Woven Worlds at Hardwick
Welcomes to Bess of Hardwick’s world of tapestries, embroidery and appliqué. From handwoven masterpieces to naturally dyed textiles demonstrations, there’s a whole world of woven wonders to explore at Hardwick Hall.
Material Power
Elizabethan England was a material world. Power, identity and virtue were all expressed though what you owned and what you built.
Elizabeth Shrewsbury designed Hardwick Hall to shout about who she was and how far she had come. From the solid stone ES initials on the roof to the magnificent tapestries and textiles she hung inside, everything was a material statement about Bess.
Material Power: Rewoven
Rewoven presents contemporary textile works that respond to, or work in conversation with, the historic surroundings and context of Hardwick Hall.
Find the 16 contemporary pieces amongst Hardwick’s internationally significant textile collection across all 3 floors of the hall exploring themes of female experiences, identities and power.
Curated by Devanshi Rungta, Creative Producer, in collaboration with the Hardwick Team
Let the textiles do the talking
Uncover new stories in the Gideon tapestries through ‘slow looking’. Accompanied by a magnificent soundscape, this really will be a treat for the senses!
Relax in the High Great Chamber and take in the Gideon tapestry conservation video, this video explores the painstakingly long process of the final tapestry conservation by the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio. From the removal of the textile to its return in July 2023. If you can’t wait until then, please find the video below.
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Gideon Tapestry Conservation Film
Go behind the scenes to discover more about the conservation work on the Gideon Tapestry at Hardwick Hall. Video credit: National Trust Images/TEA Films
'A Virtuous Woman' by Layla Khoo
Discover the reimagined ‘Lost Embroidery’ brought to life in 2024 by participants and artist Layla Khoo.
Khoo embarked on the creation of a new artwork, ‘A Virtuous Woman’ which drew inspiration from the themes of female virtue displayed in the Noble Women embroideries. Using recycled textiles to complete the piece, participants were encouraged to express their ideas and notions of virtue and to contemplate who embodies the qualities of a virtuous woman today.
Participants delved into these reflections and explored how these virtues and values can be communicated, signalling a collective aspiration for the qualities we wish to see in society. Resulting in an exciting and engaging piece of artwork full to the brim with names of nominated inspirational women.
Visitor participation has now finished, visitors are welcome to view 'A Virtuous Woman' as a finished piece of artwork on the ground floor of the hall.
Award winning conservation
It took 24 years for the 13 Gideon tapestries to go through cleaning and conservation and a whopping £1.7 million to restore them back to their full colour.
This conservation project, undertaken by the National Trust Textile Conservation Team, has received international recognition and won the Europa Nostra 2024 Award for the Conservation and Adaptive Re-use. This is on top of receiving High Commendation in the Museum and Heritage Awards.
Pop-up demonstrations, workshops and events
Exploring the themes of textiles, creativity and powerful women, please see a list of workshops and events happening this year at Hardwick.
- Discover With Us: Craft Activities & Demonstrations
- Visit the East Stables for natural crafts and demonstrations throughout the day.Find out more
- Specialist Craft Open Days
- 29 May | Find out more about the work of the specialist craft teams who help us care for the National Trust collections and historic properties.Find out more
- Spinning Workshop
- 14 June | The perfect taster session for someone looking to try their hand at spinning using a wheel or a drop spindle.Book now
- Dyeing Workshop
- 7 June | Get creative with colour and dye your own yarn in this fun new workshop!Book now
- Weaving Workshop
- 21 June | Learn a new skill and try your hand at weaving on a table loom. It's guaranteed to become your new favourite hobby!Book now
- Fleece to Fabric Workshop
- 4 day course over multiple dates | Embark on a handcrafted journey and learn the process of creating your own textile pieces starting with a sheep's fleece, to spinning, dyeing and finally weaving. This course will take place over 4 workshops in 4 weeks in July.Book now
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Gideon tapestry project at Hardwick Hall
After 24 years of conservation, the 13th and final Gideon tapestry has returned to Hardwick Hall, marking the end of the National Trust's longest ever conservation project.
The collection at Hardwick
Discover an internationally-renowned collection of textiles including exquisite tapestries and embroidery and learn about the art of up-cycling, Elizabethan style. Find out more about Bess of Hardwick who largely sourced and collected the textile treasures.
Family-friendly things to do at Hardwick
There's plenty for families to do at Hardwick Hall, including seasonal trails, adventuring in the parkland and exploring the house. Find out what's on and plan your visit.