The Manor House Hotel, County Durham

Manor House Hotel Description Originally a farmers’ dwelling, it is now a hotel and country club. Era The Manor House was built between the 15th and 16th centuries. Bloody history The Manor House has had a quiet history. It passed from owner to owner throughout the years, and may even have been a convent or … Read more

Manor House Restaurant, West Bromwich

Description: Manor House and restaurant. Listed in the Domesday Book under the possessions of William Fitz Ansculf (The Baron of Dudley), the Manor House has had many residents. Although the timber beams were dated using modern technology as having been cut down in 1275, in 1173 the lord of the manor was William Fitz Wido … Read more

Greengate Brewery, Middleton

Description: The Brewery, Middleton Era: Cottages turned brewery, it is thought that the original brewery buildings date back to the 17th century, but the Deeds don’t shed any further light. They do, however, relate to a “Greengate House” being on the site in 1791. The buildings were bought from William Hilton, on the death of … Read more

Guildhall Leicester

Description: – Timber-framed hall used as meeting hall, courtroom, parlour, library, museum and now a performance venue. It escaped calls for its demolition in the early 1900s. Era: – The Great Hall was built around 1390 as a meeting place for the Guild of Corpus Christi. Bloody history: – Between 1876 and the early 1900s, … Read more

Chatham Dockyards

Description: Naval dockyard Era: Although Queen Elizabeth I visited the area in 1573, the docks weren’t moved to the current location until 1622, and the first dry dock was built in the 1660s. Bloody history: Dutch Fleet successfully attacks the Chatham Docks, with many killed and wounded. In 1864, the docks were staffed by French … Read more

Wellington Hotel, Cornwall

Description: – Genuine C-listed 16th Century coaching inn. Originally called Bos Castle Hotel but it was renamed the Scotts Wellington in 1852, after the late Duke of Wellington. Era: – Parts of the hotel date back 300 years. It was extended in 1860. Bloody history: – A number of prominent people have stayed at the … Read more

Mary Kings Close, Edinburgh

Description: – A number of underground closes, with houses that stretch up to seven stories high, on either side of the narrow walkways. Era: – The Closes were built in early 17th century, but there are records of tenements on the land as early as 1526. Bloody history: – Plague hit the Close in 1645. … Read more

Hellfire Caves

Description: The West Wycombe Caves are a series of caves excavated to provide unemployed farm workers with jobs, and chalk to build a main road between Wycombe and High Wycombe. Era: The caves were excavated between 1740 and 1750 by Sir Francis Dashwood. Bloody history: It is said that Sir Dashwood held meetings of the … Read more

Croxteth Hall

Description: The main building is surrounded by a working farm, a Victorian walled garden and country park. Era: Built in 1575. The last works on the hall were completed in 1902. Bloody history: Home of the Earls of Sefton for over 400 years, Croxteth Hall has had a relatively quiet past. The last of the … Read more

Jamaica Inn

Description: A legendary coaching house located on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. Era: This building was erected in 1750 to give shelter to travellers as they passed over the wind-swept moors. Bloody history: The inn and its shadowy past were both immortalised in Daphne du Mauriers novel, “Jamaica Inn” published in 1936. Its isolated location made it … Read more