On the Tudor Trail

Has a new portrait of Mary Tudor been uncovered?

Canon Russ inherited the contents of Sawston Hall, including a 16th century portrait. Now, in order to save Sawston, he is willing to sell the portrait that some believe is of Mary Tudor! The painting is a full length portrait of a lady in black wearing no jewellery. When first exhibited in 1956 it was claimed to be Mary I but in a later exhibition it was downgraded to just A Lady in Black. A 16th century curator from the National Portrait Gallery claims that the portrait cannot be of … [Read More...]

Ghost of Mary Queen of Scots

While researching my upcoming 'Tudor Pilgrimage' tour of the UK, I came across an interesting hotel in Oundle, Northhamptonshire that is said to be haunted by the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots. The Elizabethan Talbot Hotel is home to the oak staircase that Mary Queen of Scots descended on the way to her execution on the 8th February, 1587! I was amazed to find out that the staircase, and other parts of the building, were brought from the ruins of Fotheringhay Castle; where Mary Queen of Scots was … [Read More...]

Something in common with Hilary Mantel

Earlier today I came across a wonderful article written by Hilary Mantel, the author of Wolf Hall. I was greatly moved by the piece because many of the sentiments she describes are those which I have experienced but perhaps cannot word as eloquently. The article is about how the past has a way of moving her and bringing her to tears. When talking about what makes her cry she says, "it was a view, a prospect, a picture in a museum, or some pinprick contact with the past - one of those moments … [Read More...]

Walk where Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII have walked!

Thornbury Castle is the only Tudor Castle in England to be opened as a hotel. It is situated in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire. In 1508, Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, obtained a license to build a castle on the site of the previous manor house. It was not designed to serve as a fortress and had only minimal defensive attributes. Unfortunately, only part of the Duke’s grand plans for his new home were realised before his distant cousin, King Henry VIII, ordered his … [Read More...]

The Lady in the Tower: The fall of Anne Boleyn Podcast

The British Library has made available some fantastic podcasts associated with the 'Henry VIII: Man and Monarch' exhibition. The latest one added to the collection is a talk by historian Alison Weir in which she discusses Anne Boleyn's imprisonment and execution. This is in connection to her next book titled 'The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn'. You can also learn about intimate details of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII's relationship revealed in messages inscribed in Anne's Book of … [Read More...]

Henry VIII: Power, Passion, Parchment Online Exhibition

The National Archives has a fabulous online exhibition called- Henry VIII: Power, Passion, Parchment. Included is a wealth of information about Henry's life and his legacy. You can read a number of original documents relating to Henry's marriages and even the opening account of Anne Boleyn's trial for high treason! What a fabulous resource for all us amateur historians! Henry VIII Exhibition … [Read More...]

Does it really matter that ‘The Tudors’ is historically inaccurate?

I just finished reading an article about the BBC period drama, The Tudors, and how historically inaccurate it is. The fact that some of the Tudor personalities wear Elizabethan clothing and are transported in Victorian carriages has caused some historians to heavily criticise the show. One such critic is Dr David Starkey, who describes the show as "gratuitously awful". I myself am a big fan of the show, although I have to admit that the 'creative license' the writers have used at times has … [Read More...]

List of useful Tudor resources

For those of you that are interested in learning more about Tudor history, I've compiled a list of some of the books that I've used when writing articles for my website and posts for the blog. Only non-fiction books are included for now but I do plan to expand the list to include useful websites etc. Feel free to contact me about any resources that you think are useful and should be added. Link to list NG … [Read More...]

King Edward VI buried at Westminster

On this day, 8th August, 456 years ago (1553) King Edward VI was buried in the Henry VII Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. He was only 15 years old and King for 6 years. It is said that at the same time as his burial, Queen Mary attended mass for his soul at the Tower where Lady Jane Grey was already imprisoned. The cause of Edward's death is not certain but Tuberculosis is one cause suggested by some historians. … [Read More...]

Mary, Queen of Scots’ Chambers- Virtual tour

For those of you who don't know, I've been working very hard on an 11 day intinerary for an upcoming trip to the Uk that I refer to as my 'Tudor Pilgrimage'. The trip will take us (my sister and I) to many different places, almost all connected to the Tudors, with some exceptions. During my research tonight, I stumbled across a fantastic virtual tour of Mary, Queen of Scots' Chambers on the second floor of James V's Tower in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. Since I won't be visiting … [Read More...]

Rare 15th Century floor tiles excavated in Woking!

Excavation work on the site of Woking Palace has uncovered, among other things, rare Valencian pottery. Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII, in 1464 was granted a manor house that was first recorded on this site in 1271. In 1508 the house was rebuilt as a palace. In 1509, Henry VIII received the palace and together with his second wife, Anne boleyn, carried out major rebuilding works in 1533-34. It is expected that the dig will uncover material from the Tudor period and from the … [Read More...]