King Henry VIII

I am very happy to share with you that I have selected Lynn Oliver’s article about Henry VIII and the ‘Great Matter’ as the runner up in our ‘Write Anne Boleyn’ competition.

I hope you will join me in congratulating Lynn on a very detailed and well researched article.

Henry VIII and the ‘Great Matter’ by Lynn Oliver

Henry VIII is most well known for his six wives and his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church that generated the Reformation.  Henry ended his marriage with three of his six wives via an annulment.  An annulment makes a marriage null and void, retroactive from the beginning.  It is unlike a divorce in that it cancels the married status of the parties.  Historians refer to the end of the marriage between Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon as a divorce, yet evidence demonstrates the marriage ended in annulment.  In nothing else during his decades long reign did Henry put as much research and energy as this dissolution.

Continue reading here.

Henry VIII by Hans Holbein the Younger c. 1536

Just a quick post to bring to your attention this page about Henry VIII on the Historic Royal Palaces Website.

Henry VIII – Historic Royal Palaces

It has links to some great articles related to young Henry VIII and Hampton Court Palace.

I particularly love the Young Henry VIII Exhibition virtual tour.

Enjoy!

The Last Boleyn by Karen Harper

I have posted my exclusive interview with Karen Harper, author of The Last Boleyn, Mistress Shakespeare, The Queen’s Governess and a mystery series on Elizabeth I.

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Karen Harper is a former college English instructor (The Ohio State University) and high school literature and writing teacher. A lifelong Ohioan, Karen and her husband Don divide their time between the midwest and the southeast, both locations she has used in her books. Besides her American settings, Karen loves the British Isles, where her Scottish and English roots run deep, and where she has set many of her historical Tudor-era mysteries and her historical novels about real and dynamic British women. Karen’s books have been published in many foreign languages and she won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for 2005.

The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper

In our interview we discuss Cromwell’s role in Anne’s downfall, the lure of the Tudor period, her interest in Kat Ashley and much more!

Read the full interview here.

The King's Rose by Alisa Libby

I have just posted On the Tudor Trail’s exclusive interview with Alisa Libby, author of The King’s Rose a novel about Catherine Howard.

In our interview Alisa and I discuss King Henry VIII’s court, her favourite of Henry’s queens, the ghost of Catherine Howard and much more!

Read the full interview here.

Elizabeth I attributed to Nicholas Hilliard c. 1572

Henry VIII spent the last days of Anne Boleyn’s confinement trying to decide whether to call his son Edward or Henry. Though in the end neither was of use to him as the child born was a girl.

On Wednesday 10^th September 1533, a magnificent christening was held at the church of the Observant Friars.  The Church was some distance from the main palace of Greenwich and had also been the setting of Henry VIII’s christening.

The location in itself was a final blow to those hostile to the king’s new marriage as it had been the centre for the most public opposition to the divorce.

A great silver font was brought from Canterbury and placed on a large octagonal stage inside the church. The font was lined with soft linen to ensure that the metal did not harm the royal baby and the stage was covered with red and blue cloth. The west doors through which the procession would enter were hung with cloth of gold.

Starkey describes the ceremony in detail:

The heralds carried their tabards. Attendants and serving men bore unlighted torches. Lords and ladies carried the equipment needed for the ceremony: a gold cellar of salt, for the exorcism of the child; great silver gilt basins in which the godparents could wash off traces of the holy oil with which the child was anointed; a chrisom-cloth, to be bound over the crown of the baby’s head after she had been anointed with chrisom; and a taper, to be lit after the baptism was completed. Elizabeth herself was carried by a duchess, and her long train by three peers and peeresses of the royal blood. Four barons carried a canopy over her. She was christened by the Bishop of London, and the Archbishop of Canterbury was her godfather. Three times the baby was plunged in the waters of the font. Then the lighted taper was thrust in her hand. At this moment, all the torches were lit; the heralds put on their tabards and the trumpets rang out in honour of Elizabeth, Princess of England and of France (Starkey, pg. 4).

The child was named Elizabeth to remind all of her undisputable royal connection. I’m sure this would have pleased Anne, as not only was Henry’s mother named Elizabeth but her own mother as well.

There were 21 participants listed by Edward Hall. Ives identifies the Boleyns and Howards as:

Anne’s father and brother and eight Howard connections, Thomas Cranmer (as godfather), one person who was linked to William Brereton and another to Thomas Cromwell (Ives pg. 185).

The duke of Suffolk escorted Elizabeth; the marquis of Exeter carried the taper of virgin wax; John, Lord Hussey, helped carry the canopy and the marchioness of Exeter was one of the godmothers.  Strangely enough, Lord Hussey was Lady Mary’s chamberlain and the marchioness of Exeter a supporter and friend of Katherine of Aragon.  She had only agreed to take part in the ceremony to avoid facing the wrath of the king (Ives, pg. 185).

The godparents, Archbishop Cranmer, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, the Dowager Marchioness of Dorset and the Marquess of Exeter, then presented Elizabeth with gifts and refreshments were served.

The procession, escorted by over 500 torchbearers, then returned Elizabeth to the Queen’s Apartments. There ‘Anne, robed and lying on her great French bed with the King at her side, received her daughter joyfully, and offered the guests more refreshments’ (Weir, pg. 259). The French noted that ‘the whole occasion was so perfect that nothing was lacking ‘ (Ives, pg. 185).

Of course there was one thing lacking – a son.  The sex of the baby was not what anyone had hoped for. Henry and Anne were putting on a brave face but the truth remained, Anne had promised the king a son and heir and the royal astrologers and physicians had predicted a boy but both had failed.

The embroidered satin gown worn by Elizabeth I at her Christening is on display at Sudeley Castle.  The gown is exquisite and in excellent condition. It’s difficult to believe that it is almost 500 years old.  It is worth noting that there is some debate as to whether this was in fact worn by Elizabeth or not. Here is a link to a photo of the gown:

Elizabeth’s gown

References

Ives, Eric. The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, 2004.

Starkey, David. Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne, 2001.

Weir, A. The Six Wives of Henry VIII, 2007.

Richmond Palace

Another version of the story claims that the tarts originated in the kitchens of Hampton Court Palace and that Henry VIII rediscovered the secret recipe that had been locked away and presented it to one of Catherine of Aragon’s ladies in waiting, Anne Boleyn. She then made the cakes for the King who in turn named them ‘Maid of Honour’ after her.

The much sought after tarts in Tudor Times were filled with fruit and it was not until the 17th century that they took on the form of cheesecakes or tarts filled with ground almond scented with rose water or orange flower water.

When the pastries were first produced commercially in the 18th century, the baker had to pay a large amount of money for the ‘secret’ recipe.

Today you can enjoy one of these delicious pastries made from the family secret recipe from Newens in Kew Gardens. The bakery and tearoom serve a number of mouth watering delights!

For more information visit their website here.

Source- Richmond Government Local History

Stone Castle Kent

With the addition of the beautiful Stone Castle to our ever growing list of Anne Boleyn places we have now reached a record 21 locations that you can visit with a connection to Anne. Follow in her footsteps and walk the grounds where kings, queens and courtiers have played out their lives. Join us on The Tudor Trail!

Stone Castle in Kent is a magnificent building that is steeped in 800 years of history. Built between 1135 and 1140, the castle later fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in the 14^th century.

All that remains today of the original structure is a 40ft high square tower made from flint and rough-cut blocks of chalk. The History of Stone Castle (2006) provides us with a very detailed description of the surviving structure.

It consists of three storeys; the ground floor has a low ceiling and four small openings through the 1.2m thick walls. The ceiling is supported by a 42cm squared off timber. Access to the centre floor is via a round stair turret located in the north wall, with a small original lighting slit half way up, rising to a tiled conical cap. The centre floor is a single room with oak parquet floor and oak panelling to the walls. There is a large open fireplace, which, like the walls, is of a much later date. The upper floor has no original features remaining except the entrance to the stair turret, which is now hidden behind a modern door. The adjoining house is Georgian and was built onto the tower in 1825.

In 1527, the castle played host to Cardinal Wolsey, Sir Thomas More and the Earl of Derby and on November 20^th 1532 King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Sir Francis Weston and Sir Francis Bryan were among its guests.

Anne Boleyn had only just returned from meeting King Francis I in Calais and must have been on a high after having spent the entire trip living like a queen.

The current house was built onto the old tower in 1825 and then further extended 13 years later.

Today the building is leased to the Heritage Conference Centre that is a corporate and private function venue.

For more information visit

Stone Castle

Sources

The History of Stone Castle (2006). Retrieved on August 23^rd 2010, from Stonecastle.com: http://www.stonecastle.net/history.html

Ives, E. The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, 2004.

Nicolas, N.H. (n.d). The Privy Purse Expences of King Henry VIII from November MDXXIX, to December MDXXXII. Retrived August 23^rd, 2010 from Archive.org: click here

“Who cannot be sorrowful and amazed that he should be a traitor against your majesty? He that was so advanced by your majesty, he whose surety was only by your majesty, he who loved your majesty, as I ever thought, no less than God; he who studied always to set forward whatsoever was your majesty’s will and pleasure; he that cared for no man’s displeasure to serve your majesty; he that was such a servant, in my judgment, in wisdom, diligence, faithfulness, and experience, as no prince in this realm ever had …

If he be a Traitor, I am sorry that ever I loved him, or trusted him, and I am very glad that his treason is discovered in time; but yet again I am very sorrowful; for who shall your grace trust hereafter, if you might not trust him? Alas!”

On the Tudor Trail

I now have 14 houses, castles, parks and churches with a connection to Anne Boleyn and will be adding more in the near future. They are all places that Anne Boleyn visited and that are still in existence today!

My latest addition is the historic Berkeley Castle.

The same family has inhabited the amazing Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire for 900 years!

The castle was built in the 12^th century to keep out the Welsh, it has arrow slits, murder holes and barred doors- all the trappings of a castle built for war.

Berkeley has played host to many key events in history: it was the scene of Edward II’s imprisonment and murder in 1327; the gathering place of the Barons of the West before they set out to their momentous meeting with King John at which the Magna Carta was signed and where England’s last court jester, Dickie Pearce, tumbled to his death from the minstrel’s gallery in the Great Hall.

The home has many royal connections and was a Royal Castle for 80 years in the 15^th and 16^th centuries (from approximately 1473-1553). It is even possible that King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed here after their secret marriage.

Anne Berkeley (previously Savage) was a lady in waiting and friend to Queen Anne Boleyn. She was one of the witnesses at the secret wedding ceremony between the King and Anne Boleyn on 25th January 1533 (some historians argue that the wedding ceremony took place on the 14^th November 1532).

Thomas Berkeley was also a Boleyn ally and was created Knight of the Bath at Anne Boleyn’s coronation.

With these close connections between the Berkeley’s and Anne Boleyn it is highly likely that she would have visited the castle and indulged in the hospitality of her friends and allies.

Sources:

Official Berkeley Castle Website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Berkeley,_Baroness_Berkeley