H

ow about combining a fascinating history lesson with a glass of home-grown vino?

At The Great Lodge, just along the road from Great Bardfield in Essex, the owner Alan Jordan will take you on an intimate tour of the house that was given to Anne of Cleves by Henry VIII, as part of her divorce settlement in 1540. Sure beats a beheading.

The small-holding is awash with weathered red brick, with the old outbuildings arranged around the courtyard, and after meeting Alan in front of the Grade II-listed farmhouse he'll escort you round and let you in on some of its secrets and stories.

At this stage, we should probably let you know that the place is haunted – although no one's certain if it's Anne herself or one of the generations of other colourful characters who've inhabited the place over the years. 

Once you've had your fill of history, Alan will whisk you over to the nearby vineyard for a tasting or three of the rather delicious wines they produce on site. You could even combine this with a sumptuous meal afterwards.

History has never tasted so good.