A couple finds themselves in a European castle after becoming stranded in a moor. They meet the decendent of a "head chopper" at Broadmore Manner who seems to take himself very seriously. He warns them not to enter a particular room in the Manner.

While traveling through the moors on an inclement day, a writer and his wife, trying to escape the pressures of work after he has suffered a nervous break-down, find they are stuck and seek assistance at a stately old home at the top of a hill. After first being rebuffed by the housekeeper, the lord of the manor bids them a warm welcome and invites them to stay as long as they wish until the weather clears. He tells them of the history of his family and the house as a staging ground for executions ordered by the queen of the day, and that his ancestor served as the executioner. He then warns them not to enter a certain room in the mansion. Of course, what do you think they do…