The Queen Who Never Left

In the heart of Oundle, where time lingers in the cracks of cobblestone streets, the Talbot Hotel stands as more than a haven for weary travellers. Its ancient oak staircase, salvaged from the ruins of Fotheringhay Castle, carries the weight of a queen’s final steps. Mary, Queen of Scots, descended to her death in 1587, her fingers brushing the carved banister, her spirit unyielding even as the axe fell. Now, within the hotel’s timbered walls, her presence haunts the air, a faint scent of rose oil, the echo of footsteps in the night, a framed print of her execution that refuses to stay hung. The staircase, a bridge between centuries, holds her story tight, whispering to those who dare to climb: a queen never leaves her throne.