Our Great British Houses series continues with another gem of The National Trust’s collection. About 10 miles from the centre of London is one of the most magnificent houses of Stuart England, Ham House. This lavish mansion is a treasure trove of 17th century art and architecture, a dazzling red-brick jewel on the muddy banks of the River Thames.
But Ham House also has a remarkable history of espionage and secrets. During the tumultuous years of the English Civil War, the Commonwealth and the Restoration, Ham House lay at the heart of political conflict. In this documentary Alice Loxton discovers how the Murray family - led by a remarkable mother-daughter team of Catherine and Elizabeth Murray - survived this troublesome period. Despite being fiercely loyal to the crown - even ferrying secret letters to the exiled Charles II - the Murray’s also maintained a friendship with the Cromwell family. It was an audacious act of bravery, resilience and espionage.
Up Next in Revolutions
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Stourhead: The Grand Tour
Kicking off our new series, Great British Houses, we join Alice Loxton and Dan Snow on a journey through one of the gems of the National Trust’s collection, the magnificent Stourhead.
In this documentary Alice and Dan set off on a whirlwind tour of the social and cultural movements which influen...
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Edinburgh New Town: From Squalor to S...
Alice Loxton uncovers the thrilling transformation of Edinburgh, a city which was once the most overcrowded, dangerous and pungent cities in the whole of Europe, where tottering medieval tenement blocks were surrounded by a bubbling cesspit of raw sewage. With the city bursting at its seams - and...
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🎧 A Story of Slavery and Restitution
I was delighted to be joined by Caleb McDaniel, History professor and author of the Pulitzer prizewinning book, “Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America”. He told me the remarkable story of Henrietta Wood. Born into slavery in Kentucky, she was freed as an adult...
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