Bess of Hardwick
Unsealed - The
Letters of Bess of Hardwick, now at The National Archives, from
27 November 2012 to the end of February 2013.
The correspondence of Bess of Hardwick (Elizabeth,
countess of Shrewsbury) will be explored in a new exhibition at
The National Archives – ‘Unsealed: The Letters of Bess of
Hardwick’.
One of Elizabethan England's most famous figures, Bess
of Hardwick was an influential matriarch and dynast, lady at
Elizabeth I's court, and the builder of great stately homes like
Hardwick Hall. All of the Elizabethan world populated her
letters: dukes and spies, queens and servants, friends and
lovers. She wrote hundreds of letters throughout her life - they
were her lifeline to her travelling children and husbands, to
the court at London and news from the world at large. This
travelling exhibition, on loan from Hardwick Hall, features
images and letter facsimiles that bring Bess and her
correspondents to life, and visitors can explore Bess’s world
through a series of podcasts on food, fashion and
gossip.
To mark the launch of the exhibition Dr Alison Wiggins
will be giving a free talk on the letters
at The National Archives on 29 November at 14:00, where there
will also be the chance to see some of Bess’s original letters.
Unsealed: The Letters of Bess of Hardwick can be seen
at The National Archives from Tuesday 27 November 2012 to the
end of February 2013, and is funded by the Arts & Humanities
Research Council, and supported by the National Trust and the
University of Glasgow.
The National Archives, Kew,
Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8876 3444
posted by Adam at 12:07 PM
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