Bess of Hardwick

About

notable figure of 16th century Elizabethan English society (c.1521-1608)

Quick Facts

Name: Bess of Hardwick
Born: 1527
Died: 1608-02-13
Occupation: lady-in-waiting / politician / architect
Citizenship: Kingdom of England

Relationships

Spouses & partners

SpouseWilliam St Loe1559-08-27 — 1564
SpouseGeorge Talbot, 6th Earl of ShrewsburyFrom 1568-02-09
SpouseWilliam Cavendish1547 — 1557-10-25
SpouseRobert Barlow1543 — 1544-12

Family

FatherJohn Hardwick
MotherElizabeth Leake
ChildWilliam Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire
ChildElizabeth Stuart, Countess of Lennox
ChildMary Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury

Dates reflect listed records; an unspecified end date does not establish current status.

Notable Works

Hardwick HallElizabethan country house in Derbyshire, England, UK
Chatsworth Housecountry house in Derbyshire, England

Languages

Spoken, written or signed

English

Sources & Credits

Wikidata · Q508447 ↗
Biographical data from Wikidata (CC0). Fact links open the corresponding statements and references.
Portrait source & license ↗

Facts retrieved 31 Oct 2026, 19:59 UTC.