Recent Posts

Playing Dress-Up

Today's post is an entertaining guest post by Anne Barnhill whose debut historical novel, At the Mercy of the Queen: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, will be released in January 2012! Playing Dress-Up While doing research for AT THE MERCY OF THE QUEEN, I became fascinated with the clothing of the period and decided to ask my high school buddy, Becky Thacker, if she would help me with an authentic (that is, as authentic as we could get) Tudor dress.  She agreed to join me in my madness and now, I'm the … [Read More...]

Catherine of Aragon: A Life

I have just received information about a new book by Patrick Williams, Emeritus Professor of Spanish History at the University of Portsmouth. Product information: The tragic story of Henry VIII's first unfortunate wife. Catherine of Aragon was a central figure in one of the most dramatic and formative events of Tudor history - England's breach with Rome after a thousand years of fidelity. She lived through traumatic and revolutionary times and her personal drama was played out against … [Read More...]

Mary Rose: The Princess and The Ship

Today's post is a fascinating article by Katherine Marcella about the Mary Rose and its connection to Henry VIII's sister, Mary. I love having such talented readers who are willing to share their interests and expertise with us all. Thank you Katherine! Mary Rose: The Princess and The Ship A guest post by Katherine Marcella Everybody knows the pride of Henry VIII's war fleet, the Mary Rose, was named after Henry's sister, Princess Mary Rose.  Right?  Well, almost, but not … [Read More...]

White Magic in Elizabethan England

“The Medieval Catholic Church laid claims to many powerful kinds of magic which touched the lives of its members at every point.” Magic of confession and absolution Magic of conjuration and consecration whereby ordinary materials such as oil, water, salt were invested with the power of God to protect the wearer from evil. Magic of exorcism and healing Magic of the sacraments And the source of this magic was always God. With the reformation came another form of … [Read More...]

Fish Court Apartments at Hampton Court Palace

On the Tudor Trail reader Laurie recently wrote in to share some eerie events that her and her husband experienced while staying at the Fish Court Apartments at Hampton Court Palace. This is Laurie's story: We had the privilege of spending four nights in the Fish Court Apartments at Hampton Court Palace. We had a few ghostly experiences happen to my husband and I and even caught an orb out in the Wilderness Area, by the maze, with my camera. It was the talk of my Facebook friends for … [Read More...]

Haunted Westminster Abbey…

Happy Halloween everyone! One of my readers, Katherine, just wrote in to share with me a truly scary experience she had whilst visiting Westminster Abbey. Here is her true story: One of the places I make sure to visit on every trip to London is Westminster Abbey. I just love to wander around contemplating all the history that has happened in the building and all the people who have passed though it -- or stayed. I've never had anything even slightly eerie happen to me there -- … [Read More...]

Breastfeeding in Tudor England

Wealthy Tudor women did not breastfeed their own children because their duty was to produce as many heirs as possible and breastfeeding might delay their next pregnancy. In the homes of royalty or nobility, the wet-nurse came to live with the child but in other cases, the child was sent to live with the wet-nurse (Sim, pg. 75). Alison Sim claims that in these circumstances, where the child lived away from home until it was weaned, there was a danger that the child would not be properly … [Read More...]

Interview with Joanna Ferris from Past Pleasures

I recently interviewed Joanna Ferris, live costumed interpreter working with Past Pleasures, for our Tudor Talk column. Joanna regularly interprets Anne Boleyn and other historical figures and was kind enough to share a little about her background and the work she does at the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. I really enjoyed reading Jo's responses and look forward to seeing her in action one day! Read our full interview here. … [Read More...]

The Tudor Royal Interior

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a series of posts focusing on the interior of Tudor palaces. I am indebted to Simon Thurley for the plethora of information, diagrams, floor plans and illustrations provided in ‘The Royal Palaces of Tudor England’ – one of my most treasured resources. I thought I would begin the series with a look at floors, might not seem like an important detail but if we want to visualise the magnificent interiors of the Tudor palaces, then we cannot ignore … [Read More...]

Interview with H. M Castor

I have just published my interview with H.M Castor, author of VIII. I recently read VIII and found myself hooked from the first line. It is a fresh and original take on the well worn story of Henry VIII. The fact that it is aimed at young adults should not dissuade you from reading it - I certainly loved every moment of it! Read my review here. In our interview H. M Castor talks about what ignited her love of Tudor history, she shares with us the inspiration behind VIII and even reveals … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey

This is the fourth of a series of letters that I will be publishing written by Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey between 1528-1529. Read all the letters here. Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey c. 1529 My Lord, After my most humble recommendations, this shall be to give unto your grace, as I am most bound, my humble thanks for the pain and travail that your grace doth take in studying, by your wisdom and great diligence, how to bring pass honourably the greatest wealth that is possible to come … [Read More...]

Anne Boleyn’s Arrival at the Tower of London

On the 2nd May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn was arrested and transported from Greenwich to the Tower of London in full daylight. It is often stated that Anne entered the Tower via ‘Traitor’s Gate’, the gate below St. Thomas’s Tower, but this is unlikely. In Charles Wriothesley's, A Chronicle of England during the Reigns of the Tudors, from A.D. 1485 to 1559 Vol. 1, he states that “Anne Bolleine was brought to the Towre of London by my Lord Chauncelor, the Duke of Norfolke, Mr. … [Read More...]