Troy House, Monmouth, Monmouthshire
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Troy House, Monmouth, Monmouthshire

Having stayed at Flaxley Abbey overnight, the following day, on the 14 August, the royal cavalcade was on the move again. Troy House was around 15 miles southwest of Flaxley, just a few miles over the Welsh border. The medieval manor house belonged to the powerful Herbert family. It sat in a wide, shallow valley, close to the small village of Mitchel Troy and overlooking the town of Monmouth, which lay just one mile to the north. Here, a twelfth-century castle, in which Henry V had been born in 1386, dominated a strategically important convergence of two rivers: the River Monnow and the River Wye…

Cardinals, Queens and Captives: Fascinating Tales From Sheffield Manor Lodge
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Cardinals, Queens and Captives: Fascinating Tales From Sheffield Manor Lodge

In this episode, I head to South Yorkshire to visit Sheffield Manor Lodge. During the sixteenth century, Sheffield Manor Lodge was a luxurious hunting lodge belonging to the powerful Earls of Shrewsbury. Unfortunately, much of the building’s fabric has since been lost to time. The only structure to remain entirely intact is the Turret House, which sits alongside the ruins of the rest of the manor house.

Hardwick Hall: ‘More Glass Than Wall’
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Hardwick Hall: ‘More Glass Than Wall’

In this episode, I head to the county of Derbyshire to visit Hardwick Hall. One of the best-known and most magnificent Prodigy Houses in England, Hardwick Hall was built by Bess of Hardwick. A remarkable figure in the sixteenth century, we discover more about Bess and the story of this Tudor treasure trove.

I’m joined by Liz Wearing, Property Curator at Hardwick Hall as we explore this jewel of the late Elizabethan age.

KATHERINE PARR, QUEEN OF ENGLAND
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KATHERINE PARR, QUEEN OF ENGLAND

Name and Title: Katherine Parr (she signed her letters Kateryn Parr), Queen of England.

Born: Blackfriars, London, c.1512.

Died: 5 September 1548.

Buried: Sudeley Castle Chapel, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

In this blog we explore the life, death and burial of Queen Katherine Parr…

The History of Otley Hall: Intriguing Tales of Spectre & Adventure
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The History of Otley Hall: Intriguing Tales of Spectre & Adventure

In this episode, I head to the county of Suffolk to visit Otley Hall. A house of enormous historical significance, the part-timber, part-brick building is a traditional Tudor design and retains many original features.

I’m joined by Louisa Flavell, who moved to Otley Hall in 2020 and is committed to bringing this stunning Tudor building back to its former glory.

Tudor Gloucester Cathedral
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Tudor Gloucester Cathedral

Gloucester Cathedral witnessed the coronation of the young Henry III in 1216 and a visit from Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in 1535. The current cathedral, as we know it today, was predominantly built between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. It is known for its glorious Gothic architecture, tombs and the finest cloisters in the country.

The cathedral is also famous for its stunning medieval stained glass windows.