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Episode details

Sounds,14 Sep 2026,45 mins

Elizabethan England's Richest Woman: Bess of Hardwick

Not Just the Tudors

Available for over a year

How did a Derbyshire gentlewoman become England’s richest woman after Elizabeth I? From four marriages and vast wealth to Hardwick Hall, Chatsworth and the Cavendish dynasty, Bess of Hardwick turned survival into power. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Lisa Hopkins to discover a gripping story of female ambition, marriage, captivity, betrayal and court politics. Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds. Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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