She became the second most powerful female in Elizabethan England and is set to take centre-stage in ‘Fame, Fashion and Fortune’ which is on display at Sheffield Cathedral for the whole of August.

Bess of Hardwick, who helped turn Sheffield Manor Lodge into a prison for Mary Queen of Scots, will go on display alongside her grand-daughter, Lady Arbella Stuart, who was considered a possible successor to Queen Elizabeth I of England.

‘Fame, Fashion and Fortune’ – which has attracted nearly £50,000 in National Lottery funding – has seen a team of volunteers working tirelessly to re-create the costumes worn by the two influential women.

The stunning period outfits will be the centrepiece of the display that tells the individual stories of both women.

‘Fame, Fashion and Fortune’ is being co-ordinated by Bolsover Parish Church and is set to tour other venues in the region in the coming months.

Graysons has also put its weight behind the initiative with sponsorship and several of its staff volunteering on the project.

Fame, Fashion and Fortune’s  Amanda Boler said: “We’ve worked tirelessly over the past few months to research the lives of these women and re-create the clothes they’d have worn hundreds of years ago. We’re thrilled to be able to exhibit ‘Fame, Fashion and Fortune’ in Sheffield Cathedral and hope as many people as possible learn about the contribution these two women made to society.”

The project has also received grant support from Derbyshire Community Foundation.

If you would like to visit the exhibition, Sheffield Cathedral’s opening times are:

Monday-Friday: 8:30am-5:30pm

Saturday: 9:30am-4pm

Sunday: 7:30am-5pm.

More information from www.sheffieldcathedral.org