Katherine Parr's tomb, Chapel of St. Mary at Sudeley
I have just added a new resource to the website called ‘Tudor Tombs and Burials’. In this section I have documented the final resting place of the Tudor monarchs, Henry VIII’s wives and other notable Tudor personalities.
I have included photos of the tombs where permissible and welcome any photos that you might have in your collection, along with suggestions for additional entries.
As well as being fascinated by visiting locations where the Tudors went about their daily business, I am intrigued by the thought of standing close to where their physical remains are interred. There is something very special about this proximity.
I hope you find this resource useful and interesting!
Click here for Tudor Tombs and Burials.
When I made my first trip to England in the spring of 2000, I called it my “Tudor pilgrimage” because most of my travels took me to locations related to them. Sudeley had been on my list for years. The lady who was the then owner was a fellow Kentuckian who had married an Englishman, had 2 sons and was widowed, but it was due to her that the castle underwent some of its’ restoration. I kept that newspaper article for years, especially on also seeing that Katherine Parr had lived there and been buried there. When I finally made my trip there, it was early morning and only the gardens were open, so I decided to wander those, finally making my way to the chapel. I was alone and spent roughly 15 minutes there just admiring the artwork and most especially Katherine’s tomb. It might seem silly, but I even had the opportunity to touch the ‘hands’ and to tell her “I hope you know what became of Elizabeth. I hope you know what she became, and a lot of it had to do with you.”
It was the only Tudor gravesite I had a chance to visit in complete peace. (Well, I take that back. I also visited Thomas Boleyn’s grave enroute to Hever). Elizabeth’s tomb is so popular at Westminster, as is the tomb of her paternal grandparents. When I visited St. Peter ad Vincula, the place was so packed, there was never a sense of the same solitude I’d later find at Sudeley.
Thanks so much for this article. I know there are still a few more Tudor graves I’d like to visit someday, but I’m happy to know that one of my favorite memories will always be the few quiet moments I had “alone” with the remarkable Katherine Parr.