Little Moreton Hall, Odd Rode,
Cheshire, England

Little Moreton Hall is possibly the best known and best preserved timber-framed manor in Cheshire. It originates from around 1480 but was modified in 1559 and remained in the Moreton family until it was handed to the National Trust in 1937. It is surrounded by its own moat (that's the bridge across it that you can see in the photo) and its now spartan interior is well worth a look. Admittedly, it does look a little higgledy-piggledy on the outside, an impression that is not contradicted by the addition of a long gallery (the continuous line of windows on the first floor in the picture). The riot of black and white "decoration" sears it onto the memory and leaves a lasting impression. There is but one question, though: how many film sets has this place influenced?