SUDDENLY the plight of Mary Queen of Scots doesn't seem so tough...
For this is how experts believe Sheffield's Manor Lodge, the place where the ill-fated rival to Queen Elizabeth I was held captive for 14 years, from 1570 to 1584.
In fact, rather than a prison, it looks more like a holiday home.
The computer-generated image is the result of research by archaeologists from the University of Sheffield and shows Sheffield Manor in its Elizabethan heyday.
The reconstructions were undertaken as part of a joint project between Archaeological Research & Consultancy at the University of Sheffield (ARCUS), and Sheffield social enterprise company Green Estate.
The manor house was originally built by George Talbot, fourth Earl of Shrewsbury, in the early 16th century.
Set in an extensive deer park on a hill above the town, it provided an alternative and more comfortable residence to Sheffield Castle.
Today, aside from a Grade II* listed turret house (known locally as the Manor Lodge) only the ruins of the once great house remain, and the site is surrounded by the Manor housing estate.
In 2004, Sheffield Manor featured in the BBC Restoration series, but failed in its bid to get enough support for a makeover.
Green Estate has since received £1.25 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop the remains into a visitor attraction. The Sheffield Manor Lodge Discovery Centre will open later this year.
The Sheffield University archaeologists have been funded to work in partnership with Green Estate for the next three years by the Higher Education Innovation Fund. Their expertise will assist the heritage-led regeneration of the area by developing a series of digital 3D reconstructions showing how the Manor developed from the 16th to the 20th centuries for use in the new visitor centre.
In June and July this year ARCUS archaeologists will host a series of public lectures and workshops for school children and community groups at the Manor, providing a comprehensive introduction to the latest archaeological techniques.
The talks will run alongside a six-week archaeological field school, which will train students from Sheffield University's Department of Archaeology, alongside international students from as far a field as Finland, and the USA.
It is hoped the work will help towards the regeneration of an area of inner city Sheffield which is known for its social, economic, and environmental poverty.
Dr James Symonds, director of ARCUS said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to integrate university research and training programmes to assist Sheffield's urban regeneration. It should also enhance public understanding and appreciation of a nationally significant historic site."
And Sue France, Director of Green Estate added: "With the opening of the new Discovery Centre we were looking forward to an exciting year but this initiative with ARCUS has already expanded our horizons. There's going to be some very real benefits for local people."
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