Historic Somerset and Avon Hotels

Records show that the estate of Thornbury has been in existence for over 1000 years, with a manor having being built on the site during the reign of King Athelstan (A..D. 925 � 940).

The intricate history of this famous old building is, unfortunately, far too elaborate to go into detail here. In brief, however, it was appropriated by Henry VIII when it�s owner, The Duke of Buckingham, was executed for high treason on Tower Hill.

A royal demesne for over three decades, the King is known to have stayed at Thornbury with his second wife Anne Boleyn for ten days during 1533 � the Duke�s bedchamber in which they are said to have stayed is available to guests.

The castle also possess the oldest Tudor gardens in England and a 500-year-old vineyard.

Top Secret

Built in 1835, this Georgian mansion has been a private residence, school and nurses home in its near 200-year existence.

It is, however, its use by the Admiralty during World War II for which it is most historically renowned.Indeed, the oak-panelled Admiralty Room was used by Sir Winston Churchill for secret, high-level Naval meetings.

Now five-star accommodation, Bath Spa was officially opened as a hotel by Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1990.

Turbulence to Opulence

Shortly before the Battle of Sedgemoor on the 6th of July 1685 � the last to be fought on English soil � officers belonging to the army of the Duke of Monmouth were said be heard �roistering� at The Castle Inn. Alas, the tragic irony is that a few months later many would be back under less auspicious circumstances.

It was in the Great Hall of the Castle at Taunton on the 17th of September 1685 that one of the most infamous episodes in British history commenced. Presided over by the notorious Judge Jeffreys, the Bloody Assize tried over 500 men and sentenced most to death for their part in Monmouth�s rebellion against King James II.

However, The Castle�s history runs much deeper than this single episode in history. The site of the hotel is almost certainly that of the very first fortress in the area (most likely constructed of wood) built by the King of Wessex in A.D. 710. Burnt down on more than one occasion � including during a raid by Danish invaders in 1001 � it also played host to a certain Perkin Warbeck: great pretender to the throne of England.

Avoid the new... The following may not necessarily be linked to famous figures or events, but all offer accommodation in historic surroundings. Click on the links for further tariff and availability information.

Ancient Gatehouse, The. WELLS. Part of this fascinating old building - The Great West Gate - is a designated ancient monument. LateRooms

Bath Paradise House. BATH. Early Georgian property dating from 1735 providing highly-rated accommodation. LateRooms

Bath Priory Hotel. BATH. Four-star, 27-room hotel dating from 1835. Expedia.co.uk

Bindon Country House. LANGFORD BUDVILLE. Distinctly baroque seventeenth century residence amid seven acres of woodlands and gardens. Expedia.co.uk

Full Moon, The. Nr FROME. Pretty 17th century inn in a small village setting. LateRooms

Hunstrete House. Nr BATH. An impressive eighteenth century Georgian manor. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

Manor Farm. Nr WELLS. Four-star bed & breakfast accommodation within a fifteenth century property. LateRooms

Old Priory, The. MIDSOMER NORTON. Founded in 1152, architectural relics from the 12th century are still in evidence at this small hotel which also home to the famous �Moody Goose� restaurant. LateRooms

Shapwick House. SHAPWICK. An impressive Tudor manor house in a delightful rural setting. LateRooms

Ston Easton Park. Nr BATH. Four-star accommodation in a mid-eighteenth century Palladian mansion. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

Swan Hotel, The. WELLS. Fifteenth century coaching inn close to the city�s beautiful cathedral. LateRooms

Wheelwrights Arms, The. MONKTON COMBE. Built in 1750, this 7-bedroom inn is situated in a quiet village location. LateRooms

White Hart Hotel, The. WELLS. A 15th century coaching inn. LateRooms