The idea of reclaiming period features from one house, and putting them in another, might be the latest fashion in doing up your house, but actually it is nothing new. Somebody did a Changing Rooms transformation in the Talbot Hotel in the centre of Oundle, Northants, some centuries ago. This set of photos will take you on a guided tour of an historically important staircase, connected to a very famous lady who lived and died in this area some time ago.
Here is one of the notices in the hotel telling you the story:
The first rise of the staircase is not that interesting. Flanked by the cigarette machine and tourism leaflets, it could be in anyone's house. It is from the first landing upwards where it becomes a bit interesting.
What we see above is the original oak banisters from Fotheringhay Castle. The gate keeping Mary Queen of Scots upstairs is not shown, as that picture is just woodwork and carpet. The windows, also taken from the Castle, which today is a grassy mound with a few stones only, are installed to our left, at the back of the building, so this first landing divides to the left and the right, as well as continuing up. These landings lead to function rooms, as the bedrooms all appear to be in the stable yard at the back.
Now, above, you can see the horned windows, and the last rise of the staircase. Note the highest newel post in view, on the last turn of the banister at the top, as this will become significant later.
Above, just a close view of the last rise before the four steps that lead to the top floor.
Above, the top landing disappears into a meeting room in quite an ugly fashion. The interesting newel post is now the lower of the two.
Above, a downward view of as much of the staircase as I could capture in one shot, taken from just by the interesting newel post.
Here's the interesting newel post (above), with a detail of the horned windows behind. So what is interesting about it? Allegedly, Mary Queen of Scots was led down this staircase, when it was in Fotheringhay Castle, to face her executioners, and in her reluctance gripped hard on the banisters, and left at least one impression of a crown from a ring she was wearing. I decided to look for this evidence, and recruited two little boys who were passing to help. Others going down the stairs politely ignored us and gave us a wide berth - a madwoman with a camera crouching on the stairs, and two little boys minutely examining the woodwork - course they would! One of the boys found the mark, just as Mum and Dad appeared and ushered them away!
And there it is!!!!! (above)
And, above, a detail of the mark. Doesn't it look real? You can make your own mind up, but I think it's a good sales ploy to get you to the hotel. It certainly got me into the hotel for a coffee, and it wasn't my idea in the first place - he knows who he is......