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 - friends of Charles I and 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 Season 1
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Secrets Of The Roman Baths
In this video, Alice Loxton visits one of the most fascinating Roman sites in Britain, the Roman baths in the glorious city of Bath. But don’t worry, this is not another dreaded Latin lesson.
Alice takes you, the subscribers of the History Hit YouTube channel, through the best bits of the histo...
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The Secrets of Oxford’s Streets
Alice Loxton heads to Oxford, one of the most historic cities in the world. There’s so much history to this university city, and in this episode Alice is going to show you a few of the highlights, historic delights which anyone can see for free - secrets hidden in plain sight, if you like. She’ll...
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The Secrets Of Hever Castle: Home Of ...
Hever Castle is one of the most remarkable historic houses in Britain.
It’s got 700 years of turbulent history, marked by glitz and glamour as
well as decline and fall. In this video, History Hit presenter Alice Loxton gives you a whirlwind tour of the castle and shows you some of her favourite b...
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