Did medieval spiral staircases swing to the left or right….?

  Myths abound about the medieval period, and some of them seem logical enough…yet they turn out to be untrue. One such is that spiral/newel staircases were built to be advantageous to those who use their right hand. So, as the majority of the human race is right-handed, this seemed a good, sensible idea. Yes?…

SECRET STAIRS OF TUTBURY

Recently it was reported that a secret staircase some 600 years old was unearthed at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire. Immediately the reporter leapt on the idea that  ‘Maybe Henry VIII walked down these stairs?!’ as if  that ultimately was the most exciting thing about the new discovery. (Why, why, why, are there so many newspapers…