The Coronation bunting on the outside of Oliver Cromwell’s House in Ely was an ironic touch. Oliver’s forebears might have liked it: his great-grandfather Richard Williams changed his name to Cromwell as a sign of support for Thomas Cromwell, who … Continue reading Cromwell, a cathedral and through a stained glass brightly: 24 hours in Ely
Six miles south of Derby is a pavilion, incongruous and alone. Swarkestone Pavilion, as it is now known, probably dates from c.1631-2, close to a grand house built six decades earlier for Sir Richard Harpur, a successful lawyer and landowner. … Continue reading The Harpur-Crewe estates
If I were ever so unfortunate as to be imprisoned in the Old Gaol at Hexham, I would definitely want to be accommodated on the first floor. The gaol was built on the orders of Archbishop Melton in 1330. Unusually … Continue reading Hexham: The Moving Skull and other stories
Heritage Weekends 