Hardwick Hall, East Loggia,

Derbyshire

Grade I Listed Building (NHLE: 1051617); Grade1 Registered park and Garden (NHLE: 1000450)

Historic Building Recording, Structural Watching Brief, Archive Research 

OASIS: thejesso1-321528

The JESSOP Consultancy were commissioned by the National Trust to undertake a scheme of archaeological building recording during restoration work to the leads and roof structure of the East Loggia at Hardwick Hall.  

Hardwick Hall was built between 1590-97 to a design by Robert Smythson for Bess of Hardwick and single-storey Loggias in the central sections of the West and East elevations.

It has been confirmed that the majority of the roof structure is cut from oak and appears to represent historic fabric from the primary phase of construction. The roof was divided into eight main sections supported on substantial ceiling beams orientated west-east. Interestingly, these timbers were not set at right angles to the main wall of the house, having been manoeuvred into position once the parapet had already been constructed. Secondary ceiling joists orientated north-south were tenoned and pegged in position, with a sequence of Roman numerals. 

Large empty sockets were noted in the corners of each recessed section of masonry hidden within the roof void, presumably originally intended to take massive longitudinal beams along the face of the house. They were however never used, perhaps indicating that the carpentry details of the loggia were adapted following the initial period of masonry construction of the Hall.

Scope of work: archive research, archaeological building recording, structural watching brief