Derelict Sunday - Old Hardwick Hall

My Dad has spent the last week staying with my younger brother in Marlow, near High Wycombe. Today was his day for making the 300-mile journey back home to Newcastle. So my brother drove him half-way and we drove to meet them and bring him the rest of the way.

We arranged to meet for lunch at a Hardwick Hall, which is a National Trust property near Mansfield. Happily the arrangements worked out well and my brother and I arrived within about 15 minutes of each other, in spite of variable fog and other delays on the way.

Hardwick Hall is a very impressive property, created by Bess of Hardwick in the 1500s, and it has quite a fascinating history. There's more information about it here; it includes the fact that Bess's granddaughter Arbella Stuart had quite a strong claim to the English throne when Elizabeth I died - however this wasn't to be, and Arbella ended up imprisoned in the Tower of London.

There are actually two halls - a ruined one and the newer one. The ruined one provided me with an excellent opportunity to take today's Derelict Sunday blip.

The whole place was looking very photogenic in today's lovely sunny weather - there are some more shots on flickr here.

Thanks again to freespiral for hosting Derelict Sunday!