Today we rode the bus into Stafford again to see the Ancient High House. Paula said the photo I published of it yesterday was unflattering, so here’s a different angle.

Yes, that’s Paula in the foreground with a bucket. She has great plans for that bucket.

The house was built by a rich wool merchant in 1595, and remained a family home until the early 20th century. King Charles I and Prince Rupert stayed there for three days at the start of the Civil War.

Later, when Stafford was taken by parliamentary forces, the house was used as a jail for the better sort of royalist prisoners.

The Member of Parliament for Stafford, John Bradshaw, was Lord President of the parliamentary commission that sentenced Charles I to death. There’s a reproduction of the death warrant in the same room as the mannikin of Charles I.

Bradshaw was concerned for his personal safety during the trial. He wore a

…broad-brimmed, bullet-proof beaver hat, which he had covered over with velvet and lined it with steel and he also wore armour underneath his robes.

What a good job that judges today don’t get threatened by the supporters of ruthless tyrants. Oh, wait.

The suit of armour Bradshaw wore under his robes is still preserved in Stafford, but sadly not on display. You’re going to have to make do with some pictures of Saxon jewelry and coins.

If you look closely, you can see this is a signet ring, carved out of garnet.

This looks like a cross between an aardvark and a dragon.

I’m going to call him Aargon, because Dragvard is a silly name.

I think this may be King Ethelred the Unready, or perhaps King Canute the Goofy.

Talking of goofy…

A snake ring.

Here’s a quick look round some of the other rooms in the house, which are furnished in different period styles.

The embroidery on that bed took a group of women six years to complete. Just think of the number of trains they could have spotted in that time.