Sand House - A Unique Victorian Marvel
Standing not far from the centre of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK for 80 years, the Sand House was a mansion-sized, private dwelling whose walls were carved from solid rock. It stood within a former quarry that later became a sunken garden surrounding the house. The associated tunnels that ran through the ground near the quarry were at least as impressive. The section known as the Cloisters tunnel was decorated with many fine carvings, including one of a full-size Indian elephant. The Sand House was home to four families in all. It’s creator, Henry Senior lived there with his family between 1857 and his death, in 1900. The final occupants, Harry and Alice Briggs, moved out in 1934. The Sand House Charity was formed in 2017. It exists to share the unique legacy of the Sand House with as wide an audience as possible, and to encourage learning and engagement through presentations, performances, and other creative activities. In 2024, an audio drama was produced by The Sand House Charity, telling the true saga of this remarkable, yet little-known, feature from the UK’s history. It marks the latest in a series of projects aimed at providing a fitting legacy for the Victorian marvel that was the Sand House. You can find out much more about the Sand House by visiting ＜www.thesandhouse.org.uk＞.
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Episodes
7 days ago
7 days ago
A creative partnership of writer Peter Spafford and director Olwen May brought a stage version of "Sand House" to Cast theatre, Doncaster, in 2018. They have collaborated once again and have been joined by sound designer and music composer Nicolas Lewis. With a small company of actors, most of whom also worked on the stage play, they have created a compelling dramatisation of the Sand House story, firmly rooted in its factual history.
Follow the tale of Alice and Jim, from their wartime adventures in the tunnels to their protest against infilling them, in 1984. Listen in to how the conversation may have gone when Sand House creator Henry Senior explained to his wife, Mary, his vision for the next stage of his fantastical creation. Expect smiles and sadness.
7 days ago
7 days ago
This is a short trailer for the full-length audio drama "Sand House", which forms Episode 2 of this podcast season.
The creative partnership of writer Peter Spafford and director Olwen May brought a stage version of the drama to Cast theatre, Doncaster, in 2018. They have collaborated once again and have been joined by sound designer and music composer Nicolas Lewis. With a small company of actors, most of whom also worked on the stage play, they have created a compelling dramatisation of the Sand House story, firmly rooted in its factual history.