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The Herald Scotland
12-07-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Hunton Manor in Hampshire on the market for price of £14m
Listed for a price of £14m by Savills, Hunton Manor has plenty of features and historical background that may be attractive to buyers. It is located in Sutton Scotney, near Winchester, and has leisure facilities including a swimming pool and tennis court. The earliest mention of Hunton in historical documents is in a charter of Edward the Elder, son of Alfred the Great. Hunton Manor has several landscape gardens surrounding it (Image: Savills) Savills adds: "In 909 he granted the manor to the Bishop of Winchester. It was mentioned again in the Domesday Book and again in the Norman Distribution. "Later it reverted to the Crown, and in 1309 Edward II granted the manor to his son-in-law, Ralph Monthermer. "For nearly 250 years it was in the hands of owners who were either connected by blood or marriage to the Sovereign." The manor retains plenty of Georgian features (Image: Savills) The present manor house was built in the early 18th century and has gone through a few owners since then. The full profile of Hunton Manor can be found on the Savills website here. The kitchen (Image: Savills) Take a look around Hunton Manor Hunton Manor is a showcase of Georgian architecture, which is visible from its "meandering" driveway that sweeps round to the front of the property. Inside, there are features such as tall ceilings, "ancient" oak floors, light-filled rooms and "exquisite fireplaces" which can be found across four floors. The dining room (Image: Savills) The kitchen boasts a four-door Aga cooker and painted wood wall and floor units. Benched seating surrounds the table in the breakfast area, and directly off this area, you can find a pantry, a cloakroom and a flower room. The library/sitting room (Image: Savills) Other notable parts of the manor include the dual-aspect dining room, which overlooks the front of the house. It contains full-height oak panelling and cornicing feature, with a marble fireplace and hearth. One of the bedrooms (Image: Savills) Other rooms include the study, library/sitting room and a drawing room with a built-in drinks cupboard. Externally, Hunton Manor has formal landscaped gardens, such as a vegetable garden, a rose garden and an ornamental cherry walk. The swimming pool (Image: Savills) Another impressive feature comes in the form of the pool house, which has a spa complex, jacuzzi and bar among other things. Elsewhere, there is a full-sized grass tennis court, manège, stable yard with four loose boxes and a tack room. The tennis court (Image: Savills) Recommended reading: Just beyond the vegetable garden is a second gravel driveway leading to Hunton Lodge. Savills adds: "Tucked away behind a wall are the gardeners' sheds and a brick-built, temperature-controlled wine store. "At one end is a bridge playing room. The land is divided into paddocks, all with water supplied."
The Herald Scotland
23-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Ultimate guide to East Meon: A village with history and pubs
Located on the eastern side of the county near Petersfield, it is less than an hour's drive away from more populated locations in Southampton and Winchester. While it is quite a small place, there is still enough to do in exploring all of its historical facets and the surrounding scenic beauty. Plus, there are also a couple of "delightful" pubs for those who want to relax with a pint. Why is East Meon worth visiting? The beauty of the village and the surrounding area is one reason to travel to East Meon, with Visit Hampshire describing it as a "picturesque" spot surrounded by the South Downs National Park. As a result, there are plenty of walks you can embark on if you fancy, such as the East Meon circular, which takes between one and two hours. The village also has a lot of history to it, as there are bronze age burial barrows within the parish which date back to around 2,000 BC. Visit Hampshire adds: "The village was part of a Royal Manor belonging first to King Alfred the Great, and later to William the Conqueror as recorded in The Domesday Survey of 1086." There are a number of ancient buildings in the village, such as the Norman All Saints Church. According to its website, the historian Nikolaus Pevsner described it as "one of the most thrilling village churches in Hampshire". The original building was completed in 1150, which is still identifiable from its "round-topped Norman arches or Romanesque style in the West and South doorways". Major additions were made in 1230 with the South Aisle and Lady Chapel, with the spire also likely being added around this time. Opposite the church is The Court House, which is said to have a medieval hall from the 14th century. According to the East Meon History website, it is the best preserved of the residences of the Bishops of Winchester. It also has the distinction of being the highest village in the Meon valley, with some quality B&Bs to stay at, such as Belmont Barn and Pound Orchard Bed & Breakfast. What are house prices like in East Meon? According to Rightmove, house prices in East Meon have had an overall average of £521,250 over the past year. It added: "Overall, the historical sold prices in East Meon over the last year were 14% down on the previous year and 70% down on the 2019 peak of £1,713,571." What pubs can you find in East Meon? East Meon has two well-regarded pubs, one of which is Ye Olde George, which is described as a "delightful 15th century coaching inn" on its website. Food at this establishment is made using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, and its menus change seasonally. Recommended reading: The pub has retained its open fires and wooden floors, and there are five bedrooms for people to stay in. There is also the Izaak Walton, which at the time of writing is currently closed until further notice. When open, this pub has a large garden for guests to sit in and a number of quality ales on tap.
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Winchester's pubs named as the UK's best for medieval spots
This is according to the hospitality company Accor, which was looking to find the UK's best places to explore a bit of history. They analysed Google search trends and review data to rank the UK's ten most well-preserved medieval destinations. Accor added: "The results reveal where visitors can truly step back in time, from cobbled streets and Gothic cathedrals to atmospheric alehouses and ancient city walls." Winchester's pubs named as the UK's best for medieval spots Winchester ranked sixth in the overall list for the UK's most well-preserved medieval destinations: One of the aspects analysed to determine this was the quality of its traditional pubs, from which they received a perfect 10/10 score. As a result, Winchester was ranked the highest out of all the places in this category. Speaking about this aspect, Accor said: "As England's former capital, it's no surprise that Winchester tops our list of traditional pubs with a score of 10. "Once home to the first Anglo-Saxon king, Alfred the Great, this historic city is rich in heritage, boasting pubs like the Royal Oak, which dates back to 1002 AD. "Enjoy classic ales and hearty meals amid the charming medieval ambience of pubs such as the Eclipse Inn and the Wykeham Arms." What are Winchester's best traditional pubs? If you're looking for historical and traditional pubs in Winchester, then the previously mentioned Royal Oak could be a good choice. It has earned a 4.3/5 score on Google Reviews from 1,892 ratings and a 3.7/5 score on Tripadvisor from 746 reviews, with visitors praising the food and service. One person wrote: "What a fantastic place to come on a Saturday. The food and service were fantastic. All very pub like. I recommend!" Another shared: "Great food. Average price. Pet friendly. Good selection of Ales. Definitely worth a visit." According to its website, the Royal Oak is considered to be one of England's oldest pubs, with some parts supposedly dating back to as far as 1002 AD, when Queen Emma was in residence. It adds: "Hidden down a cobbled passage, the low ceiling beams and wood-panelled walls feel like a true celebration of the building's rich heritage." Meanwhile, The Eclipse Inn in The Square is another historical option, which dates back to around 1540. According to the CAMRA website, it is a Grade II-listed establishment which has an "impressive ancient ceiling and timber pillars" among its features. Alongside that, The Wykeham Arms on Kingsgate Street is said to be a place surrounded by heritage, which also offers up quality food. Its website adds: "Since 1755, when it was a coaching inn, there has been a pub on this site, quenching the thirst of travellers moving to and from the coast. Lord Nelson himself was said to have stayed here in his way to Portsmouth!" Recommended reading: The site continues: "Perhaps better known now, the pub became a landmark thanks to the late Graeme Jameson, considered by many to be the perfect landlord. "His astonishing collection of bric-a-brac still adorns the walls of the pub today." Other historical options in the city include The Bishop on the Bridge, The William Walker and The Old Vine.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- BBC News
Strange But True Crime: The buried Herefordshire Hoard surrounded by treachery and greed
This is a story of treachery, secrecy and greed which led to two friends ending up in jail and a mystery about buried me take you back to April 2022 - a treasure-trove of gold and silver is laid out on a small table in a back office in London. For centuries the coins and jewellery lay undisturbed, buried in the Herefordshire countryside by a Viking warrior in the Ninth Century.I have spent years following its journey from a hole in the ground to the fringes of the criminal underworld. This story is laid out in full on the Strange But True Crime podcast on BBC me explain though what it is like to come face-to-face with precious, history-altering artefacts, wanted by criminals and historians alike. In that small office in London, I was about to wear actual treasure - gold jewellery, made for a king, queen or noble. Most of the people who have put the ring on their finger or the bracelet around their wrists have been dead for more than 1,000 Herefordshire Hoard, as it has become known, is magnificent and it has been valued at more than £ the treasure is a huge gold ring, a gold bracelet with a dragon's head clasp, a pendant made of crystal rock, a silver ingot and hundreds of silver coins. The people who discovered it could have become very wealthy indeed but, instead, they are in only 31 of an estimated 300 coins of the discovery have been the big question is, where is the rest of the hoard? The gold and silver was hidden under the earth for about 11 centuries when Welsh metal detectorists George Powell and Layton Davies discovered it in a field near Leominster in June 2015. The hoard is believed to have been taken from the Anglo-Saxons by Vikings and buried for safekeeping at about 878 AD. Legally, Powell and Davies, from Pontypridd, should have declared it. If they had done so, they could have become very wealthy men. Instead, they kept it, sold it to dealers and ended up in prison.I have been a reporter for 25 years but this is one of the most intriguing stories I have ever covered. Over the years, I had to keep quiet as the police investigation carried on.I received anonymous tip-offs and one of the criminals even sent me text messages from prison. Three years after the trial, in April 2022, I was behind the scenes at the British Museum where the hoard was taken to be studied and valued. The jewellery is beautiful but it is the coins that have changed what we know about the history of of them is double-headed, showing two rulers of England in the Ninth Century. Alfred the Great, who ruled Wessex, is on one side and Ceolwulf II, of Mercia, is on the other. Alfred the Great is famous, we know a lot about him, but Ceolwulf II is a mystery, he appears to disappear without a trace at about AD879. Historians believe that he was written out of history by Alfred's followers. Thanks to the double-headed coin, we now know that Ceolwulf was as important as Alfred, that they ruled side by side for many years. The jewellery was carefully wrapped in tissue paper but stored in a plastic cake box. Despite the rather mundane container, I found myself holding my breath as it was uncovered. It has definitely got the wow factor. It looks like the buried treasure in children's stories, shiny gold and gems. As I slipped the ring on my finger, I was amazed at how heavy and big it was. This is a ring designed to be worn over the glove of a king or a nobleman, held out for people to bow before. I was wearing a blue nitrile glove, like you see in hospitals, but it still felt amazing. What the experts still don't know is who it belonged to - and who stole it and buried it in the ground all those years what about the rest of the coins? Police believe they are in the hands of organised crime gangs around the world so the hunt for the missing treasure continues. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
20-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Gloucester: Project to repair medieval monument begins
Work has begun to conserve and enhance a "vital" historic Oswald's Priory in Gloucester was built by Alfred the Great's eldest daughter and later became the resting place for the relics of the Christian martyr St Oswald and also Queen Aethelflaed. The monument has been previously targeted by vandalism and graffiti and is currently on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register. Councillor Rebecca Trimnell, from Gloucester City Council, said: "I'm delighted to see this project get under way and look forward to seeing the results." The local authority received grants of £20,000 from Historic England and £16,000 from the government's Shared Prosperity Fund to carry out the work, which includes improvements to the landscaping, new architectural lighting and CCTV cameras. Small scale repairs to the stonework and improvements to the gravelled area are due to be carried out as well as the installation of interpretation panels telling visitors more about the history of the is hoped that the work will lead to the monument being removed from the at risk Simmonds, south west regional director at Historic England, said: "St Oswald's is a fascinating monument and a vital part of the story of Gloucester. "We're pleased to support the council to help keep it safe and in good repair, so that it can continue to be enjoyed by locals and visitors to the city for years to come."
