Family visit - Oxford Part 2

Whilst in Oxfordshire we decided that we would take the opportunity to visit Minster Lovell Hall, now in ruins, about 10 miles from my Sister's house (well I say we.......some of the guys decided to stay at home and watch Welsh rugby and drink beer, but five of us went!)

We are hugely lucky in the UK to have ruins just literally lying around the place! They are usually really well kept by English Heritage and are always really interesting. I love the feel of old ruins and the places area always hugely atmospheric.

Minster Lovell Hall was given to the Lovel family by Henry I prior to 1124, passing through a succession of Lovels until John Lovel (d. 1310) was created first Lord Lovel.

After the Battle of Bosworth it was passed to the uncle of Henry VII but the Hall as ruined was built in the 1430s on the foundations of an older house, although nothing beyond foundations remain to the east, where accommodation chambers may have been sited.

The atmosphere was quite strange and apparently it is the home to two ghosts. The first is supposedly of Lord Lovel, who was said to have been hiding in a secret room when the servant who knew the location of the room died suddenly. The story is that workman later found the room where they found his skeleton sitting at a desk with his dog and a book in his hand. On opening the room everything fell to dust and his voice is apparently heard around the stones at night.The other is that of the Mistletoe Bride who whilst playing hide and seek with her groom, hid in a chest and got trapped. She is apparently seen climbing an no longer existing stair case. I didn't see any ghosts, but it was a very nice, but atmospheric place.

 

 

 

Such a cutie!

I did try and find the Mistletoe Bride or at least the missing staircase.

Richard, Jess, Bex and the Sopharola!

Another of the possible missing staircases