Watch: Visitors to old cells get chance to see what life was like for prisoners in the 16th century
Sandwell residents and visitors to Haden Old Hall in Cradley Heath got the chance to discover what lies beneath the 500-year-old building.
As part of Heritage Open Days, a nationwide festival of culture and history, the hall, which dates back to the late 1600s, threw open the door to the cellars and the prison cells, with visitors getting the chance to view the rather damp and bleak room which once housed convicts.
The hall was built before the adjacent Victorian Haden Hill House which was built by George Alfred Haden Haden-Best soon after he inherited the estate in 1877.
The Friends of Haden Hill Estate hosted the guided tours. They normally only host one such viewing a year of the cells, which lie beneath the old hall next to the house, which is now a museum.
The house was open as well and people were free to visit the rest of the old hall.
For details on the Haden Hill Estate, visiting and opening times, go to visitsandwell.com/things-to-see-and-do/haden-hill-house-museum-and-old-hall-p1414641.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.