Recent Posts

A review of ‘The Queen’s Promise’ by Lyn Andrews

The Queen's Promise by Lyn Andrews was the only Tudor comfort I allowed myself on a recent trip to New Zealand and it did not disappoint! The novel tells the story of Anne Boleyn, beginning with her birth and ending just after her execution but it is much more than just another account of the main events of Anne’s queenship. The focus on her early life and relationship with Henry Percy, the future Earl of Northumberland, sets it apart from the bulk of novels I have read. Just as intriguing … [Read More...]

The Hidden Life of Gloriana’s Spies

I am delighted to share with you a guest post by author Jeane Westin and details of a giveaway made possible by Jeane's generosity. We have two copies of her latest novel, The Spymaster's Daughter, to give away to two lucky commenters! Conditions of Entry For your chance to win a copy of The Spymaster's Daughter you must be subscribed to On the Tudor Trail’s newsletter (if you are not already, sign up on our homepage). Then simply leave a comment after Jeane’s guest post between now and … [Read More...]

Did Arthur, Prince of Wales, consummate his marriage to Catherine of Aragon?

Tudor Tempest: Where do you stand? As the discovery of the possible remains of Richard III in Leicester and the renewed debate over the last Yorkist king makes clear, much about the Tudor dynasty is controversial. But that also makes the family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603 pretty fascinating. Novelist Nancy Bilyeau--author of The Crown, a thriller set in 1537—and On The Tudor Trail have joined forces to present a series of questions hotly debated. Since Arthur Tudor, oldest son of … [Read More...]

A review of Le Temps Viendra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn

Apart from my endless fascination with Anne Boleyn, I have always been intrigued by the idea of time travel, so imagine my delight when I discovered that Sarah Morris was writing a novel, Le Temps Viendra, combining the two. On several occasions, I have visited historic sites and wondered what it might be like to be suddenly hurtled back hundreds of years to the court of Henry VIII, to see with my very own eyes the magnificence of Henry’s palaces and witness the politicking of courtiers vying … [Read More...]

Henry VIII’s Final Resting Place

A marble slab marks Henry VIII and Jane Seymour’s final resting place in the Quire of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle; however, this was only intended to be temporary while a grand monument was completed. In his will, Henry VIII describes the monument as being ‘almost made’ but what is perhaps not so well known is that the original tomb was not Henry’s at all, rather Cardinal Wolsey’s. In 1524, Thomas Wolsey commissioned the great Italian Renaissance sculptor, Benedetto da Rovezanno, to … [Read More...]

New Anne Boleyn Book

The Queen's Promise by Lyn Andrews is the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry Percy, scheduled to be released on September 27. I looks like an interesting read, especially considering that the novel focusses on Anne's life before she became Henry VIII's wife. Here is the synopsis: The first historical epic from Lyn Andrews, the Sunday Times bestselling author, takes a fresh new look at the compelling figure of Anne Boleyn and her life before she married Henry VIII. From the bestselling … [Read More...]

Tudor Ghost Story Contest

It’s time for this year’s Tudor Ghost Story Contest! You are invited to submit an unpublished Tudor ghost story of between 1,500-3,000 words. The story must be your own work and emailed to natalie@onthetudortrail.com by October 31, 2012. The lucky winner will have their story published by On the Tudor Trail,  receive a copy of VIII by H.M Castor, an enthralling, psychological thriller, a Tudor roller coaster ride with some laugh out loud moments and others truly terrifying; scenes … [Read More...]

In Search of Anne Boleyn – Day Four

Day four of our research trip began with a visit to Hampton Court Palace – undoubtedly one of my favourite places on earth! We often only associate Hampton Court with Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII but the first buildings at Hampton Court belonged to the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem, who acquired the manor in 1236. At this time there was probably only a great barn or hall and a stone room with very little residential accommodation. By the 15th century, some new residential … [Read More...]

Tudor women as Angels or Devils: Every Sixteenth Century man’s Nightmare!

Guest post by Amy Licence, author of In Bed With the Tudors. Tudor men had certain expectations of their women. In popular culture and literature, they were rarely rounded, realistic characters; instead, they conformed to opposing stereotypes, reduced to the status of angels or devils. Women were considered to be the “weaker vessel,” prone to temptation, gossip and inconsistency, made the subject of popular humour, songs, epigrams and ballads. Men expected them to sin and fail, expressing … [Read More...]

Queen Anne Boleyn’s Confinement

On Thursday August 21, 1533, Queen Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII left Windsor for Whitehall, spending the weekend there, before moving on to Greenwich ‘where the Queen intends to take to her chamber’ (Letters & Papers, volume vi, 948, 1004). According to Eric Ives, ‘This curious custom, part religious, part medical, part feminine mystery, would keep her secluded through the last weeks of pregnancy until she was ‘churched’, or purified, a month or more after the delivery.” (Pg. … [Read More...]

Tudor Costume Dolls by Peggy Nisbet

Earlier this year, one of On the Tudor Trail’s readers, Dawn, was filmed for the new series of Antiques Roadshow at Cawdor Castle, with a small part of her collection of Tudor costume dolls, made by Peggy Nisbet. Dawn’s impressive collection ranges from dolls made in the 1950s to the early 1990s and includes standard dolls, those where all faces are the same, and portrait dolls, where the creator has tried to capture a likeness of the person. Dawn has been collecting for over six years now … [Read More...]

Interview with Amy Licence and Giveaway!

I have just published my interview with historian Amy Licence, author of In Bed With the Tudors: The sex lives of a dynasty from Elizabeth of York to Elizabeth I published by Amberley Publishing. Synopsis: First ever book on the sex lives of the Tudors. Comprehensive coverage of all the major Tudors: Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Prince Arthur, Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's various mistresses, … [Read More...]