Sitting on the outskirts of Leeds is an exceptional medieval manor house combining cosy countryside staycation and history field trip in one.
Part ruin, part historic holiday let, Grade I-listed Calverly Hall is of great historical importance and ranks in the top 2.5% of all listed buildings in the country.
With various parts of the building dating from the 13th to 17th centuries, it is now being painstakingly restored to its original glory – a project that has so far spanned over two decades.
Whilst the restoration is finished it remains open to holiday lets, giving visitors exclusive access to some of the historic ruins contained on site.
These include the 15th-century great hall and 14th-century solar, awe-inspiring in scale but currently derelict and floorless. Both still contain the remains of eighteenth-century dwellings.
It also has a fascinating murderous past.
Inhabited by the Lords of the Manor of Calverley from around 1250 to the 18th century, as the story goes one Walter Calverley brought the family into disrepute when he murdered half of his family there in 1605.
Calverley Hall
He'd lost his father at an early age and, after returning from Cambridge, was forced by his guardian to break off an engagement with a neighbour and instead marry a young woman he did not actually like.
This led to him developing a gambling habit and running up some serious debts - mortgaging all his lands and spending his wife's dowry.
When news reached him that a family member had been arrested for what he owed, he allegedly flew into a rage and attacked his two small children before turning on his wife.
The house later fell into disrepair before being rescued at auction by the Landmark Trust in 1981.
With various parts of the building dating from the 13th to 17th centuries, it is now being painstakingly restored to its original glory - a project that has so far spanned over two decades.
Whilst the restoration is finished it remains open to holiday lets, giving visitors exclusive access to some of the historic ruins contained on site.
These include the 15th-century great hall and 14th-century solar, awe-inspiring in scale but currently derelict and floorless. Both still contain the remains of eighteenth-century dwellings.
Sitting on the outskirts of Leeds, it is a quirky choice for summer staycations - perfectly situated for country woodland walks and trips into the city for dinner alike.
There are also some good walks from the door to local pubs and the Liverpool-Leeds canal.
With room to sleeps five, bedrooms are comprised of one master bed, one twin room and one single. The property is also dog friendly, so no need to leave your furry friends behind.
The magnificent, heavily-beamed main living space combines a cosy place by the fire with a formal dining area, whilst the vast master bedroom is light and spacious - overlooked by a grand portrait.
Priced £311 for four nights (equivalent £15.95 per person per night), relax in gracious 17th-century rooms, complete with fine moulded beams and flagstone floors.
News
Yorkshire railways to receive huge investment as government unveils £45 billion Northern Powerhouse Rail project
Regional leaders have confirmed a rail project in the North of England with first improvements taking place in Yorkshire.
The long-awaited Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) project will see a whopping £45 billion worth of upgrades.
The first phase will see the construction of a new station in Bradford followed by upgrades in Leeds, York and Sheffield.
The electrification of lines between Sheffield and Leeds, Leeds and York and Leeds and Bradford will be the first priority and is expected to be completed in the 2030s.
The scheme has been described as "a once in a generation commitment to improving transport across the North".
Announcing the scheme, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "I spent three happy years in Leeds as a university student, a vibrant city I was proud to call home, but I've seen first-hand what underinvestment and empty pledges do to cities across the North.
"This government is rolling up its sleeves to deliver real, lasting change for millions of people through a major new rail network across the North that will deliver faster, more frequent services."
"This cycle has to end. No more paying lip service to the potential of the North, but backing it to the hilt. That's why this government is rolling up its sleeves to deliver real, lasting change for millions of people through Northern Powerhouse Rail: a major new rail network across the North that will deliver faster, more frequent services."
Stage two of the plan will include upgrades around Manchester, with the final stage delivering a new railway between Bradford and Huddersfield that wouldn't be delivered until the 2040s.
In a combined statement, the regional mayors of West, South and North Yorkshire said: "The long-term commitment will transform Yorkshire's transport network and deliver improved links across our region and on to Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
"It'll mean we can deliver quicker, more reliable journeys, opening up more choice around work, skills and opportunity for everyone across Yorkshire."
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you're still struggling to come up with a New Year's resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you're at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third party app Recycle at Boots uses a Scan2Recycle system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can't usually be recycled at home such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Images: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you've followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you're also an eco-warrior.
There's even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs which gives customers 100 Advantage Points, when you spend £5 in-store - This is brill.
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Leeds Trinity - 1 Bond Street, LS1 5EY
Leeds Kirkstall - Savins Mill Way, LS5 3RP
White Rose Shopping Centre - Lower Level, Leeds, LS11 8LL
Thorpe Park - Unit 3 The Springs, LS15 8GG
Birstall Retail Park - Batley, West Yorkshire, WF7417 9DT
If you're up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
7th May 2021 
