep interest in astrology and the timing of the wedding, at two in the morning, was calculated as being the most propitious. Cavendish recorded the event in his notebook:

‘Memorandum. That I was married unto Elizabeth Hardwicke my third wife in Leestersheer at Bradgate House, on 20th August in the first year of King Edward’s reign, at two of the clock after midnight.’¹

After the wedding, the couple travelled to Sir William’s manor at Northaw in Hertfordshire where Bess probably met her three stepdaughters for the first time, Catherine, Mary and Anne. At twelve, the eldest was only seven years younger than Bess. Though managing a household and acting as stepmother to 3 girls not much younger than herself must have been a daunting prospect, within a year Bess was keeping the books, paying bills and recording rents. The proximity of the manor to London also meant that shortly after the wedding Bess was presented at court to the young king Edward VI.

Bess and Cavendish would have 8 children together, of which 6 would survive childhood, including 3 boys. And it was with Cavendish that Bess acquired the lands of her stepfather at Chatsworth for £600. There was an old manor house on the property that the family lived in until the completion of Chatsworth House. Bess and Sir William continued to buy land in Derbyshire, including 8,000 acres from the earl of Westmorland. All the Derbyshire properties were in both their names, which meant that when Sir William died before his heir came of age, the properties remained in Bess’s hands rather than being taken into wardship. Sir William died in October 1557, leaving Bess in a precarious financial position, owing £5,237 to the crown over funds that had disappeared during his time at the Exchequer, apparently pilfered by an assistant.

Facing bankruptcy, Bess only avoided the confiscation of her lands by writing to many of her husband’s friends asking for their help and support. These friends voted against the bill when it was presented to Parliament. Her lands were safe, but she still owed the money. Bess made the final entry in Sir William’s notebook:

‘Sir William Cavendish Knight, my most dear and well-loved husband, departed this present life on Monday, being the 25th day of October … on whose soul I most humbly beseech the Lord to have mercy, and to rid me and his poor children of our great misery.’²

Husband no. 3.

In 1559, Bess married her late husband’s friend Sir William St Loe, a widower with 2 surviving daughters, Mary and Margaret. From an ancient and noble family and considerably wealthier than Cavendish had been, St Loe was Captain of Elizabeth I’s Yeoman Guard. St Loe’s father, Sir John St Loe, died and Bess took the opportunity to visit her husband’s old friend and offer her condolences. As the months progressed, so did their relationship. In January 1559, Sir William St Loe played a major role in Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, seeing to her security and, as Chief Butler of England, it was St Loe who ceremonially offered the first cup of wine to the new sovereign.

In July 1559, Sir William St Loe announced his betrothal to Bess and a wedding invitation sent by the groom to Bess’s old friend, Sir John Thynne, still exists:

Saving your promise … and not forgetting your friendship, these lines are to satisfy you that the day of my marriage is by my Mistress appointed upon Sunday this sennight [27 August]. At which time both her ladyship and myself [hope] to see you there. She hath with terrible threatenings commanded me not to forget making of her hearty commendations unto you and to my lady your wife, unto whom I pray you let me also commended … from Somerset this Tuesday 15th August. William Seyntlo.³

Once married, St Loe’s duties often separated the couple, until  Bess was appointed a Lady of the Privy Chamber. Due to his relationship with Queen Elizabeth, St Loe was able to reduce the debt Bess owed and paid the £1,000 fine on her behalf. The marriage of Bess and St Loe was a happy one and he treated Bess’s children as his own. However, Sir William and his younger brother, Edward, became involved in a property dispute. Edward visited Sir William and Bess in London to resolve the issue but shortly after the visit, Bess fell ill, poisoned. William St Loe suspected his brother Edward and 3 of Edward’s associates were punished, though Edward was not.

Bess was visiting her family in Derbyshire in 1565 when she received a note from London informing her that St Loe was critically ill. By the time she arrived back in the city, her husband was dead. As his brother Edward had visited recently, poison was suspected but could not be proven. St Loe had left everything to
Bess. His will was unequivocal, though the fact St Loe had left nothing to his daughters meant that it was challenged, and Bess found herself fighting yet another court case for her rights.

Husband no. 4.

On 1 November 1567, Bess married her fourth and final husband, George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. At the same time, four of their children were married, with Bess’s daughter Mary marrying George’s second son, Gilbert, and Henry Cavendish marrying George’s daughter, Grace. A wealthy widow until that point, Bess was well aware that all her lands and property would be controlled by Shrewsbury from the moment of their marriage. However, Bess had a clause written into the marriage contract that in exchange for this, one-third of Shrewsbury’s unsettled income would go to Bess on his death. Arrangements were also made regarding Chatsworth, which would automatically go to Henry Cavendish on Bess’s death.

Bess and Shrewsbury spent the first few months of their married life away from court but sent the queen a gift of venison through Bess’s nephew, Anthony Wingfield. When the young man said he did not know when Bess would be returning to court, the queen said,

‘I am assured that if she have her own will she would not be long before she would see me. I have been glad to see my lady St Loe, but am I now more desirous to see my Lady Shrewsbury. I hope my Lady hath known my good opinion of her… I assure you there is no Lady in this land that I better love and like.’⁴

In 1568, Shrewsbury and Bess were given the custody of Mary, Queen of Scots, who remained in their charge until 1584. Famed for her needlework, Bess and Queen Mary would work on samples together. It was whilst they had custody of the Scots queen that Bess and Shrewsbury’s relationship began to break down. Bess repeatedly accused the earl of infidelities, including with their queenly prisoner, and Shrewsbury was feeling the strain of acting gaoler, with mounting debts as a result of the expenses incurred. In 1584, Bess separated from Shrewsbury and went to live at Chatsworth. She had to fight yet another legal battle when Shrewsbury claimed Chatsworth was his under the terms of their marriage settlement, but the court found in Bess’s favour, awarding her Chatsworth and a sizeable income from her husband.

By the time of the settlement, however, Bess had already moved on from Chatsworth and started a new building project at Hardwick, rebuilding her family’s old Hall, which was completed by 1591. Her estranged husband, Shrewsbury, died in 1590, leaving Bess with a third of his disposable lands. As a result, as soon as the Old Hall was completed, Bess embarked on a new project, building an entirely new Hardwick Hall right next door. Bess’s final years were occupied with building and furnishing the new hall.

In 1601, she made her will, leaving Hardwick to her second and favourite son, William, while her eldest son Henry was to have Chatsworth. Bess also made provision for her other children and her grandchildren, as well as her servants and the residents of the almshouse that she had founded in Derby. However, she altered the will in March 1603, after quarrelling with both Henry and her granddaughter Arbella, both of whom she now disinherited.

At the time of her death, Bess was one of the richest people in England. She had survived childbirth eight times and the rollercoaster that was the English Reformation. She is famed both as the builder of Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall and as the founder of a great dynasty. Her descendant, Peregrine Cavendish, the twelfth and current duke of Devonshire, still resides at Chatsworth House. Bess is also famed for her needlework, many examples of it still survive in her various properties. She and Mary, Queen of Scots would work on samples together when the Scots queen was in the custody of Bess and her husband.

Having survived all four husbands, various legal challenges, poisoning and scandal, Bess died at Hardwick on 13 February 1610 and was buried at All Hallows, Derby, now Derby Cathedral.

Notes:

1. Collins, Historical Collections of the Noble Families of Cavendish quoted in Mary S. Lovell, Bess of Hardwick, p. 36; 2. Collins, Historical Collections of the Noble Families of Cavendish, quoted in Jill Armitage, Four Queens and a Countess, p. 93; 3. Mary S. Lovell, Bess of Hardwick, p. 147; 4. Jill Armitage, Four Queens and a Countess, p. 125

Sources;

Mary S. Lovell, Bess of Hardwick: First Lady of Chatsworth; Jill Armitage, Four Queens and a Countess: Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, Mary I, Lady Jane Grey and Bess of Hardwick; Nathaniel Johnson, Lives of the Earls of Shrewsbury; Arthur Barlow’s Inquisition Post Mortem; Calendar of State Papers, Letters and Papers September 1536; Lisa Hilton, Elizabeth I: Renaissance Prince, A Biography; Annie Bullen, Hardwick Hall (guidebook); Tracy Borman, Elizabeth’s Women; Leanda de Lisle, The Sisters Who Would Be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine and Jane Grey; Nicola Tallis, Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey; Alison Weir, Elizabeth the Queen; Elizabeth Norton, The Lives of Tudor Women; Victoria Sylvia Evans, Ladies-in-Waiting: Women who Served at the Tudor Court; Amy Licence, The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women.

Images:

Portraits of Bess and her tomb are courtesy of Wikipedia. All images of Hardwick Hall ©2024 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

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Coming 30 March: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages

Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.

Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.

Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available for pre-order from Pen & Sword and Amazon.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody and Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes. Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books. Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword themselves, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It shows how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. 

Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

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©2024 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS