On March 19th 2014, 33 of us went on a day visit to Harvington Hall, near Kidderminster.

Harvington Hall is a moated medieval and Elizabethan manor, with original Elizabethan wall paintings, and the finest series of priest hides anywhere in Britain.These were built at a time when it was high treason to be a Catholic priest in England. Some are undoubtedly the work of Nicholas Owen, who was tortured to death in the Tower of London in 1606 for his efforts.

There is also a fine garden, an 18th century malt house, and a Georgian Roman Catholic chapel.

We were welcomed with coffee, then had a guided tour in 2 groups by guides dressed in Elizabethan costume, followed by lunch in the moat-side tea room. They opened the shop specially for those who couldn't go without some retail therapy.