THE magnificent setting of Athelhampton House near Puddletown, one of the finest Tudor manor houses in the country, hosts a Tudor household over this half-term.

Families are invited to come and experience the sights, sounds and smells of 16th-century life in a re-enactment that takes the onlooker into the everyday life of the people who lived in this beautiful property.

Throughout the week, history is brought to life, inside and outside the walls of Athelhampton. Step back in time to 1580 and meet the Martyn family, as specialist living historians recreate life as it was in Elizabeth I’s reign.

All levels of society, from gentlefolk to servants, will be around the house and back lawn to talk to and learn from every weekday of the half-term holidays.

Activities throughout each day range from trying Tudor food, dancing and clothing, to writing with a quill or kicking a Tudor football!

Archery demonstrations, the procession to present the dinner, and live music on period-correct instruments all round off the day with something for all the family. A whole host of traditional crafts will be demonstrated, including pewter casting, basket weaving and embroidery.

Be prepared to spend the whole day investigating so many aspects of Tudor life, as well as enjoying the stunning architectural gardens and the house’s café. The immersive experience is open from 10am until 4pm, until Friday 31st October.

Photographs by Dorset Morri’arty