Nestled on Newcastle's Quayside, the two five-storey buildings known as Bessie Surtees House are a fine example of 16th and 17th century Jacobean architecture and a rich reminder of the city's history.
The former merchants' house is named after a young local woman who legend has it climbed down from a first-floor window in 1772 and eloped to Scotland with John Scott, who would later become Lord Eldon, Lord Chancellor of England.
Now overseen by English Heritage, Bessie Surtees House is home to an exhibition space and stunningly restored period interiors that are open to the public and free to visit.
Featured image: Bessie Surtees House, Photo by James Cridland, CC BY-SA 2.0
Opening hours
Open for bookable guided tours only. Visit https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/bessie-surtees-house/ for more details.
