Let's get medieval

Wendy Evans discovers the attractions of massive houses built for the landed gentry

- By Wendy Evans

You don't have to head for Stratford-upon-Avon to discover a world of medieval houses; there are surviving examples of mansions and halls all over the country. Your main project this month is to find one nearby and see what photographic opportunities it has to offer.

For my part in this quest, I travelled to Gainsborough, on the banks of the River Trent in Lincolnshire. This is the Gainsborough Old Hall, a medieval mansion built in the latter part of the 15th century before being developed into a fashionable Jacobean residence. King Henry VIII even swung by one day in August 1541 with his new wife, Katherine Howard, in tow. While we doubt that the current tearoom was selling its delicious cakes at the time, we can imagine the newlyweds being offered swan sandwiches from the medieval kitchen or tucking into a feast in the impressive Grand Hall. Look out for stairways, towers, bedrooms, water closets and picturesque gardens. So find your nearest medieval residence and see what you can photograph.