VISITORS to Turton Tower were transported back to the 16th century when they were invited to a Tudor family soap opera.

Youngsters were introduced to Lady of the Manor Mary Orrell, while their mums hob-nobbed with cantankerous sister-in-law Mistress Margaret.

Notorious slob and lover of ale houses, Alexander the steward made one of his rare and unforgettable appearances, and the disreputable Lord of the Manor, William Orrell, turned up from one his many mysterious travels to greet his guests.

And housekeeper Agnes, Alexander's mother, did her usual job of keeping everything in order.

The characters, based loosely on the Orrell family who inhabited the building in Tudor times, were dragged from their 1590s resting place and dusted off for a premier showing of the full family tree, courtesy of a group of actors.

Part of the Bringing History Alive scheme set up two years the group -- which is made up of teachers, guides and musicians who "act" in their spare time -- recreates the atmosphere of the period by interweaving amusing tales into a backdrop of historical facts.

Regular visitors to the Tower will have heard about the Orrells as they have made frequent returns to their beloved homestead to entertain school parties.

But seeing the whole family together, along with some new faces, was a rare occurrence.

Martin Dowland, Keeper of Turton Tower, said: "This is the first time all five characters have appeared together, so we have created a mini soap opera that will continue for future events.

"The day proved very busy and people seemed to have enjoyed themselves. The characters speak to each other and interact with the audience in authentic 16th century language and anyone under the age of 25, especially the children, really believe it."

He added: "People love this particular period because it is quite slapstick and the costumes are just fantastic."

The Orrell family will make another appearance at Turton Tower on August 10, followed by performances in October and November.