Hidden Heritage

In this episode of Hidden Heritage, listeners are in for a treat as Lady Violet Manners takes them on an entrancing journey into the heart of the illustrious Hellfire Caves with Victoria Dashwood Chase. Unravel the mystique surrounding these ancient underground passages, delve into their tumultuous history with the notorious Hellfire Club, and witness the metamorphosis of this captivating heritage...

Step inside the world of hidden heritage as Lady Violet Manners invites you to embark on a journey of discovery in the latest episode of the podcast. Joining her is Dr. Guy Hayward, co-founder of the British Pilgrim Trust, to unravel the timeless allure of pilgrimage and the profound connection to the sacred sites of Great Britain. In this episode, listeners can expect to be swept away by captivat...

Welcome to this episode of Hidden Heritage, where we invite you to step into the extraordinary world of Blenheim Palace, a true gem of British heritage. Immerse yourself in the allure of this non-royal palace, a designated World Heritage site, with host Violet Manners. In this episode, we have the privilege of being joined by Kate Ballenger, the keeper of collections at Blenheim Palace, who provid...

Welcome to Hidden Heritage! In this episode, our host, Lady Violet Manners, is thrilled to bring you an enchanting conversation with the remarkable Alice Loxton, a passionate author, historian, and social media influencer. Together, they delve into the realm of historic buildings, untold stories, and the captivating allure of historical content on social media. Join us as we explore: The captivati...

Welcome to Hidden Heritage, where we invite you to delve into the captivating world of British heritage! In this episode, you'll join host Lady Violet Manners as she engages in a dynamic conversation with Patricia Yates, CEO of Visit Britain, to uncover the intriguing blend of history, investment, and tourism shaping the British heritage landscape. Tune in to discover how the UK's rich heritage is...

Welcome to Hidden Heritage – the podcast that brings you inside Great Britain’s favourite destinations with help from custodians, historians, artisans and experts. From the same team that brought you the No.1 History podcast Duchess, Hidden Heritage uncovers the fascinating stories behind the UK brightest hidden gems. With the help from the biggest voices within British heritage, Hidden Heritage w...

Episode Description: On this very special bonus episode, the Countess of Derby sits down with architectural historian Dr John Martin Robinson FSA to discuss the architecture of Knowsley Hall. In the episode, Lady Derby learns how the Stanley rebuilt their family seat after Lathom House was destroyed, and Dr Robinson explains the significant and unique architectural facets of the house, and Lady De...

Episode Description: In this episode, the Countess of Derby meets John Phibbs, Dr David Jacques and Dr Clemency Fisher to explore the fascinating story behind how the park and gardens at Knowsley were created. They discuss Capability Brown, what he did on the estate and why he’s considered England's greatest gardener. Lady Derby also learns how the 13th Earl built the largest private zoo ever and...

Episode Description: In this episode, the countess of Derby meets Geoffrey Hicks and Dr. Jennifer Davey to discuss the life of the former prime minister, the 14th Earl of Derby, and how a journey to the USA would inspire him to pass anti-slavery legislation in Britain. The team explore how the 14th Earl helped drastically reform education in Ireland and why, despite entering 10 Downing street thre...

Episode Description: In today’s episode, Lady Derby sits down Alexandra Mayson and her husband Edward 19th Earl of Derby, to explore the history & association of horse racing to the Earls of Derby. In their conversation, Alexandra and Lord Derby explain which family members had more passion than others for racing and why it isn’t just the sport of kings but has always been a sport for everyone. We...

Episode Description: This time on the podcast, Lady Derby meets Dr. Richard Stephens and Dr. Stephen Lloyd where we spoke about our incredible Derby Collection - and the story behind the many breathtaking and fascinating works of art that comprises it. In the episode, they discuss the many masterpieces in the Derby collection, and some that were lost to time including works by Rembrandt and da Vin...

Episode Description: This time Lady Derby is joined by historians Professor Elspeth Graham and author Dr Vanessa Wilkie to discuss the history of patronage, theatrical performance and connection between William Shakespeare and Knowsley Hall. In the episode, they explore why theatrical performance was so important for prominent families in the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods and how this led to th...

Episode Description: In the first episode of this special season about Knowsley Hall and the history of the Stanley family, Lady Derby meets Dan Snow and Dr William Shannon to discuss the history of Knowsley Hall, Lathom House and the Stanley family, from the 14th century up until the mid-17th century. In the episode, we hear how Sir Thomas Stanley placed the English crown on his stepson, Henry Tu...

The Duchess of Rutland is back to make a very special announced about the upcoming season of Duchess For season five, the podcast will be hosted by a fan favourite guest from Season 1 - the Countess of Derby - as she embarks on a fascinating and revealing journey through the history of the Stanley family and Knowsley Hall. In the season, the countess will learn the truth about Shakespeare’s patron...

Welcome back to Duchess - the podcast that travels to the most historic homes in the UK & Ireland to meet the custodians who lead them today. This series, the podcast will be hosted by the 19th Countess of Derby - who will embark on a fascinating journey through the history of the Stanley family and delves into the story of their ancestral seat, Knowsley Hall. In this series, Lady Derby share's wi...

Episode Description: For our final episode of this very special series, the Duchess will be meeting with the CEO of Belvoir Castle, Emma Stenning, to discuss the business of Belvoir: past, present and future. In their conversation, the Duchess explains how historically a family like the Manners would have made their money, the Duchess reveals to Emma when she plans to retire, and we finally learn...

Episode Description: This week on Duchess, our host meets Orlando Rock chairman of Christie's to talk about the art & heirlooms of Belvoir Castle. In their conversation, the Duchess learns about the fascinating history of the 'Grand Tour', Orlando explains the key to evaluating a piece of art’s value, and the Duchess asks Orlando what his favourite heirloom from Belvoir is. Later in the episode, t...

Episode Description: This week on the podcast, the Duchess meets Belvoir's head gardener, Tom Webster, who walks us through the gorgeous gardens of Belvoir. During their conversation, the Duchess learns about Tom’s fascinating gardening philosophy, Tom explains how he brought back the old fragrance of Belvoir, and why roses are the way to a woman’s heart. Later in the episode, the Duchess meets on...

Episode Description: In this week’s episode, the Duchess meets Belvoir Castle’s archivist, Vicki Perry, to discuss the fascinating history of women at Belvoir Castle. In the show, Vicki will be sharing never before revealed letters and stories from the many extraordinary women who helped make Belvoir what it is today. Later in the show, the Duchess will then sit down with her daughter, Violet, to...

Episode Description: In this episode, the Duchess will be meeting the Duke’s private secretary - Harvey Proctor - to discuss the architecture of Belvoir Castle, the history behind the four castles of Belvoir, and how the effects of a disastrous 19th century fire can still be seen today. Then later in the show, the Duchess will be joined by the Duke of Rutland to discuss the history of the Manners...

Episode Description: On the first episode of this new season, the Duchess sits down with her beloved mother, Roma, to discuss their family life in Wales, the Duchess explains how it prepared her for a life in custodianship and we learn what Roma’s family really thought about her daughter joining the aristocracy. Top Quotes: “The ethic of work and not the achievement of what it brings is whats impo...

Throughout the journey of this podcast, the Duchess of Rutland has met many extraordinary people, learned so much about the nature of custodianship, and has felt privileged to explore the the UK's finest private heritage. But now, the Duchess wants to share the story of her home with you - Belvoir Castle. In this next 6-part limited series, Her Grace will guide listeners through an exciting behind...

Episode Description: In this episode, The Duchess meets Viscountess Gage of Firle Place. Lady Gage share with us the incredible art collection at Firle, we learn about the eclectic female poet that became a central figure in Christian mysticism. Emma also talks to Lady Gage about why Firle Place is considered by many to be one of prettiest houses in the country. Top Quotes: “There’s an endless mov...

Episode Description: Welcome back to a very special episode of the Duchess podcast. The weekend of the 3rd of June has just passed and we enjoyed a wonderful weekend of platinum jubilee celebrations for our Queen Elizabeth II. So to celebrate Queen Elizabeth we have decided to have a special episode dedicated to her and the royal family. To start, we will have one of our favourite guests back on t...

Episode Description: In this episode, the Duchess meets online with Paris Ackrill of Broughton Hall & Sanctuary. The Duchess talks to Paris about the trailblazing transformation she’s leading at the estate, we learn about the Victorian ‘wonder woman’ who lived at Broughton, and Emma discuss with Paris, some of the important sustainability projects they are developing on the estate. Top Quotes: “I...