Bess of Hardwick

Elizabeth dowager countess of Shrewsbury (c.1521–1608), best known to history as `Bess of Hardwick', is probably the third most famous Englishwoman of her age after Queen Elizabeth herself and Mary Queen of Scots, with both of whom Bess had close links.

She was married four times, firstly to Robert Barley, secondly to the courtier Sir William Cavendish, thirdly to Sir William St Loe and lastly to George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury.

Bess amassed a large fortune from her four marriages which she invested in both re-building the Old Hall at  and building the New Hall at Hardwick as well as acquiring substantial tracts of land in neighbouring regions.