An Eccleshall B&B, which was once the town's poor house, offers guests a unique chance to learn about the property's previous occupants.

Eagle House, not far from the centre of Eccleshall, is the home and business of Helen Faulkner and Andy Guest, who moved to the area five years ago.

Since purchasing the B&B, the couple have transformed the building's interior, filling the rooms with quaint decor and tasteful furnishings.

Much of the furniture has been sourced from Katharine House Hospice, who are one of Eagle House's chosen charities.

After becoming interested in the house's history, Helen and Andy carried out extensive research.

Eagle House has won a number of tourism awards (image via Livia Gregor)

Helen said: "200 years ago it was a poorhouse [Eagle House], then a Victorian doctor's surgery and then a boarding school and then the last 100 years, it's been under private ownership."

Each of the B&B's bedrooms is named after one of Eagle House's previous occupants and contains clues about past residents for guests to find.

The Tunnicliff Room's namesake is headmistress Sarah Tunnicliff, who opened a school for young ladies in Eccleshall in 1847.

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The school was relocated to Eagle House in 1857.

The Tunnicliff Room (image via Livia Gregor)

Sarah died in 1873 and the school was carried on by her daughters, as per her wishes.

Another of the rooms is named after Sarah Emery who came to live in the Eccleshall Parish Workhouse (now Eagle House) at the age of one.

Back in March, Eagle House won gold in the regenerative tourism category at the Visit Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards.

The B&B previously won Guest House of the Year in 2024. 

The house is sometimes used for weddings (image via Livia Gregor)

Speaking about the future of Eagle House, Helen said: "Over the coming year, we're excited to focus on making our guests' experience even more special at Eagle House by introducing new ideas and thoughtful touches.

"One of our exciting hopes is to create a book about the history of Eagle House and share it with the local community, celebrating its heritage and stories.

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"Alongside that, we're committed to continuing our support for local groups and charities, as giving back to the community is incredibly important to us."

To find out more about Eagle House or to book a room, click here.