Recent Posts

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 You are invited to submit an unpublished Tudor ghost story of between 1,500-3,000 words.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...]

Henry VIII’s Expenditure on Anne Boleyn

The Privy Purse Expenses of King Henry VIII, from November 1529 to December 1532, is a very useful and fascinating primary source that brings to life Henry VIII’s courtship of Anne Boleyn. During this period the king showered his beloved with gifts and ‘met individual bills on Anne’s behalf totalling nearly £750’ (Ives, Pg. 217). In December 1530, Henry even paid Anne for his own New Year’s Gift! (Privy Purse, Pg. 101) There are numerous entries relating to Anne Boleyn or the ‘Lady Anne … [Read More...]

Mathew Parker’s Pulpit

Matthew Parker was chaplain to Anne Boleyn and later archbishop of Canterbury under Elizabeth I. In 1535, Queen Anne Boleyn appointed Parker dean of the collegiate church of Stoke by Clare and took a keen interest in his reforms that included, ‘as well as regular preaching, the appointment of a lecturer on the Bible to teach four days a week in English and Latin, a new grammar school with a well-paid master and facilities for fee-paying as well as free pupils, and finally eight or ten choral … [Read More...]

Tudor Historical Figures by George Stuart

Over the last fifty years, George Stuart has created 400 sculptures of historical figures, including Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and a number of other well-known Tudor personalities. In addition to the highly realistic sculptures, George Stuart also writes and performs monologs about his intriguing subjects, many of which you can watch on the online gallery. The Museum of Ventura County acquired the Tudor figures, along with 175 other figures in 1975. They are modelled in mixed media and a … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I’s Coronation

A friend of mine recently wrote to me to share some information he’d read about Anne Boleyn in a book by Trea Martyn, called Elizabeth in the Garden. The book tells the story of how two of the most powerful men in Elizabethan England (Dudley and Cecil) used garden designs to woo their queen.   Here is the synopsis: Taking a fresh and original approach to the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth I, this book tells the incredible story of her great passion for gardens, and how the two … [Read More...]

Winner of On the Tudor Trail’s Birthday Competition!

On the 30th of July, On the Tudor Trail turned three and to celebrate we hosted a competition inviting readers to submit a letter, written as Anne Boleyn, to another Tudor personality of their choice. After much deliberation (such great entries!), I am delighted to announce that we have selected M.L. Gordon's letter as the winning entry. Congratulations! Anne Boleyn to Jane Seymour, May of 1536 by M.L. Gordon To Mistress Seymour, late my lady and soon my supplanter— I congratulate … [Read More...]