A SIX-PART historical drama series set in the court of King Henry VIII and partially filmed in Somerset begins next week.

Wolf Hall is an adaptation of Booker Prize-winning novelist Hilary Mantel’s book of the same name – the book is the first in a trilogy chronicling the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, who despite his humble origins, became King Henry’s most important political advisor.

The star-studded cast of the BBC Two adaptation includes Damian Lewis, best known for his role in the US TV series Homeland, as Henry VIII.

Two of Somerset’s National Trust properties – Barrington Court near Ilminster, and Montacute House, near Yeovil – will feature heavily in the series, the first episode of which airs on January 21, at 9pm.