Hardwick Hall, in Derbyshire, England, houses a world-famous collection of sixteenth and seventeenth century textiles--pillow covers, wall hangings, bedcovers, carpets, and upholsteries, many decorated with superb embroidery. These are preserved in excellent condition, due in large part to the Countess of Shrewsbury, known as Bess of Hardwick, who built the house in the 1590s.

Using ledgers and other archival accounts, Ms. Levey describes the textiles, their origins, and their use in day to day context.

An invaluable asset for anyone interested in Elizabethan textiles.