Recent Posts

Anne Boleyn’s Jewellery and the Princess Elizabeth

The lovely Ashlie Jensen from Being Bess recently left a comment on a discussion thread about Anne Boleyn’s jewellery that immediately caught my attention. She mentioned that in ‘Henry VIII King & Court’, Alison Weir asserts that, ‘Personalised jewellery was highly popular. Anne Boleyn owned at least three initial pendants: an AB and a B, which appear in portraits of her, and an A, which is worn by her daughter Elizabeth in the Whitehall family group.’ (Pg. 192) This portrait, also … [Read More...]

Sir Henry Wyatt’s Portrait by Holbein

The portrait of Sir Henry Wyatt by Holbein has an interesting backstory. The story goes that Sir Henry was imprisoned and tortured under Richard III for his unwavering fidelity to Henry Tudor. It is said that his captors tortured him with a horse-barnacle, a farrier’s tool, sharply serrated and used to subdue horses. According to Nicola Shulman, ‘An open barnacle would be positioned where the horses’ muzzle is soft and loose, then pinched shut and twisted. It would be used much the same … [Read More...]

Mary I’s Marriage to Philip of Spain

On this day in 1554, Mary I married Philip of Spain, the son of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, at Winchester Cathedral. To mark the occasion I would like to share a series of guest posts by Tudor historian, John A. Murphy, that I published earlier this year. Mary I's Marriage - Part 1 Mary I's Marriage - Part 2 Mary I's Marriage - Part 3 Happy reading!   … [Read More...]

On the Tudor Trail in Italy

A guest post by historian Catherine Fletcher, author of The Divorce of Henry VIII.  Italy might not be the first place you associate with the Tudors. Henry VIII famously broke with Rome, after all. But for almost half a century before that break there were numerous contacts between Italy and England, and evidence of some of them can still be seen today. From medieval times, English diplomatic representatives in Rome had often stayed in the English Hospice, or pilgrim hospital. This later … [Read More...]

Interview with Catherine Fletcher

I am delighted to share my interview with historian Catherine Fletcher, author of The Divorce of Henry VIII: The Untold Story from Inside the Vatican. Dr Fletcher specialises in Renaissance and early modern Europe and is currently a Lecturer in Early Modern History at Durham University. Synopsis: In 1533 the English monarch Henry VIII decided to divorce his wife of twenty years Catherine of Aragon in pursuit of a male heir to ensure the Tudor line. He was also head over heels in love with … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn’s Childhood Home – Hever Castle

Day three of our research trip began with a private tour of Hever Castle in Kent, Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. I had been looking forward to this day since the moment we booked and could hardly believe that we’d have the castle and a guide all to ourselves. I think it’s a little unusual for individuals to book private tours because when we arrived we were met by a lovely lady in the parking lot that enquired as to the whereabouts of the two tour busses… Instead of expecting two people, they … [Read More...]

Sudeley Castle

Sudeley Castle is steeped in over 1000 years of rich English history. Originally, built as a royal garrison to defend the Normans from potential uprisings, Sudeley is much more tranquil today. In 1535, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn visited the castle and following King Henry VIII’s death, his son, King Edward VI, granted Sudeley to his uncle, Thomas Seymour. Thomas Seymour married Katherine Parr and the couple moved into into Sudeley Castle accompanied by their ward, Lady Jane … [Read More...]

Henry VIII Marries Katherine Parr

On this day in 1543, Henry VIII and Katherine Parr were married in a private ceremony, in the Queen’s Closet (a private chapel), above the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court. According to Linda Porter, twenty guests crowded into a room that measured about 10 by 14 metres, including William Herbert; Edward Seymour, the earl of Hertford; Sir Thomas Darcy; Anne Herbert (Katherine’s sister); Jane Dudley, the duchess of Northumberland; Katherine Brandon, the duchess of Suffolk and Anne Seymour, wife of … [Read More...]

The Boleyns and Pashley Manor

Day three of our research trip began with a visit to Hever Castle (more on that soon) and an afternoon sojourn to Pashley Manor in Ticehurst, located on the Sussex and Kent border. Although Pashley Manor is not open to the public, the gardens certainly are and are well worth the visit. The existing timber framed house is not the home that the Boleyns would have known, as it was built from the mid sixteenth century to the early seventeenth century, and enlarged in c. 1720. It is believed … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn’s Ghost Blickling Hall

The ghost of Anne Boleyn is by far the most prolific of all of Henry VIII's wives, with sightings reported in many locations across the UK. In this short video I talk about the ghost stories associated with Blickling Hall. Happy viewing! [tube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciJYmE3swoQ [/tube] … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn ‘The Moost Happi’ Portrait Medal

Anne Boleyn's portrait medal was made as a prototype in 1534, to commemorate the anticipated birth of a son. Sadly, Anne lost the baby 7-8 months into the pregnancy, explaining why multiple copies of the medal were not commissioned. Luckily, the prototype survived and is today housed in the British Museum. The medal is made of lead, is 38 mm in diameter and inscribed with Queen Anne's motto, 'The Moost Happi. Anno 1534' and 'A.R' for Anna Regina. This is the only undisputed contemporary … [Read More...]

On the Tudor Trail’s Birthday Competition!

I am delighted to share that on the 30th of July On the Tudor Trail turns three! Over the last three years, I have researched and published hundreds of posts about Anne Boleyn and sixteenth century England and interviewed over 45 authors, experts and historians. In the process I have made many wonderful friends and contacts and learnt so much about Anne Boleyn and Tudor history. Two people, my sister and my husband, read my first post, however this year we have welcomed more than 20,000 … [Read More...]