Film showcases history behind city's architecture

The Old Bell is on the upper floors of a Grade I listed building with a Jacobean timbered façade

A new film exploring the stories behind historic architecture is being premiered as part of a local history festival.

A Spotter's Guide to the Architecture of Gloucester has been produced by Historic England to show off some of the city's most historic buildings.

The film, presented by cultural art historian and BBC broadcaster Professor Janina Ramirez, was shown at the Gloucester History Festival in Blackfriars earlier.

A Tudor Merchant’s House, the 17th century façade of the Old Bell Inn near The Cross, and the Victorian Lloyds Bank building on Eastgate Street are among the "hidden gems" featured.

Ramirez specialises in interpreting symbols and examining works of art within their historical context

Speaking as part of the film, Ramirez said: "Each [building] is a little time capsule, demonstrating the evolution of nations, of changing tastes and fashions, and of people across the ages who have lived and worked within its shadow.

"The story of each building is hidden within plain sight, you just need to know where to look."

The premiere was followed by a live debate on which local landmark should be deemed Gloucester’s greatest building.

Professor Ramirez was joined on stage by local historian Phil Moss, and the city archaeologist Andrew Armstrong, to take a deeper dive into the city's history.