The Monument to Bess of Hardwick

A detail of the effigy of Bess of Hardwick

On my day trip to Derby, my main objective was to visit the monument of Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, better known as Bess of Hardwick, in preparation for a talk that I had been asked to give at St Peter’s church in Edensor – on the topic of “The Devonshire Marbles”. 

A general view

By the time I got to Derby Cathedral to see this monument, I had already encountered very many interesting stone built historic buildings and architectural sculptures and the magnificent Alkmund’s sarcophagus at Derby Museum and Art Gallery. 

A detail of the effigy of Bess of Hardwick

Bess died in 1608 and is interred with more than forty other members of the Cavendish family in the vault beneath the Cavendish Area in the cathedral, but the elaborate monument was constructed during her lifetime. 

Various heraldic devices

The large free standing monument, which stands against the south aisle wall, is attributed either to Robert Smythson, who built Hardwick Hall, or his son John, who built Bolsover Castle. It has similarities to the monument to her son Charles Cavendish, which occupies the Cavendish Chapel at Bolsover Parish Church, which was built by Huntingdon Smythson. 

A detail of the ornamentation

Through her four marriages, in particular to Sir William Cavendish and George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, Bess acquired vast lands that were exploited for their minerals – including gypsum, limestone and ironstone, which were used as decorative stone. 

A panel of 'cockleshell marble'

The monument is principally constructed from alabaster, with ‘cockleshell marble’ for various raised panels and possibly Ashford Black marble for various colonnettes, obelisks and panels; however, as seen in many monuments of similar age elsewhere, the alabaster was frequently painted but, on this occasion, I was unable to get near enough to examine the stone with my hand lens. 

A general view of the effigy of Bess of Hardwick

The painted effigy of Bess, described by Pevsner as "not particularly good" depicts her in a coronet and rich robes and the lengthy Latin inscription gives details of her long life, her four husbands and her building activities.

The Latin inscription