HISTORICAL re-enactors will take visitors back to the 15th century when Harvington Hall reopens its doors to the public.

The attraction's new season will begin with a Tudor Living History Weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5.

The programme of events also includes medieval and Civil War re-enactment events on Easter Sunday, April 16 and Monday, April 17 and on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend of Sunday, May 28 and Monday, May 29.

The Harvington Festival will take place from Friday, June 30 to Sunday, July 2 when attractions will include performances by the Azzura String Quartet and the Dutch Lewis Jazz Group.

During the summer there will be an outdoor play - Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons and Tudor games will take place during August.

On Friday, September 8 there will be a heritage open day, and an arts and crafts fair will take place on Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24. The hall will close for winter on Sunday, October 29 with a Tudor living history weekend.

The Elizabethan house was built in the 1580s by Humphrey Pakington and in 1647,it was pillaged by Roundhead troops. In 1696, the hall passed to the Throckmortons of Coughton Court in Warwickshire, who owned it until 1923, when it was bought for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, which restored it and now opens it to the public.

Many of the rooms still have original Elizabethan wall paintings and the hall contains many priest's hiding places.

Harvington Hall is open from 11.30am until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday during March and October and Wednesday until Sunday from April until September. For further information, contact 01562 777846 or visit www.harvingtonhall.com