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Hardwick's Lofty Towers

from The Plum Tree and The Rose by Sarah McQuaid

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Visiting Hardwick Hall near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, I found myself wanting to know more about the woman who built it in 1590, and whose giant initials dominate the building’s roofline. I read Mary Lovell’s absorbing biography of the remarkable Bess of Hardwick, and did my best to distill her story into this song. Most of the online sources about Bess point out that she married four times and amassed a considerable fortune, implying some sort of unsavoury connection between these two facts. What they fail to mention is that her great wealth was due not to her choice of husbands but to her own astute financial management; moreover, her correspondence shows a depth of affection and confidence between Bess and her husbands that was unusual in an era of arranged marriages. Hardwick Hall was her lasting legacy, and stands as a memorial to her intelligence and tenacity.

lyrics

The boy to whom I first was wed
Was dead within the year
I cried many an angry tear
In widow’s weeds I pleaded for my dower
I wasn’t thinking then of Hardwick’s lofty towers
Of Hardwick’s lofty towers

Another match was found for me
And he was wise and kind
Strong in body and in mind
He loved me well, with children I did flower
I was on my way to Hardwick’s lofty towers
To Hardwick’s lofty towers

A widow I became once more
Before I’d reached my prime
Yet again cruel Fate was kind
As sweet William’s wife my life’s happiest hours
Were spent far away from Hardwick’s lofty towers
From Hardwick’s lofty towers

A dreadful thing then came to pass
Alas, he was struck down
And though another match I found
The joy I gained did wane and turn sour
I consoled myself with Hardwick’s lofty towers
With Hardwick’s lofty towers

Bess of Hardwick is my name
My fame is ensured
By my works and by my words
I built my castle tall for all to admire
I have left my soul in Hardwick’s lofty towers
In Hardwick’s lofty towers

I have carved my name in golden letters in the sky
So that those who follow after me
Will know that I was born and died

credits

from The Plum Tree and The Rose, released March 5, 2012
Sarah McQuaid
Vocals & Guitar – Sarah
Guitar – Gerry O’Beirne
Fiddles – Rosie Shipley & Máire Breatnach
Keyboards – Rod McVey
Double Bass – Trevor Hutchinson

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Sarah McQuaid Penzance, UK

“One of the most instantly recognisable voices in current music … Shades of Joni Mitchell in a jam with Karen Carpenter and Lana Del Rey.” —Neil March, Trust The Doc

“Captivating, unorthodox songwriting … layered satin vocals ... enthralling, harrowing arrangements … a gateway into a true innovator’s soul.” —PopMatters

See sarahmcquaid.com/about for more info. ... more

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