Set during the reign of Henry VIII, BBC2's Wolf Hall follows Thomas Cromwell as he becomes the king's chief minister. The period drama also showcases an array of beautiful Tudor architecture: filming took place at some of England's finest medieval and Tudor houses, including Montacute House and Barrington Court in Somerset, Broughton Castle and Chastleton House in Oxfordshire, Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire and St Donat's Castle in Wales.

Many of the scenes in Wolf Hall are filmed by candlelight and at night, which adds to the perception that Tudor houses are dark, but this is not necessarily the case. Many Tudor properties have vast windows (a sign of status at the time), with high ceilings, so the grander houses of the period would have been flooded with natural light.

Typical Tudor architecture includes steep rooftops, wide fireplaces, arched doorways and gilt detailing. Brickwork is elaborate and elegant; chimneys are particularly large. In Tudor times, exposed timber frames tended to be a feature of modest farmsteads and it wasn't until the 19th century that it became fashionable to reveal the woodwork and beams of grander houses. Nevertheless, it's these 'typically Tudor' properties that make such desirable, characterful family homes today.