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Hardwick Hall, Chesterfield, Derbyshire added to National Trust in East Midlands by D0c.Col on 15/06/2023

National Trust's Hardwick Hall

Hardwick Hall was the home of one of the most influential women during the Elizabethan era. Known as, Bess of Hardwick, Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, was one of the richest woman in England after Queen Elizabeth I. The Hall was regarded to be a conspicuous statement of her wealth and power and was a primary example of an Elizabethan prodigy house that arrived in a Britain when it was no longer necessary, or legal, to fortify a domestic dwelling.

Designed by Robert Smythson in the late 16th century, the Hall was positioned with commanding views on a hilltop in the Derbyshire countryside and essentially consisted of six projecting towers that stood at the sides of the rectangular house.

One of its main features isthe numerous number of windows that are exceptionally large for a time when glass was considered a luxury. The Hall's chimneys form part of the internal structure of the walls in order to give a greater capacity for the huge windows without weakening the exterior walls. Smythson began its construction in 1590 and Elizabeth moved in on its completion in 1597, a residency that was to endure until her death in 1608.

The house's design was one of the first English houses where the great hall was built on its central axis rather than at right angles to the entrance. It holds an internationally important collection of 16th-century textiles, furniture, and portraits.

Bessy’s self-importance continues with a plethora of ES initials, that stand for Elizabeth of Shrewsbury, carved, stamped, sown and printed everywhere you look. As a visitor your certainly left in no doubt as to who was responsible for building this grand house. Each of its three main storeys has a higher ceiling than the one below, the ceiling height being indicative of the importance of the rooms' occupants. The house has one of the largest long galleries in England & there is also a tapestry-hung great chamber with a spectacular plaster frieze illustrating hunting scenes that has changed little since its conception.

Hardwick was just one of Bess's many houses. Each of her four marriages had brought her greater wealth. She was born in her father's manor house on the site of the later, now old Hall at Hardwick, which today is a ruin that lies just beyond the forecourt of the 'new' hall. After Bess's death in 1608, the house passed to her son William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire. His great-grandson, William, was created 1st Duke of Devonshire in 1694. The Devonshires made Chatsworth, another of Bess's great houses, their principal seat so Hardwick was therefore relegated to the role of an occasional retreat for hunting or used as a dower house and as such escaped the attention of modernisers and received few alterations after its completion.

From the early 19th century, the antique atmosphere of Hardwick Hall was consciously preserved. And a low, 19th-century service wing is fairly low key, at its rear. In 1950, the unexpected death of the 10th Duke of Devonshire, with the subsequent 80% death duties caused the sale of many of the Devonshire assets and estates. At this time, Hardwick was occupied by Evelyn, Duchess of Devonshire, the widow of the 9th Duke. The decision was taken to hand the house over to HM Treasury in lieu of the Estate Duty in 1956. The Treasury transferred the house to the National Trust in 1959. However, the Duchess remained in occupation of the house until her death in 1960. Having done much, personally, to conserve the textiles in the house as well as reinstating the traditional rush matting, she was to be its last occupant.

The flight was not in a FRZ and the local council does not have a bylaw to prevent TOAL. It was pretty busy, but I was able to launch the DJI mini 3 Pro close from just outside the National Trust property boundary.

Parking is a breeze in the Harwick Park Area and is outside the Trust's boundary.

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 53.16628, -1.30299 • what3words: ///types.dome.cage

The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 03/06/2023. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

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Bordon Village Park, Swale (By grandad1950)

A lovely little village with a multi use park right in the centre. Loads of room to fly.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.33477, 0.703702 • what3words: ///watch.compliant.rehearsed

Kingswood Canal Junction, Warwick (By t0mroche)

Plenty to take in, lots of canal barges, bridges & countryside views. There is also a railway line running through if you’re lucky enough to spot a train like I was!

Walked from their car park through to the T junction and took off from the bridge at the end. Not many people around but do be mindful of potential inhabitants of the barges.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.33617, -1.727498 • what3words: ///skylights.twinkled.joystick

St. Mary The Virgin Church, Warwick (By t0mroche)

A lesser known gem of the Warwickshire country side. Quite an impressive building with barely anybody around (visited on a Tuesday lunch time).

Parked their car park to the rear & walked through the church yard & took off from the road. Not the easiest place to fly due to the height of surroundings & houses nearby but can be done with care

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.33775, -1.762012 • what3words: ///decent.alas.inserting

Umberslade Obelisk, Stratford-on-Avon (By t0mroche)

Visible from the M40 northbound. Flying from the shown TOAL point provides good views of the M40 in both directions as well as countryside.

Parked & took off from the section of Nuthurst Rd that overpasses the M40, the obelisk is visible & provides good VLOS for flying

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.3423, -1.78795 • what3words: ///excusing.handwriting.next

St Mary Church, Mid Sussex (By grandad1950)

St Marys is a grade 1 listed church in Balcome West Sussex. There has been a place of worship on this site since pagan times

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.06262, -0.13621 • what3words: ///reflect.chap.swung

Swale Marina, Swale (By grandad1950)

Tucked away at the end of Conyer creek off the river Swale is the small tidal marina of Swale Marina near Sittingbourne in Kent. There is a good footpath down to the coast

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.34703, 0.81217 • what3words: ///browser.factoring.unzipped

Padstow Harbour, North Cornwall (By akey_uk)

Lovely harbour on the North Cornwall Coast, worth a visit to the National Lobster Hatchery while you are there. Lots of opportunities for TOAL outside of the main Harbour. Lots of choice for food and drink while around the harbour.

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Co-ordinates: 50.54114, -4.937013 • what3words: ///clotting.appointed.brilliant

Charlestown Harbour (By akey_uk)

Beautiful old harbour with 2 beaches. Parts of Poldark were filmed here.

Easy parking at the top of the town, some great places to grab a drink and a bite, its also worth taking in the Shipwreck museum while you are here. Can get busy, but there is usually somewhere quiet to TOAL.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.33153, -4.756629 • what3words: ///rejoins.guideline.handfuls

St Peter's Church, Mid Sussex (By grandad1950)

St Peter's church in the West Sussex Village of Ardingly is a Grade 1 listed building dating from the 14th century.

An interesting village to explore with a great artisan bakery. Nearby is the South of England Show Ground and Ardingly Reservoir.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.05215, -0.089996 • what3words: ///bearings.untruth.topical

Grove Park, Swale (By grandad1950)

On the edge of Sittingbourne, Grove Park has lots of space to fly providing there is no cricket match on.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.3458, 0.706061 • what3words: ///adopters.exclaim.series


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