Long Gallery

• Long galleries were a place to walk when the weather was poor
• Long Galleries were open or closed so they could be used in the winter or summer months
• At Hardwick Hall, the long gallery is on the top floor, running down the entire east side of the house
• The Long gallery takes up the majority of the top floor
• The east facing windows allow for a good view of the garden
• There are many artworks displayed, from paintings of royalty, family and ancestors of Bess, to tapestries and sculptures
• By 1601, Bess had collected approximately 97 paintings, used to convey a message in her decorating
• Bess had many paintings of Elizabeth to display her power and authority
• The paintings also show Bess's influence in the period
• The long gallery contains many examples of fashionable plasterwork, designed by Abraham Smith