On the Tudor Trail

On the Second Day of Christmas…

Continuing with our Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway: On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me… the chance to win Robert Parry’s exceptional novel Virgin and the Crab. All you need to do to be in the running to win a copy of Virgin and the Crab is to leave a comment after this post. A winner will be randomly selected and notified once the competition closes on January 12, 2013. This is an international giveaway. Book Blurb: 12 Years, 2 Kings, 3 Queens - the … [Read More...]

On the First Day of Christmas…

Happy Boxing Day! I am very excited to kick off our Twelve Days of Christmas giveaway today. On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me… the chance to win Nancy Bilyeau’s fantastic historical thriller The Crown. All you need to do to be in the running to win The Crown is to leave a comment after this post. A winner will be randomly selected and notified once the competition closes on January 12, 2013. This is an international giveaway. Here is some more information … [Read More...]

Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway

I am really excited to announce that On the Tudor Trail is hosting a wonderful Christmas giveaway made possible by the generosity of the following talented authors: Nancy Bilyeau, Barbara Kyle, Anne Barnhill, Sandra Byrd, Karen Harper, C.W Gortner, Anne O’Brien, Michelle Diener, Robert Parry, Wendy J. Dunn, Sarah Morris (and her publisher Lauren Mackay). A big thank you also to Nancy Bilyeau for coming up with the holiday giveaway idea and for helping me organise it. Starting on … [Read More...]

Mary Queen of Scots Exhibition

Today’s post is to share with you some information about a new exhibition, Mary Queen of Scots, opening at the National Museum of Scotland in June 2013. The exhibition will “provide an opportunity to re-visit much that has been written and speculated about Mary, one of the most charismatic monarchs of all time. Taking a fresh, innovative approach, using jewels, textiles, furniture, documents and portraits, Mary’s dramatic story and this fascinating period in Scottish history will be explored … [Read More...]

A Tudor Ghost Story by Anne Clinard Barnhill

The Smell of Roses By Anne Clinard Barnhill Hannah Bowles gripped her overnight case firmly, her knuckles white and lumpy, as she deplaned and headed for the woman holding the sign, "Selective British Tours." How many years had Hannah waited for this moment? How many hours of overtime had she worked and how long had she saved every penny so she could finally set foot on the soil of what she considered her true home-- England. She couldn't remember the exact date her obsession with … [Read More...]

Tudor Ghost Story Contest Judge’s Report

By Wendy J. Dunn This is the second year that the Tudor Ghost Story Contest has been part of the wonderful Tudor offerings at On the Tudor Trail, after the very lovely Natalie agreed to keep going a contest I started years ago at my long retired Suite101.com Tudor column. Whilst entries to this contest have always made for enjoyable reading, working out the best stories is usually not too difficult. But this year we received a field of real contenders – stories that really impressed me. … [Read More...]

Tour Guiding Skills – Calling all history lovers!

Have you ever been on a guided walking tour and thought, 'I could do that?' If so, the Tour Guiding Skills courses could be perfect for you. You'll learn how to interpret heritage sites, create and deliver an interesting narrative, design a walking tour, and successfully market your walks without breaking the bank. Aimed at beginners, all you need is a passion for historical research, a clear speaking voice and good people skills. Choose from a Distance Learning course, or join the London … [Read More...]

Guest Post and Giveaway!

I am delighted to welcome Sandra Byrd back to On the Tudor Trail. Sandra has written two fantastic books set in Tudor England - To Die For: A novel of Anne Boleyn and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr. The third book in the Ladies in Waiting series, Roses Have Thorns: A novel of Elizabeth I, is currently available for pre-order here and will be released in April, 2013. Read my reviews of both of Sandra's books here. Sandra has written a fascinating and informative guest post … [Read More...]

Haunted Queen’s Staircase Hampton Court

A lady recently contacted me to tell me about a strange experience she had during a visit to Hampton Court Palace in 2009. Since it is Halloween today, it's the perfect day to share Lauren's story and photos. Happy Halloween! This is Lauren's story. A friend and I went to Hampton Court on 18 October 2009. After only having been there a short time, we decided to make our way inside. We were aware that there were actors around as in that particular month they were re-enacting the … [Read More...]

Interview with Lyn Andrews

Welcome to On the Tudor Trail Lyn! Could you share with us a little about yourself and your background? Hi, I’m 69 years young!!! Married for 45 years to Bob, a now retired policeman and we have triplets, 2 sons and a daughter, now all married and we have 4 beautiful grandchildren. I have been writing for over 30 years. I started with Historical novels and then progressed to Family Sagas of which I’ve written 32 so far – just started my next today. Hard work, I hate first chapters!! They are … [Read More...]

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey

On the morning of 12 February 1554, a petite girl of seventeen, with sandy-red hair and intelligent, sparkling brown eyes, stood awaiting her death on a scaffold by the White Tower in the Tower of London. Her ladies, Mistress Allan and Elizabeth Tilney, wept by her side but she remained composed and focused on her prayers. Her name was Lady Jane Grey and her story is as heart-rending as they come. In May 1553, Jane’s ambitious father arranged for her to marry Lord Guildford Dudley, the son of … [Read More...]

The Execution of Catherine Howard

On 10 February 1542, Queen Catherine Howard, dressed in black velvet, was escorted from Syon to the Tower by water. The Lord Privy Seal accompanied her, as did members of the council, guards and servants. Eustace Chapuys, the Imperial ambassador, described the scene, ‘The lord Privy Seal, with a number of Privy Councillors and servants went first in a great barge; then came the Queen with three or four men and as many ladies, in a small covered barge; then the Duke of Suffolk, in a great … [Read More...]