Deep in the heart of the Suffolk countryside lies the village of Framlingham, not a remarkable village really; it has a market square, a couple of pubs, a hotel, some old buildings and an even older church.
The village does have a remarkable castle though, not only is it the first castle built in England without a Keep in the 12th century, it has a high curtain wall 2.5 metres thick and 13 towers linked by a high connecting walkway instead. It looks quite peculiar as all of the towers have high ornate Tudor chimneys which most fulfil no purpose at all but to simply make the castle look a bit like a stately home instead of a castle. The place was besieged by King John in 1216 but the siege was the shortest of the Barons war lasting only two days before surrendering.
But the most remarkable thing about the castle is that for a brief few days in 1553 it was the centre of the armed struggle for the succession to the Tudor throne.
Edward VI, died on July 9th and reneged on his father’s will to have Mary in the line of succession and named Protestant Lady Jane Grey as the rightful heir. The Duke of Northumberland proclaimed Jane Queen at Syon house on the Thames. Mary was in East Anglia and was urged to flee the country, but other supporters persuaded her to stay and many flocked to her banner at Framlingham, Mary marched on London on July 24th and the rest as they say is History.
Right next to the castle is the Church of St Michael, itself quite remarkable inside. It was Edward VI himself who ordered the completion in 1553. The building is unusual because little church construction was being carried out at this time of great uncertainty. Inside lie the tombs of several main Characters from the Tudor period. Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIII bastard son, The 3rd Duke of Norfolk, uncle to both Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Henry Earl of Surrey “The Poet Earl” this tomb wouldn’t be out of place at Westminster Abbey it is that ornate.
There are the two wives of the 4th Duke of Norfolk in one tomb, he lost his head when plotting to marry Mary Queen of Scots, and their effigies are set apart with a large space in the middle. It has been suggested that the large space between the effigies was reserved for Norfolk's third wife or himself or even perhaps Mary Queen of Scots. We know where Mary Queen of Scots did lie at Peterborough and now lies in Westminster Abbey. Conjecture is a fascinating argument for the Tudors.
These two places of Tudor history puts Framlingham firmly on the must see list for the Tudor enthusiasts.
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Blickling Hall
Tudor Festival
In between rain showers, Blickling Hall in north Norfolk put on it’s finest show in this weekend Tudor festival. There was Henry and all his wives parading in their fabulous costumes and, a real treat, little Edward looking every inch a future king in his red robes too. There was archery, gunfire, falconry and apothecary, spinning craft, needlework and an executioner to keep the crowd entertained.
A main feature was a large log roasting fire that was roasting the King’s dinner of beef what else?
The King was entertained during his dinner by a juggler and fire breather and the crowd were suitable impressed by the group of musicians all the while providing a background of period music.
Blickling Hall is the birthplace of Ann Boleyn though she wouldn’t much recognise the place now as it was completely remodelled in 1629. It now has high gable facades all around the house but it’s Tudor heart remains quite distinct. Many high typically Tudor ornate brick chimney stacks on the central core of the building can be seen high above any of the Jacobean facades and gives the building a dignified look of power and money. The Tudor stables are still here on both side of the impressive driveway up to the main front door of the house, with the visitor centre and café in one arm and offices in the other.
The grounds and gardens are huge and a delight to walk around, there was a wedding on the day in the Orangery so the bridal party had to walk through the gardens to get there. Also there was a Shakespeare’s “Midsummer nights dream” being played at night with the house frontage as a backdrop but we couldn’t stay for the performance.
A really good place to visit and if you combine it with other places in the area you can have a fine cultural weekend.
In between rain showers, Blickling Hall in north Norfolk put on it’s finest show in this weekend Tudor festival. There was Henry and all his wives parading in their fabulous costumes and, a real treat, little Edward looking every inch a future king in his red robes too. There was archery, gunfire, falconry and apothecary, spinning craft, needlework and an executioner to keep the crowd entertained.
A main feature was a large log roasting fire that was roasting the King’s dinner of beef what else?
The King was entertained during his dinner by a juggler and fire breather and the crowd were suitable impressed by the group of musicians all the while providing a background of period music.
Blickling Hall is the birthplace of Ann Boleyn though she wouldn’t much recognise the place now as it was completely remodelled in 1629. It now has high gable facades all around the house but it’s Tudor heart remains quite distinct. Many high typically Tudor ornate brick chimney stacks on the central core of the building can be seen high above any of the Jacobean facades and gives the building a dignified look of power and money. The Tudor stables are still here on both side of the impressive driveway up to the main front door of the house, with the visitor centre and café in one arm and offices in the other.
The grounds and gardens are huge and a delight to walk around, there was a wedding on the day in the Orangery so the bridal party had to walk through the gardens to get there. Also there was a Shakespeare’s “Midsummer nights dream” being played at night with the house frontage as a backdrop but we couldn’t stay for the performance.
A really good place to visit and if you combine it with other places in the area you can have a fine cultural weekend.
Monday 13 June 2011
Lewes and Michelham
Day 12
Our last full day together, beginning with a stroll around this medieval county town of Lewes to see the Norman castle and town museum, there was a short film about the town from pre Roman times right up to the present era and the Bonfire tradition see www.lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk for some amazing scenes of costumed torchlight parades through the town. The castle is mostly ruins but you can climb up the top of the keep and are rewarded by superb views over the South Downs and the river Ouse Valley.
Anne of Cleves House given to her as part of the divorce settlement is a small place, a Weald hall house and it contains the Sussex Past exhibitions of Iron Making, and of general life in the town, the kitchen is set out as it would have been in 1540. There was a small school group there in the top floor being taught how the place was constructed.
The ruins of Lewes Priory are there to walk around. This priory was singled out by Thomas Cromwell, he employed an Italian engineer to blow it up, and it was a huge place with a church bigger than Peterborough Cathedral and was a wealthy place for the Abbot.
On to Michelam Priory about 12 miles away, this priory was looked at by Cromwell but he decided he wanted it, instead of blowing it up. It was also given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement. It has suffered from neglect in the past but the chairman of P&O Shipping bought the place after WWII and gave it to the Sussex Archaeological Society to have and maintain and they have done a good job since then to preserve the place.
On to London where we stayed at our final Hotel The Gore in Kensington they have many themed rooms among them is the Judy garland room, You can sleep in the very bed once owned by Judy and yes the Ruby slippers are there too.
Our final event and meal together was a Tudor Banquet in St Katherine’s Dock right by the Tower of London. The evening comes complete with entertainment, jugglers, singers, dancers, sword fights and of course Henry VIII himself. Just shout wench and a jug of beer will appear on the table, it was hugely entertaining and enjoyable last evening together.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Our last full day together, beginning with a stroll around this medieval county town of Lewes to see the Norman castle and town museum, there was a short film about the town from pre Roman times right up to the present era and the Bonfire tradition see www.lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk for some amazing scenes of costumed torchlight parades through the town. The castle is mostly ruins but you can climb up the top of the keep and are rewarded by superb views over the South Downs and the river Ouse Valley.
Anne of Cleves House given to her as part of the divorce settlement is a small place, a Weald hall house and it contains the Sussex Past exhibitions of Iron Making, and of general life in the town, the kitchen is set out as it would have been in 1540. There was a small school group there in the top floor being taught how the place was constructed.
The ruins of Lewes Priory are there to walk around. This priory was singled out by Thomas Cromwell, he employed an Italian engineer to blow it up, and it was a huge place with a church bigger than Peterborough Cathedral and was a wealthy place for the Abbot.
On to Michelam Priory about 12 miles away, this priory was looked at by Cromwell but he decided he wanted it, instead of blowing it up. It was also given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement. It has suffered from neglect in the past but the chairman of P&O Shipping bought the place after WWII and gave it to the Sussex Archaeological Society to have and maintain and they have done a good job since then to preserve the place.
On to London where we stayed at our final Hotel The Gore in Kensington they have many themed rooms among them is the Judy garland room, You can sleep in the very bed once owned by Judy and yes the Ruby slippers are there too.
Our final event and meal together was a Tudor Banquet in St Katherine’s Dock right by the Tower of London. The evening comes complete with entertainment, jugglers, singers, dancers, sword fights and of course Henry VIII himself. Just shout wench and a jug of beer will appear on the table, it was hugely entertaining and enjoyable last evening together.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Thursday 9 June 2011
Arundel Castle
Day 10 Arundel castle
Today we had a nice gentle start with a scenic detour drive to Hartfield East Sussex the home of “Winnie ther Pooh” ( check the spelling in the book.) and we stopped off at Pooh Corner ( a shop dedicated to all things Winnie). Yes all the places in the book are real! And some of our party bought the rules of Pooh sticks from the shop.
We then stopped at Gills Lapp on Ashdown Forrest to see some of the real places from Winnie ther Pooh, the Enchanted Place and the Heffalump trap. They are real places I to visit so is Pooh Bridge but we didn’t have time to go there. Not exactly Tudor, but great fun to see these places anyway.
Arundel castle is the very image of a great and imposing fortress and was the inspiration behind a great Gothic novel “Gormenghast” by Mervyn Peake. It is home to the Duke of Norfolk, the premier Catholic family in England and the heriditary Earl Marshall of England (that means he is responsible for all state occasions) The Castle is just huge with a great Norman keep, a classic great hall, medieval parts and an English Civil war display as the castle was besieged at that time. There are also some private bedrooms, a great library and some dynastic portraits. It also has on display the necklace and girdle that belonged to Mary Queen of Scots.
The 3rd Duke was uncle to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both executed wives of Henry VIII , the Duke was also due to meet the executioner but Henry died the night before his appointment with the block. The 4th Duke was executed by Elizabeth for plotting to marry Mary Queen of Scots.
We are staying at The Whiter Hart in Lewes the County town of East Sussex and where Thomas Paine wrote and debated “ The Rights of Man”. It was here on the terrace with a fabulous sunlit view of the South Downs that we had a talk and a weapons demonstration from “ Hands on History” a partner company that specialises in Historic detail on weapons and ordinary life.
It was hugely entertaining and one of our party got dressed up in armour, the full helmet and gauntlets too. Everybody got to feel and touch all the weapons and armour that we had been seeing all week but behind glass display cabinets. Weapons included the classic English war bow with a variety of arrow types , the cavalry sabre, the mace, the rapier and the war hammer.
Also there were samples of everyday materials and animal products such as a horn drinking vessel, animal sinew, sheeps wool, silk, hemp for rope making and a complete fox fur.
We had terrific curry dinner at a local Indian restaurant only a few minutes walk from the hotel, amazingly one of our party had not eaten curry before.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Today we had a nice gentle start with a scenic detour drive to Hartfield East Sussex the home of “Winnie ther Pooh” ( check the spelling in the book.) and we stopped off at Pooh Corner ( a shop dedicated to all things Winnie). Yes all the places in the book are real! And some of our party bought the rules of Pooh sticks from the shop.
We then stopped at Gills Lapp on Ashdown Forrest to see some of the real places from Winnie ther Pooh, the Enchanted Place and the Heffalump trap. They are real places I to visit so is Pooh Bridge but we didn’t have time to go there. Not exactly Tudor, but great fun to see these places anyway.
Arundel castle is the very image of a great and imposing fortress and was the inspiration behind a great Gothic novel “Gormenghast” by Mervyn Peake. It is home to the Duke of Norfolk, the premier Catholic family in England and the heriditary Earl Marshall of England (that means he is responsible for all state occasions) The Castle is just huge with a great Norman keep, a classic great hall, medieval parts and an English Civil war display as the castle was besieged at that time. There are also some private bedrooms, a great library and some dynastic portraits. It also has on display the necklace and girdle that belonged to Mary Queen of Scots.
The 3rd Duke was uncle to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both executed wives of Henry VIII , the Duke was also due to meet the executioner but Henry died the night before his appointment with the block. The 4th Duke was executed by Elizabeth for plotting to marry Mary Queen of Scots.
We are staying at The Whiter Hart in Lewes the County town of East Sussex and where Thomas Paine wrote and debated “ The Rights of Man”. It was here on the terrace with a fabulous sunlit view of the South Downs that we had a talk and a weapons demonstration from “ Hands on History” a partner company that specialises in Historic detail on weapons and ordinary life.
It was hugely entertaining and one of our party got dressed up in armour, the full helmet and gauntlets too. Everybody got to feel and touch all the weapons and armour that we had been seeing all week but behind glass display cabinets. Weapons included the classic English war bow with a variety of arrow types , the cavalry sabre, the mace, the rapier and the war hammer.
Also there were samples of everyday materials and animal products such as a horn drinking vessel, animal sinew, sheeps wool, silk, hemp for rope making and a complete fox fur.
We had terrific curry dinner at a local Indian restaurant only a few minutes walk from the hotel, amazingly one of our party had not eaten curry before.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Hever & Penshurst
Day9 Hever & Penshurst
Today we drive south out of London to the high Weald of Kent to Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn deep in the heart of Kent. Hever, is a great place to visit with huge ornamental gardens and lake built by JJ Astor in the early 1900’s.
The castle itself is very small but packed with paintings, tapestries and furniture together with Henry VIII and all the six wives costumes. One of the most curious paintings is of Elizabeth I but it appears to have been doctored with a huge ruff that frames her face. The painting also looks very much like a painting of Lady Jane Grey we saw at Syon house at the beginning of the tour, I would love to see the painting x-rayed to see if it has been doctored at all.
There were lots of school parties around the place and most of the boys were just looking for the torture room. Hever features in nearly all the Tudor period films and TV series, there is one scene in Anne of a Thousand days where Henry and Anne ride out of the castle over a low grassy hill. It looks very real except the grassy hill bit.
A great deal of filming of period pieces takes place at nearby Penshurst place, many scenes from Anne of a thousand days and the other Boleyn Girl were filmed there. Penshurst has been in the Sidney family for 500 years. Both of the great houses were given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement and Elizabeth I stayed here a great deal, so much so that she neglected ruling the country. It is here we find the famous “La Volta” painting. To me it shows very real evidence of the close and intimate relationship between Elizabeth and Robert Dudley, you’ll have to see it for yourselves to see what I mean.
Tonight we’re staying in the Rose and Crown in Tonbridge and after dinner we had a gentle stroll around the ancient Norman castle of Tonbridge which is just opposite.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Today we drive south out of London to the high Weald of Kent to Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn deep in the heart of Kent. Hever, is a great place to visit with huge ornamental gardens and lake built by JJ Astor in the early 1900’s.
The castle itself is very small but packed with paintings, tapestries and furniture together with Henry VIII and all the six wives costumes. One of the most curious paintings is of Elizabeth I but it appears to have been doctored with a huge ruff that frames her face. The painting also looks very much like a painting of Lady Jane Grey we saw at Syon house at the beginning of the tour, I would love to see the painting x-rayed to see if it has been doctored at all.
There were lots of school parties around the place and most of the boys were just looking for the torture room. Hever features in nearly all the Tudor period films and TV series, there is one scene in Anne of a Thousand days where Henry and Anne ride out of the castle over a low grassy hill. It looks very real except the grassy hill bit.
A great deal of filming of period pieces takes place at nearby Penshurst place, many scenes from Anne of a thousand days and the other Boleyn Girl were filmed there. Penshurst has been in the Sidney family for 500 years. Both of the great houses were given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement and Elizabeth I stayed here a great deal, so much so that she neglected ruling the country. It is here we find the famous “La Volta” painting. To me it shows very real evidence of the close and intimate relationship between Elizabeth and Robert Dudley, you’ll have to see it for yourselves to see what I mean.
Tonight we’re staying in the Rose and Crown in Tonbridge and after dinner we had a gentle stroll around the ancient Norman castle of Tonbridge which is just opposite.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Westminster Abbey & The Tower of London
Day7 London Town.
The centre of London is easy to get around on the tube network, the nearest station to the Mad Hatters hotel is Southwark and just one stop away is Westminster Abbey. Steeped in the nation’s history for 1000 years, the abbey has been the coronation site for all our sovereigns since Edward the Confessor, William the conqueror was also crowned here hastily Christmas 1066.
There have been many royal weddings here and the last one was Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April of this year. There is a superb photo exhibition of the event in the chapter house, very good quality and very large prints. A very happy event for the young couple and the nation.
The Abbey also contains the tombs of 10 of our Sovereigns, including Edward the Confessor, Henry V. Henry VII and his queen Elizabeth of York lay together in the Lady chapel. Elizabeth I and her sister Mary lay side by side in a small chapel off the Lady chapel. Mary Queen of Scots now lies in a huge Gothic tomb much grander than Elizabeth on the other side of the Lady Chapel. She was at Peterborough Cathedral but her son James I had her moved to London at the start of the Stuart Dynasty.
After a magnificent State funeral, Anne of Cleves lies here under the main alter stage in a tomb somewhat hard to find with only some small gold lettering to mark her resting place. She outlived all the wives and was a wealthy woman as a result of the Divorce from Henry VIII.
A boat journey down the river Thames takes us right to Traitors Gate, we see it from the water level just as Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard would have seen it before they entered the Tower of London.
Another historic site steeped in the nation’s History, the Tower of London is a huge area in the centre of London and has many splendid exhibitions and things to see. The Crown Jewels, the Bloody Tower, the White Tower and the scaffold site, where only 8 people have been executed, three of which were Queens of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey.
We had dinner at the Swan at the Globe only 10 minutes walk along the Thames from the hotel and after saw “Much ado about Nothing” one of Shakespeare’s great comedies. It was rip roaringly funny and this reconstruction of the famous theatre means that you are so close to the action that you are almost part of the cast. A great way to finish a busy day.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
The centre of London is easy to get around on the tube network, the nearest station to the Mad Hatters hotel is Southwark and just one stop away is Westminster Abbey. Steeped in the nation’s history for 1000 years, the abbey has been the coronation site for all our sovereigns since Edward the Confessor, William the conqueror was also crowned here hastily Christmas 1066.
There have been many royal weddings here and the last one was Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April of this year. There is a superb photo exhibition of the event in the chapter house, very good quality and very large prints. A very happy event for the young couple and the nation.
The Abbey also contains the tombs of 10 of our Sovereigns, including Edward the Confessor, Henry V. Henry VII and his queen Elizabeth of York lay together in the Lady chapel. Elizabeth I and her sister Mary lay side by side in a small chapel off the Lady chapel. Mary Queen of Scots now lies in a huge Gothic tomb much grander than Elizabeth on the other side of the Lady Chapel. She was at Peterborough Cathedral but her son James I had her moved to London at the start of the Stuart Dynasty.
After a magnificent State funeral, Anne of Cleves lies here under the main alter stage in a tomb somewhat hard to find with only some small gold lettering to mark her resting place. She outlived all the wives and was a wealthy woman as a result of the Divorce from Henry VIII.
A boat journey down the river Thames takes us right to Traitors Gate, we see it from the water level just as Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard would have seen it before they entered the Tower of London.
Another historic site steeped in the nation’s History, the Tower of London is a huge area in the centre of London and has many splendid exhibitions and things to see. The Crown Jewels, the Bloody Tower, the White Tower and the scaffold site, where only 8 people have been executed, three of which were Queens of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey.
We had dinner at the Swan at the Globe only 10 minutes walk along the Thames from the hotel and after saw “Much ado about Nothing” one of Shakespeare’s great comedies. It was rip roaringly funny and this reconstruction of the famous theatre means that you are so close to the action that you are almost part of the cast. A great way to finish a busy day.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Tuesday 7 June 2011
Peterborough and Cambridge
Day 6 Peterborough Cathedral & Cambridge
Up early today for a short drive to Peterborough Cathedral for a group tour to see the last resting place of Catherine of Aragon. The Cathedral is one of the most magnificent buildings in England, there has been a church on this site since the year 649. It has a fantastic painted roof in the knave and has huge columns supporting the roof.
Catherine of Aragon rests under a simple slab and in the 19th century all women called Catherine were asked to make a small donation to fund a suitable memorial to a much loved queen of England. We all placed a sprig of rosemary we took from the knot garden at Buckden Towers on the black marble slab, where there were also a few pomegranates laid in memory of her . We had a memorable tour of the cathedral with our guide for the morning who gave us a great deal more information and stories on the founding and characters of this great church.
On to Cambridge where we visited Kings College chapel in my view the Greatest of Henry VIII’s building legacies. There is a guide book just for the great stained glass windows alone. The building just has to be the most fantastic I have visited and it has many unique features, the first being the largest fan vaulted roof and in the side exhibition there is a model of how it is constructed. Evidence of two of Henry’s wives are to be found here, Anne Boleyn’s initials are carved on the provost stall now why were they left here when all evidence of her has just about completely removed. High up in the east window we can see Katherine’s initials above the red dragon of Wales.
Also to be found carved on the quire stalls are some Tudor roses the 5 petal distinctive rose we find anywhere. However as I found out on a couple of weeks ago at Tong church (see an earlier blog) sitting there amid all this fine carving sits a Tudor rose not with the five petals but with a smiley face, I kid you not, even the curator was unaware that it existed.
On to London, pausing for a few minutes and chasing around Kings Cross station we eventually found platform 9 and ¾ and we all took posed photos. We’re staying for the next two nights at the Mad Hatters Hotel right near the Thames at Blackfriars Bridge. It used to be a hat factory and it’s has location only a few minutes walk from the Globe Theatre. We had Fish and chips at the George Inn the oldest galleried pub in London where Shakespeare played before he built the Globe theatre.
We had a gentle stroll to the pub and back again taking in some of the landmarks that Charles Dickens would have known as a child, including Nancy’s steps, the only bit of wall left from the Marshallsea prison and Southwark Cathedral.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Up early today for a short drive to Peterborough Cathedral for a group tour to see the last resting place of Catherine of Aragon. The Cathedral is one of the most magnificent buildings in England, there has been a church on this site since the year 649. It has a fantastic painted roof in the knave and has huge columns supporting the roof.
Catherine of Aragon rests under a simple slab and in the 19th century all women called Catherine were asked to make a small donation to fund a suitable memorial to a much loved queen of England. We all placed a sprig of rosemary we took from the knot garden at Buckden Towers on the black marble slab, where there were also a few pomegranates laid in memory of her . We had a memorable tour of the cathedral with our guide for the morning who gave us a great deal more information and stories on the founding and characters of this great church.
On to Cambridge where we visited Kings College chapel in my view the Greatest of Henry VIII’s building legacies. There is a guide book just for the great stained glass windows alone. The building just has to be the most fantastic I have visited and it has many unique features, the first being the largest fan vaulted roof and in the side exhibition there is a model of how it is constructed. Evidence of two of Henry’s wives are to be found here, Anne Boleyn’s initials are carved on the provost stall now why were they left here when all evidence of her has just about completely removed. High up in the east window we can see Katherine’s initials above the red dragon of Wales.
Also to be found carved on the quire stalls are some Tudor roses the 5 petal distinctive rose we find anywhere. However as I found out on a couple of weeks ago at Tong church (see an earlier blog) sitting there amid all this fine carving sits a Tudor rose not with the five petals but with a smiley face, I kid you not, even the curator was unaware that it existed.
On to London, pausing for a few minutes and chasing around Kings Cross station we eventually found platform 9 and ¾ and we all took posed photos. We’re staying for the next two nights at the Mad Hatters Hotel right near the Thames at Blackfriars Bridge. It used to be a hat factory and it’s has location only a few minutes walk from the Globe Theatre. We had Fish and chips at the George Inn the oldest galleried pub in London where Shakespeare played before he built the Globe theatre.
We had a gentle stroll to the pub and back again taking in some of the landmarks that Charles Dickens would have known as a child, including Nancy’s steps, the only bit of wall left from the Marshallsea prison and Southwark Cathedral.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Catherine of Aragon day
Day 6 Kenilworth & Catherine of Aragon day
Kenilworth Castle was the scene of the greatest party in Tudor times. The summer progress of 1571 when Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester spent millions in today’s money and three weeks trying to persuade Queen Elizabeth to marry him, all to no avail.
The castle is a ruin now blown up by Cromwell’s troops during the English Civil War but still gives the feeling of power and majesty. The gate house is habitable and houses a good exhibition of that Royal progress together with the story of the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, Robert Dudley’s first wife who was found dead at the foot of a flight of steps.
We had two private tours today one at Buckden Towers where Catherine of Aragon was held before being moved to Kimbolton. Buckden is a shining jewel in the Tudor world, Red brick built and with battlements too. The place is a Claritian missionary centre since the 1950’s and they have kept the historic faith of the importance that it’s association with Catherine of Aragon. The friends of Buckden have recreated the privvy knot garden that Catherine would have walked in. Our thanks go to the friends of Buckden and we hope to see you again soon.
Our second private tour was at Kimbolton where Catherine of Aragon spent the last twenty months of her life and subsequently died. Kimbolton is now a school and only opens for special appointments and we are grateful for the opportunity to stand in the room where Catherine died and is said to haunt. The place was remodelled in the 1700’s rather like Syon house the first place we visited on tour. Our driver for the day wanted the post code to program his Sat Nav (GPS)” just go to the village you can’t miss it.” As we drove around the bend into the village he said “ I see what you mean” the place is huge and dominates the village from the far end of the main street.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Kenilworth Castle was the scene of the greatest party in Tudor times. The summer progress of 1571 when Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester spent millions in today’s money and three weeks trying to persuade Queen Elizabeth to marry him, all to no avail.
The castle is a ruin now blown up by Cromwell’s troops during the English Civil War but still gives the feeling of power and majesty. The gate house is habitable and houses a good exhibition of that Royal progress together with the story of the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, Robert Dudley’s first wife who was found dead at the foot of a flight of steps.
We had two private tours today one at Buckden Towers where Catherine of Aragon was held before being moved to Kimbolton. Buckden is a shining jewel in the Tudor world, Red brick built and with battlements too. The place is a Claritian missionary centre since the 1950’s and they have kept the historic faith of the importance that it’s association with Catherine of Aragon. The friends of Buckden have recreated the privvy knot garden that Catherine would have walked in. Our thanks go to the friends of Buckden and we hope to see you again soon.
Our second private tour was at Kimbolton where Catherine of Aragon spent the last twenty months of her life and subsequently died. Kimbolton is now a school and only opens for special appointments and we are grateful for the opportunity to stand in the room where Catherine died and is said to haunt. The place was remodelled in the 1700’s rather like Syon house the first place we visited on tour. Our driver for the day wanted the post code to program his Sat Nav (GPS)” just go to the village you can’t miss it.” As we drove around the bend into the village he said “ I see what you mean” the place is huge and dominates the village from the far end of the main street.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Sunday 5 June 2011
Sudeley Castle & Coughton Court
Day 5 Sudeley Castle, Stratford on Avon and Coughton Court.
Today the weather has cooled down a bit so walking around is very pleasant. Sudeley Castle was first today, the home of Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII. She died here a week after childbirth when she was married to Thomas Seymour and she is laid to rest in the church next to the castle in a splendid tomb quiet befitting of a Queen of England.
The Castle was destroyed by Cromwell’s troops during the Civil War and stayed a ruin until it was rescued by the present owner’s descendents in the early 1800’s. Presently there are costumes from David Starkey’s six wives of Henry VIII TV series. There’s also a new exhibition made for children that shows the visit of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
Sudeley has beautiful grounds and an amazing collection of peacocks from all round the world. It was here, somewhere in the grounds, that Thomas Seymour took advantage of a young Princess Elizabeth when she was about 14 years old, it was in fact child abuse and Catherine finally sent Elizabeth away.
On to Stratford-on-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, just so see the houses where he was born and died. All in the group said that there were too many tourists n the town so we only really viewed the house where he died. There is an archaeological dig going on to excavate and find out more about the house. The artefacts they have found are on display in the house.
On to Coughton Court ( pronounced coat-en) the home of the Throckmorton family for 600 years. The house is simply a magnificent example of what can be preserved when one family owns the same property for generations. The Throckmorton’s are a catholic family and were involved in many intrigues during the Tudor period culminating in the Gunpowder plot and there are many priest holes about the place.
Bess Throckmorton got married to Sir Walter Raleigh, much to Queen Elizabeth’s displeasure and was banished here form court. After Raleigh was executed in the Tower Bess was said to have carried his head around for the next 25 years of her life. In the yellow drawing room they have a head in a canvass bag under the table just to scare the visitors.
The real heart of the place is the chemise worn by Mary Queen of Scots when she was executed, the gown has been carbon dated and is of the correct date and if you catch the light correctly there are stains visible. Right next to this is the Bishops gown actually made by Catherine of Aragon and her ladies. Again the gown has been authenticated. It is a magnificent piece of work and was found in one of the priest holes by pure chance when some renovation work was being carried out. It gives me a quick heartbeat just to look at this work held by a beloved Queen of England.
We stayed the night in an old coaching inn, Milsoms Hotel in Old Kenilworth built in 1538 around an Oak tree. We had dinner right across the street in even an older pub called the Famous Virgins and castle.
Today the weather has cooled down a bit so walking around is very pleasant. Sudeley Castle was first today, the home of Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII. She died here a week after childbirth when she was married to Thomas Seymour and she is laid to rest in the church next to the castle in a splendid tomb quiet befitting of a Queen of England.
The Castle was destroyed by Cromwell’s troops during the Civil War and stayed a ruin until it was rescued by the present owner’s descendents in the early 1800’s. Presently there are costumes from David Starkey’s six wives of Henry VIII TV series. There’s also a new exhibition made for children that shows the visit of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
Sudeley has beautiful grounds and an amazing collection of peacocks from all round the world. It was here, somewhere in the grounds, that Thomas Seymour took advantage of a young Princess Elizabeth when she was about 14 years old, it was in fact child abuse and Catherine finally sent Elizabeth away.
On to Stratford-on-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, just so see the houses where he was born and died. All in the group said that there were too many tourists n the town so we only really viewed the house where he died. There is an archaeological dig going on to excavate and find out more about the house. The artefacts they have found are on display in the house.
On to Coughton Court ( pronounced coat-en) the home of the Throckmorton family for 600 years. The house is simply a magnificent example of what can be preserved when one family owns the same property for generations. The Throckmorton’s are a catholic family and were involved in many intrigues during the Tudor period culminating in the Gunpowder plot and there are many priest holes about the place.
Bess Throckmorton got married to Sir Walter Raleigh, much to Queen Elizabeth’s displeasure and was banished here form court. After Raleigh was executed in the Tower Bess was said to have carried his head around for the next 25 years of her life. In the yellow drawing room they have a head in a canvass bag under the table just to scare the visitors.
The real heart of the place is the chemise worn by Mary Queen of Scots when she was executed, the gown has been carbon dated and is of the correct date and if you catch the light correctly there are stains visible. Right next to this is the Bishops gown actually made by Catherine of Aragon and her ladies. Again the gown has been authenticated. It is a magnificent piece of work and was found in one of the priest holes by pure chance when some renovation work was being carried out. It gives me a quick heartbeat just to look at this work held by a beloved Queen of England.
We stayed the night in an old coaching inn, Milsoms Hotel in Old Kenilworth built in 1538 around an Oak tree. We had dinner right across the street in even an older pub called the Famous Virgins and castle.
Friday 3 June 2011
Windsor & Oxford
Day 4 Windsor & Oxford
A free morning to wander around this Royal town on a sunny morning or watch the changing of the Guard ceremony at Windsor castle. The guards were magnificent in their scarlet tunics and the band played the “Great Escape” as they come out of the castle.
On to the University town of Oxford with many famous colleges. Christ Church College formally called cardinal college after Cardinal Wolsey. Henry VIII changed the name after Wolsey failed to get the divorce he wanted. Many famous people have been to Christ Church among them, a certain Charles Dodgson or more famously known as Lewis Carol, author of Alice in Wonderland. One of the windows in the Great Hall has been created in the 1970’s to show all the characters from the Alice tales. The Great Hall was also where Michele Obama gave a speech to some schoolgirls last week.
Magdalen a college, features a previous student, a young Thomas Wolsey. The chapel has all superb sepia stained glass windows which is very unusual if not unique. Also in Oxford is the memorial to the Martyrs Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer, burned at the stake by bloody Queen Mary.
On to Tewkesbury to stay the night in the Tudor House hotel dating from 1540 and where the Pilgrim Fathers stayed before embarking for the new world. We had a splendid dinner in the hotel dining room finished off with port and stilton.
A free morning to wander around this Royal town on a sunny morning or watch the changing of the Guard ceremony at Windsor castle. The guards were magnificent in their scarlet tunics and the band played the “Great Escape” as they come out of the castle.
On to the University town of Oxford with many famous colleges. Christ Church College formally called cardinal college after Cardinal Wolsey. Henry VIII changed the name after Wolsey failed to get the divorce he wanted. Many famous people have been to Christ Church among them, a certain Charles Dodgson or more famously known as Lewis Carol, author of Alice in Wonderland. One of the windows in the Great Hall has been created in the 1970’s to show all the characters from the Alice tales. The Great Hall was also where Michele Obama gave a speech to some schoolgirls last week.
Magdalen a college, features a previous student, a young Thomas Wolsey. The chapel has all superb sepia stained glass windows which is very unusual if not unique. Also in Oxford is the memorial to the Martyrs Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer, burned at the stake by bloody Queen Mary.
On to Tewkesbury to stay the night in the Tudor House hotel dating from 1540 and where the Pilgrim Fathers stayed before embarking for the new world. We had a splendid dinner in the hotel dining room finished off with port and stilton.
Thursday 2 June 2011
Hampton Court Palace and Windsor
Day 3-
Hampton Court Palace, perhaps the most famous palace in the English speaking world, was our first visit today. We got there just after the door opened and we were the only people in the Great Hall so great was the silence in that ancient hall that we were whispering to each other so as not to break the magic spell of the moment.
The place is just vast and plenty to see and watch with many exhibitions and paintings of the Tudor period. The Palace was owned by Cardinal Wolsey until Henry VIII one day being rowed by said to Wolsey what a nice place you have here. Wolsey, who was spending lavishly and so much so that the Palace outshone anything Henry had. He gave the Palace to Henry as a gift which was very generous but Wolsey was a very wealthy man.
There was a new series of playlets put on, this time it was the King’s marriage to Catherine Howard and to see them puts the children in awe of the man and place. You are encouraged to shout “God save the King “ a lot. The actors are very entertaining and engage the crowd a lot, we had to leave before the end of the day to travel to Windsor castle.
Windsor the home of our present Sovereign Queen Elizabeth II and the largest inhabited castle in the world. It’s huge but you only get to see the State apartments, we got there just as the gates were closing so we went through with the last wave of visitors.
Some rooms were crowded and some were empty but the real Tudor heart are the portraits of Henry VIII Mary Elizabeth and James. The Dynastic portrait with Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn , the Field of the cloth of Gold. That last one has a new head of Henry VIII sewn into the painting and when the light is on it looks very peculiar.
We had dinner at a family run Greek Restaurant called Latinos and a very nice full table meze for everybody. We’re staying tonight at the Sir Christopher Wrens House hotel right on tye Thames under the ramparts of the castle.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Hampton Court Palace, perhaps the most famous palace in the English speaking world, was our first visit today. We got there just after the door opened and we were the only people in the Great Hall so great was the silence in that ancient hall that we were whispering to each other so as not to break the magic spell of the moment.
The place is just vast and plenty to see and watch with many exhibitions and paintings of the Tudor period. The Palace was owned by Cardinal Wolsey until Henry VIII one day being rowed by said to Wolsey what a nice place you have here. Wolsey, who was spending lavishly and so much so that the Palace outshone anything Henry had. He gave the Palace to Henry as a gift which was very generous but Wolsey was a very wealthy man.
There was a new series of playlets put on, this time it was the King’s marriage to Catherine Howard and to see them puts the children in awe of the man and place. You are encouraged to shout “God save the King “ a lot. The actors are very entertaining and engage the crowd a lot, we had to leave before the end of the day to travel to Windsor castle.
Windsor the home of our present Sovereign Queen Elizabeth II and the largest inhabited castle in the world. It’s huge but you only get to see the State apartments, we got there just as the gates were closing so we went through with the last wave of visitors.
Some rooms were crowded and some were empty but the real Tudor heart are the portraits of Henry VIII Mary Elizabeth and James. The Dynastic portrait with Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn , the Field of the cloth of Gold. That last one has a new head of Henry VIII sewn into the painting and when the light is on it looks very peculiar.
We had dinner at a family run Greek Restaurant called Latinos and a very nice full table meze for everybody. We’re staying tonight at the Sir Christopher Wrens House hotel right on tye Thames under the ramparts of the castle.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
The Vyne and Syon House
Day 2.
The Vyne near Basingstoke is a really fine example of a Tudor mansion and has two very important pieces of history here. It has been remodelled in the 1700’s but it still retains the fine oak panelling in the long gallery with many unique carvings. Some are of Henry VII some are Catherine of Aragon’s pomegranate. There are some to Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fox and the detail is really intricate.
The other important feature are the stained glass windows in the chapel. The windows feature Henry and Catherine of Aragon and initially were in a church nearby but were taken down and hidden in a pond during the civil war to prevent Cromwell’ s troops from destroying them. They are both kneeling praying to the relative patron saints and fit the chapel beautifully.
I always talk to the room guides as there are usually snippets of information to be gathered. This time it was the very name of the Vyne I found out. It seems that when the Romans were in England in the year 400 there was a settlement here and they planted the very first grapevines in England so it’s been called the Vyne ever since.
On to Syon House, the home of the Duke of Northumberland for 500 years. Henry V laid the foundations in 1415 and devoted the Abbey to the Priory of Syon. This house is very important in Tudor terms. Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen here in the Long Gallery, The house has been remodeeled in the 1700's and the gallery has had it’s original panelling removed but if you keep in your mind’s eye the long gallery at the Vyne then that fateful day 500 years ago can be relived. Catherine Howard was held here on her way to the Tower of London after her arrest. Catherine of Aragon came here often to pray when it was an Abbey and Anne Boleyn railed against the Abbess and the Nuns for their “wanton incontinence”
Henry VIII’s funeral cortege stopped here on it’s way to Windsor and the coffin leaked during the night and his entrails fell over the floor that were eaten by a dog, Thus fulfilling and earlier prophecy ...Yeuk!
We had dinner at the Swan Inn right on the river Thames at Staines and we stayed at the Anne Boleyn Hotel just across the street for the Swan in The Hythe Staines a quiet little street in a conservation area.
www.tudorhistoryoturs.com
The Vyne near Basingstoke is a really fine example of a Tudor mansion and has two very important pieces of history here. It has been remodelled in the 1700’s but it still retains the fine oak panelling in the long gallery with many unique carvings. Some are of Henry VII some are Catherine of Aragon’s pomegranate. There are some to Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fox and the detail is really intricate.
The other important feature are the stained glass windows in the chapel. The windows feature Henry and Catherine of Aragon and initially were in a church nearby but were taken down and hidden in a pond during the civil war to prevent Cromwell’ s troops from destroying them. They are both kneeling praying to the relative patron saints and fit the chapel beautifully.
I always talk to the room guides as there are usually snippets of information to be gathered. This time it was the very name of the Vyne I found out. It seems that when the Romans were in England in the year 400 there was a settlement here and they planted the very first grapevines in England so it’s been called the Vyne ever since.
On to Syon House, the home of the Duke of Northumberland for 500 years. Henry V laid the foundations in 1415 and devoted the Abbey to the Priory of Syon. This house is very important in Tudor terms. Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen here in the Long Gallery, The house has been remodeeled in the 1700's and the gallery has had it’s original panelling removed but if you keep in your mind’s eye the long gallery at the Vyne then that fateful day 500 years ago can be relived. Catherine Howard was held here on her way to the Tower of London after her arrest. Catherine of Aragon came here often to pray when it was an Abbey and Anne Boleyn railed against the Abbess and the Nuns for their “wanton incontinence”
Henry VIII’s funeral cortege stopped here on it’s way to Windsor and the coffin leaked during the night and his entrails fell over the floor that were eaten by a dog, Thus fulfilling and earlier prophecy ...Yeuk!
We had dinner at the Swan Inn right on the river Thames at Staines and we stayed at the Anne Boleyn Hotel just across the street for the Swan in The Hythe Staines a quiet little street in a conservation area.
www.tudorhistoryoturs.com
Wednesday 1 June 2011
Houses of Parliament
Hats off to our latest guests, one of whom expressed an idea to visit the Houses of Parliament pre tour. So with grateful thanks to our Local Member, our Guests arrived on long haul flights early in the morning and went straight into the palace of Westminster.
It was really interesting, the last time I went to Westminster I was 14 years old and went on a school trip. Now with very different eyes we got to go to the very heart of Govenment and see the behind the scenes stuff that is the every day workday houses of Parliament.
Parliament wasn't sitting so we went into the main chambers of the Lords and Commons and they are both much smaller than they look on the TV and a very intimate places.
The building is not really that old, built in the 1840's but the great hall of Westminster is medieval and steeped in History and continues to be the place where things happen. Only last week the president of the United States gave a speech to both houses together. In Tudor terms it was where Thomas more was tried and condemned to death as was King Charles I.
All in all a good pre tour visit.
www.tudorhistoryoturs.com
It was really interesting, the last time I went to Westminster I was 14 years old and went on a school trip. Now with very different eyes we got to go to the very heart of Govenment and see the behind the scenes stuff that is the every day workday houses of Parliament.
Parliament wasn't sitting so we went into the main chambers of the Lords and Commons and they are both much smaller than they look on the TV and a very intimate places.
The building is not really that old, built in the 1840's but the great hall of Westminster is medieval and steeped in History and continues to be the place where things happen. Only last week the president of the United States gave a speech to both houses together. In Tudor terms it was where Thomas more was tried and condemned to death as was King Charles I.
All in all a good pre tour visit.
www.tudorhistoryoturs.com
Thursday 12 May 2011
Tong Church
Yes there is a village called Tong and it has a church. Or to name it correctly,The Collegiate Church of St Bartholomew, Tong, built in 1409
It is is one of those fantastic wow finds of the whole year. We were just driving along from the Old Hall at Moseley to Lilleshall Abbey ruins and it just appeared sitting there on a little hill. What drew our attention was it's impressive looks from the outside with battlement style high walls with buttreses and a low roof, a central square tower that changes shape to octagonal above the roofline and the octagonal tower is topped off by a squat spire.
It is inside that the marvel hits you, it's like a mini cathedral with Gothic tombs and a magnificent two and a half ton great bell. The revelations just keep leaping out at us everywhere we looked. One of the tombs was Sir Henry Vernon (died1515) who was the guardian of Prince Arthur when he was learning the art of Kingship at Ludlow about 35 miles away. Another tomb has an authenticated poem written by Shakespeare
" ask who lies here but do not weep, he is not dead he doth but sleep......"
There is another tomb in the golden chapel added in 1510 undamaged by Cromwells troops, still with the original painting on the stonework, yet another has a brass plate showing the first time an Elephant was enscribed in England. The engraver had never seen one and refused to believe the description of an animal that could be so large, so he made one dog sized to go at the masters feet.
One last tomb, or more precise the grave of Little Nell, from Charles Dickens Old Curiosity shop, is in the graveyard. Charles Dickens' Grandmother was house keeper at the local castle and it is said that the Character of little Nell is based on his wife's sister who died when she was 17. The Old Curiosity shop was in the village, but did little Nell really exist?.
The verger took us up to the bell tower to look at the great bell and also showed us some of fine detailed carvings around the choir and a little secret that I willbe following up at Kings College Cambridge in a few weeks.
Outside the Church, on the north side the wall peppered with musket and cannonball shots particularly around one window, relics from the civil war, which it whay it's surprising that the interior of the chapels are in such good condition.
A truly surprising visit and one to be repeated I think when we are next in that part of the country.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
It is is one of those fantastic wow finds of the whole year. We were just driving along from the Old Hall at Moseley to Lilleshall Abbey ruins and it just appeared sitting there on a little hill. What drew our attention was it's impressive looks from the outside with battlement style high walls with buttreses and a low roof, a central square tower that changes shape to octagonal above the roofline and the octagonal tower is topped off by a squat spire.
It is inside that the marvel hits you, it's like a mini cathedral with Gothic tombs and a magnificent two and a half ton great bell. The revelations just keep leaping out at us everywhere we looked. One of the tombs was Sir Henry Vernon (died1515) who was the guardian of Prince Arthur when he was learning the art of Kingship at Ludlow about 35 miles away. Another tomb has an authenticated poem written by Shakespeare
" ask who lies here but do not weep, he is not dead he doth but sleep......"
There is another tomb in the golden chapel added in 1510 undamaged by Cromwells troops, still with the original painting on the stonework, yet another has a brass plate showing the first time an Elephant was enscribed in England. The engraver had never seen one and refused to believe the description of an animal that could be so large, so he made one dog sized to go at the masters feet.
One last tomb, or more precise the grave of Little Nell, from Charles Dickens Old Curiosity shop, is in the graveyard. Charles Dickens' Grandmother was house keeper at the local castle and it is said that the Character of little Nell is based on his wife's sister who died when she was 17. The Old Curiosity shop was in the village, but did little Nell really exist?.
The verger took us up to the bell tower to look at the great bell and also showed us some of fine detailed carvings around the choir and a little secret that I willbe following up at Kings College Cambridge in a few weeks.
Outside the Church, on the north side the wall peppered with musket and cannonball shots particularly around one window, relics from the civil war, which it whay it's surprising that the interior of the chapels are in such good condition.
A truly surprising visit and one to be repeated I think when we are next in that part of the country.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Monday 9 May 2011
Moseley Old Hall
Being in the same family for over 400 years has given Moseley Old Hall a special character of it's own. It looks late Victorian due the brick outer facade but the odd thing looking at it is the high brick Tudor Chimneys and that gives it away as something much older.
The timber frame house was built in the late 1500's and was inherited by Alice Codsall who married a man called Whitgreave in 1602. It then passed through the direct line until 1925 when it was given over to the National Trust. The house is in good state of repair now and set out as it would have been in 1651.
It was Thomas Whitgreave in September of 1651 that the most famous member of the family came to be called the Preserver. It was a rainy night when the King came to shelter at Moseley, on the run for his life from Parliamentary forces. Thomas took him in, fed him and let him sleep in a bed that is still there in the same room today.
Our Costumed guide took us through that fateful night, and it sounds like a great manhunt failed to net the prize. Parliamentary troops called when the King was upstairs and beat poor Thomas but was he never asked outright if the King was there so he didn't offer the information.
The King escaped the next day on his way to try and get a ship in Bristol, The manhunt lasted 42 days before the King escaped from the coast of Sussex on a boat to France.
The House has it's priest hole where the King hid and a peculiar chapel on the second floor, all the floorboards squeak and there is not a straight line wall or floor anywhere. A great place and a small but beautiful garden.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
The timber frame house was built in the late 1500's and was inherited by Alice Codsall who married a man called Whitgreave in 1602. It then passed through the direct line until 1925 when it was given over to the National Trust. The house is in good state of repair now and set out as it would have been in 1651.
It was Thomas Whitgreave in September of 1651 that the most famous member of the family came to be called the Preserver. It was a rainy night when the King came to shelter at Moseley, on the run for his life from Parliamentary forces. Thomas took him in, fed him and let him sleep in a bed that is still there in the same room today.
Our Costumed guide took us through that fateful night, and it sounds like a great manhunt failed to net the prize. Parliamentary troops called when the King was upstairs and beat poor Thomas but was he never asked outright if the King was there so he didn't offer the information.
The King escaped the next day on his way to try and get a ship in Bristol, The manhunt lasted 42 days before the King escaped from the coast of Sussex on a boat to France.
The House has it's priest hole where the King hid and a peculiar chapel on the second floor, all the floorboards squeak and there is not a straight line wall or floor anywhere. A great place and a small but beautiful garden.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Wednesday 4 May 2011
Boscobel House
Built in the late 1500's and extended in the 1630's, Boscobel House is a timber framed hunting lodge. The outbuildings and dairy farm were used right up until the 1960s as a working farm. All the cow stalls and ceamery are still there.
A house of this period does of course contain priest holes, the hiding places that were life savers for Catholic priests. The timber framed parts of the house have all warped over the centuries and the floorboards are warped too, so that you can't walk about without finding a squeak. It has a lovely little Chapel set on the top floor.
In fact, pretty a setting as it is, there is little to distinguish it from other properties, except for 2 nights in September 1651 when King Charles II fled here after losing the battle of Worcester. It is also here that the famous Royal Oak stands or stood.
The King first came to nearby Whiteladies Priory, an Augustian Nunnery that was dissovled and sold in 1538 by Henry VIII and now a ruins. The King was looked after by the 5 Penderel brothers who conducted him to Boscobel House.
The King spent the day hiding in the nearby famous Oak Tree with a major Careless. An event that resonates down to us as all over the country there are pubs called the Royal Oak. The tree actually no longer exists but a daughter tree has stood for a couple of hundred tears on the spot and got hit by lightning so unfortunately has suffered, a new sapling was planted, a grand daughter tree that now grows healthilly.
Upon the retoration of the Monarchy 9 years later the King never forgot those who helped him, the Penderel brothers were given a pension that is still paid to their descendents to this day.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
A house of this period does of course contain priest holes, the hiding places that were life savers for Catholic priests. The timber framed parts of the house have all warped over the centuries and the floorboards are warped too, so that you can't walk about without finding a squeak. It has a lovely little Chapel set on the top floor.
In fact, pretty a setting as it is, there is little to distinguish it from other properties, except for 2 nights in September 1651 when King Charles II fled here after losing the battle of Worcester. It is also here that the famous Royal Oak stands or stood.
The King first came to nearby Whiteladies Priory, an Augustian Nunnery that was dissovled and sold in 1538 by Henry VIII and now a ruins. The King was looked after by the 5 Penderel brothers who conducted him to Boscobel House.
The King spent the day hiding in the nearby famous Oak Tree with a major Careless. An event that resonates down to us as all over the country there are pubs called the Royal Oak. The tree actually no longer exists but a daughter tree has stood for a couple of hundred tears on the spot and got hit by lightning so unfortunately has suffered, a new sapling was planted, a grand daughter tree that now grows healthilly.
Upon the retoration of the Monarchy 9 years later the King never forgot those who helped him, the Penderel brothers were given a pension that is still paid to their descendents to this day.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
Monday 2 May 2011
The Great Escape- day one
You could call the Holiday weekend tour the Great Escape or Where did the Catholics go?
The Great Escape was the flight of King Charles II in September of 1651 after he lost the battle of Worcester about 40 miles away and we followed his flight through the West Midlands. All the places we visited were also prominant recusant catholic families and the great houses had a number of Priest holes, where Priests and the King himself were hidden when the troops came crashing in the door.
Pausing in Wolverhampton on the way to see Monty Python's Spamalot live on stage,(a peculiarly British sense of humour) we also saw the house where one of the signatories to the US Declaration of Independence lived, a Mr Button Gwinnet who represented Georgia, an odd name but he lived there none the less as there is a blue plaque on the wall.
The first place on our trip to find out where the Catholics went, was Baddesley Clinton, a very peculiar name, but is the name of the village and near Warwick 7 miles away. The house is a stone built, fully moated square manor house dating back to the 1300's and was in the Ferrer family ownership for 500 years up to the 1920's. It has a beautiful and peaceful inner courtyard with the building on three sides and the fourth side open to the moat giving a supeb view out over the farmland.
Baddesley Clinton has no less than 3 priest holes hidden around the house, the last one was used for real in 1591, the Elizabethan Era. A numer of recusant families in the area secretly paid for priests to be educated abroad and travel about secretly administering to the flock. Danger of discovery was ever present and the priest holes were literally life savers.
The House also has a large tapestry hanging in a upstairs room that is said to be the scene from the Summer of 1575 at Kenilworth about 8 miles away, when Robert Dudley entertained Queen Elizabeth on that glorious grand progress. It shows Dudley and Elizabeth walking around the privy garden that he created to try and persuade her to marry him.
A most foul murder was committed here in 1485, the blood stains are still on the floorboards. The owner came home to see his wife having rather too close attention paid to her by the local clergyman. A good story and a place well worth a visit.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
The Great Escape was the flight of King Charles II in September of 1651 after he lost the battle of Worcester about 40 miles away and we followed his flight through the West Midlands. All the places we visited were also prominant recusant catholic families and the great houses had a number of Priest holes, where Priests and the King himself were hidden when the troops came crashing in the door.
Pausing in Wolverhampton on the way to see Monty Python's Spamalot live on stage,(a peculiarly British sense of humour) we also saw the house where one of the signatories to the US Declaration of Independence lived, a Mr Button Gwinnet who represented Georgia, an odd name but he lived there none the less as there is a blue plaque on the wall.
The first place on our trip to find out where the Catholics went, was Baddesley Clinton, a very peculiar name, but is the name of the village and near Warwick 7 miles away. The house is a stone built, fully moated square manor house dating back to the 1300's and was in the Ferrer family ownership for 500 years up to the 1920's. It has a beautiful and peaceful inner courtyard with the building on three sides and the fourth side open to the moat giving a supeb view out over the farmland.
Baddesley Clinton has no less than 3 priest holes hidden around the house, the last one was used for real in 1591, the Elizabethan Era. A numer of recusant families in the area secretly paid for priests to be educated abroad and travel about secretly administering to the flock. Danger of discovery was ever present and the priest holes were literally life savers.
The House also has a large tapestry hanging in a upstairs room that is said to be the scene from the Summer of 1575 at Kenilworth about 8 miles away, when Robert Dudley entertained Queen Elizabeth on that glorious grand progress. It shows Dudley and Elizabeth walking around the privy garden that he created to try and persuade her to marry him.
A most foul murder was committed here in 1485, the blood stains are still on the floorboards. The owner came home to see his wife having rather too close attention paid to her by the local clergyman. A good story and a place well worth a visit.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
The Royal Wedding
What a weekend for Britain! We had such a party to celebrate the Marraige of Prince William and Catherine. Half the nation watched it on TV and it was marvelous event for the Royal couple and the nation. I hope that some of you 2 billion people around the world didn't get up at some ungodly hour to watch the whole thing. That's a third of the population of the entire planet watched the pomp and majesty of the occasion.
Now a couple of points worth noting, It's traditional that the the bride's bouquet gets placed on the grave of the unknown soldier at Westminster Abbey and it's there now on a white cushion. The crowds would have died down a bit before our next visit to London and will still be there.
Second, the Wedding dress will be put on display, probably at Buckingham Palace in the next couple of weeks.
We used the Holiday weekend to go on a short trip to the West Midlands to see some Tudor treasures and found some extraordinary surprises along the way. See our next series of blog entries to find out where we went.
www.Tudorhistorytours.com
Now a couple of points worth noting, It's traditional that the the bride's bouquet gets placed on the grave of the unknown soldier at Westminster Abbey and it's there now on a white cushion. The crowds would have died down a bit before our next visit to London and will still be there.
Second, the Wedding dress will be put on display, probably at Buckingham Palace in the next couple of weeks.
We used the Holiday weekend to go on a short trip to the West Midlands to see some Tudor treasures and found some extraordinary surprises along the way. See our next series of blog entries to find out where we went.
www.Tudorhistorytours.com
Friday 8 April 2011
The final day
The last day of our tour has come.... ahhhh. Today we went to Arundel castle, the home of the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl Marshall of England and the premier Catholic family fo England.
The 3rd Duke was uncle to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and he was also due to lose his head but Henry VIII died the day before. The fourth Duke did lose his head though for planning to marry Mary Queen of Scots. Two of the exhibits were Mary's girdle and pearl necklace. The castle is magnificent, built by the Normans in 1068 and has been added to ever since right up to the Victorian era.
For the final event together we went to a Tudor banquet in some catacombs right next to the Tower of London. It was a great show, music, dancing, juggling and sword fighting. Wenches served us all night and King Henry VIII was there too. All in all a great way to end ten nights together on a quest to find the Six Wives of One King.
The 3rd Duke was uncle to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and he was also due to lose his head but Henry VIII died the day before. The fourth Duke did lose his head though for planning to marry Mary Queen of Scots. Two of the exhibits were Mary's girdle and pearl necklace. The castle is magnificent, built by the Normans in 1068 and has been added to ever since right up to the Victorian era.
For the final event together we went to a Tudor banquet in some catacombs right next to the Tower of London. It was a great show, music, dancing, juggling and sword fighting. Wenches served us all night and King Henry VIII was there too. All in all a great way to end ten nights together on a quest to find the Six Wives of One King.
Anne of Cleves and Thomas Cromwell
Yesterday, the adjectives changed from amazing to interesting as we visited Michelam Priory and the county town of Lewes, where there is Anne of Cleves house and Lewes Priory.
First though we diverted slightly and stopped at Pooh Corner on Ashdown Forest the home of Winnie the Pooh. All the places in the childrens books are real and exist, Owls house, the heffalump trap and especially Pooh Bridge where yes we did play pooh sticks!
On to Tudor matters, Michelam Priory in Sussex is a lovely little place that was built pre Tudor and was appropriated by Thomas Cromwell because he liked it, so he didn't blow it up, latterly Anne of Cleves received the rents from the place. She also received a good income from her house in Lewes. Anne of Cleves house is an old Weald hall timbered house. It was closed for a while because Sussex Past have carrying out some conservation works but it's now open and in good reapir.
Lewes Priory on the other hand was particulary singled out by Cromwell, he engaged an Italian Engineer to blow the place up completely and left a pile of rubble. The ruins have been stabilised and are now open again with new information boards.
We had a very informative and interesting talk in the evening by Hands on History, who brought some armour and weapons to hold and try out, together with other artifacts from beeswax and horn to a 14th century Psalter, a hand written prayer book, we have seen them in glass cases all week but we got to to touch and smell the parchment. very interesting!
First though we diverted slightly and stopped at Pooh Corner on Ashdown Forest the home of Winnie the Pooh. All the places in the childrens books are real and exist, Owls house, the heffalump trap and especially Pooh Bridge where yes we did play pooh sticks!
On to Tudor matters, Michelam Priory in Sussex is a lovely little place that was built pre Tudor and was appropriated by Thomas Cromwell because he liked it, so he didn't blow it up, latterly Anne of Cleves received the rents from the place. She also received a good income from her house in Lewes. Anne of Cleves house is an old Weald hall timbered house. It was closed for a while because Sussex Past have carrying out some conservation works but it's now open and in good reapir.
Lewes Priory on the other hand was particulary singled out by Cromwell, he engaged an Italian Engineer to blow the place up completely and left a pile of rubble. The ruins have been stabilised and are now open again with new information boards.
We had a very informative and interesting talk in the evening by Hands on History, who brought some armour and weapons to hold and try out, together with other artifacts from beeswax and horn to a 14th century Psalter, a hand written prayer book, we have seen them in glass cases all week but we got to to touch and smell the parchment. very interesting!
Wednesday 6 April 2011
The Two Annes
What a difference a day makes! today we came south out of London to Kent and the weather has been fantastic, really hot for this time of year 22 C
We went in search of Anne of Cleves and Anne Boleyn at Penshurst Place and Hever Castle. Penshurst Place has been the venue for many period films as a stand-in for Hever and other places, I'm thinking particularly of Anne of a Thousand Days and the Other Boleyn Girl. Costumes from the latter film are on display here. Penshurst was given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement and was hers until she died in 1557 where it reverted back to the young king Edward who gave it to Robert Sidney and in whose family it still remains to this day. Outside the gate is a church where a few of the Sidney family are buried but alonside them is a little marker to Thomas Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's brother. Anne's father was the superintendent here whilst the place was owned by Henry VIII and the boy died in infancy.
Penshurst today was just lovely with the sunshine and to wander in the gardens and soak up the peace and quiet after London was a real treat.
On to Hever Castle the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and which was also given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement. The Castle itself is very much smaller than you think it is or should be and was largely rescued from deriliction by JJ Astor in the early 1900's.He laid out some incredible Italian gardens with an ornamental lake. Here we paused momentarily as one of our adult party went onto the childrens water maze and which was down for essential maintenance before being opened on Sunday and managed to set part of it off.
There is a notice in the parish churchyard just outside the gates of the castle estate, which reads "Thomas Boleyn K.G. Grandfather to Queen Elizabeth I lies here in this church"
Hever has jousting on some weekends in the summer and other events throughout the year, but today , bathed in sunshine with few tourist it was a delight to go to.
We went in search of Anne of Cleves and Anne Boleyn at Penshurst Place and Hever Castle. Penshurst Place has been the venue for many period films as a stand-in for Hever and other places, I'm thinking particularly of Anne of a Thousand Days and the Other Boleyn Girl. Costumes from the latter film are on display here. Penshurst was given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement and was hers until she died in 1557 where it reverted back to the young king Edward who gave it to Robert Sidney and in whose family it still remains to this day. Outside the gate is a church where a few of the Sidney family are buried but alonside them is a little marker to Thomas Boleyn, Anne Boleyn's brother. Anne's father was the superintendent here whilst the place was owned by Henry VIII and the boy died in infancy.
Penshurst today was just lovely with the sunshine and to wander in the gardens and soak up the peace and quiet after London was a real treat.
On to Hever Castle the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and which was also given to Anne of Cleves as part of the divorce settlement. The Castle itself is very much smaller than you think it is or should be and was largely rescued from deriliction by JJ Astor in the early 1900's.He laid out some incredible Italian gardens with an ornamental lake. Here we paused momentarily as one of our adult party went onto the childrens water maze and which was down for essential maintenance before being opened on Sunday and managed to set part of it off.
There is a notice in the parish churchyard just outside the gates of the castle estate, which reads "Thomas Boleyn K.G. Grandfather to Queen Elizabeth I lies here in this church"
Hever has jousting on some weekends in the summer and other events throughout the year, but today , bathed in sunshine with few tourist it was a delight to go to.
Tuesday 5 April 2011
Kings College Cambridge, and London
Yesterday was Kings College Cambridge. Building was started well before Henry VIII but he certainly finished it.
It has many unique features and I could spend pages and pages describing the building,it is my favourite fo all Henry's buildings. It has the largest Fan vaulted roof anywhere in the world, Majestic stained glass windows that have a guidebook all to themselves. It has evidence of two wives here, Catherine Howard is here seen high up on two of the windows. She is seen in suplication to Henry who appears as the biblical David and her initials appear on the east window above the red dragon of Wales there is H and K.
Curiously Anne Boleyn's initials are to be found above the provost stall, now what are they still doing there? One other unique feature is on the west facade, there is a Tudor Rose with a carved figure on it, the only one I know of in all the buildings I have visited. The figure is of Elizabeth of York, Henry's mother, why is that?. Now to me the whole building is Henry VIII at his most majestic and magnificence and he shouts down the centuries " I am Henry Octavus rex Lord of this land and I will be remembered...and I love my mum!"
Today it was Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. It was raining and cold so just wandering was not really pleasant at all. Westminster Abbey is the site of many Royal weddings and we'll be seeing another one in just a couple of weeks. It also holds the tombs some of our Sovereigns including Henry V. Elizabeth and Mary, also Mary Queen of Scots. Tourists and visitors leave tokens on these Tombs, Mary had a penny and Mary Queen of Scots had a piece of Tartan left on their majestic tombs. Anne of Cleves is here, just a few words in gold leaf in the wall of the chancel marks her final resting place, but some kind person has remembered her and left little flower.
The Tower of London is of course a world heritage site and steeped in the nation's history for nearly a 1000 years. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were executed here and are buried beneath the alter of the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincular. This is where we have failed in our quest to see all the wives final resting places. The Chapel was closed for urgent works on the lighting. I desperately pleaded with the yeoman warder to be able to view the Chapel " there is an alternative sir" he said " are you looking to pray?" thinking this was a leading question and offering a glimmer of hope I replied "yes" " Then you could go up to the chapel of St John in the White Tower sir " blast! got me!
In the White Tower there is a fabulous new exhibition on the top floor. Its a huge dragon made up of helmets, armour, weapons, pistols, cannons, chainmail and lots of other things too. The artist who constructed this sculpture is a genius, it is truly superb. I went back to see it again a second time.
It has many unique features and I could spend pages and pages describing the building,it is my favourite fo all Henry's buildings. It has the largest Fan vaulted roof anywhere in the world, Majestic stained glass windows that have a guidebook all to themselves. It has evidence of two wives here, Catherine Howard is here seen high up on two of the windows. She is seen in suplication to Henry who appears as the biblical David and her initials appear on the east window above the red dragon of Wales there is H and K.
Curiously Anne Boleyn's initials are to be found above the provost stall, now what are they still doing there? One other unique feature is on the west facade, there is a Tudor Rose with a carved figure on it, the only one I know of in all the buildings I have visited. The figure is of Elizabeth of York, Henry's mother, why is that?. Now to me the whole building is Henry VIII at his most majestic and magnificence and he shouts down the centuries " I am Henry Octavus rex Lord of this land and I will be remembered...and I love my mum!"
Today it was Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. It was raining and cold so just wandering was not really pleasant at all. Westminster Abbey is the site of many Royal weddings and we'll be seeing another one in just a couple of weeks. It also holds the tombs some of our Sovereigns including Henry V. Elizabeth and Mary, also Mary Queen of Scots. Tourists and visitors leave tokens on these Tombs, Mary had a penny and Mary Queen of Scots had a piece of Tartan left on their majestic tombs. Anne of Cleves is here, just a few words in gold leaf in the wall of the chancel marks her final resting place, but some kind person has remembered her and left little flower.
The Tower of London is of course a world heritage site and steeped in the nation's history for nearly a 1000 years. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were executed here and are buried beneath the alter of the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincular. This is where we have failed in our quest to see all the wives final resting places. The Chapel was closed for urgent works on the lighting. I desperately pleaded with the yeoman warder to be able to view the Chapel " there is an alternative sir" he said " are you looking to pray?" thinking this was a leading question and offering a glimmer of hope I replied "yes" " Then you could go up to the chapel of St John in the White Tower sir " blast! got me!
In the White Tower there is a fabulous new exhibition on the top floor. Its a huge dragon made up of helmets, armour, weapons, pistols, cannons, chainmail and lots of other things too. The artist who constructed this sculpture is a genius, it is truly superb. I went back to see it again a second time.
Monday 4 April 2011
Catherine of Aragon day
Yesterday was given over completely to Catherine of Aragon. We went to three places all very important in the last two years of her life.
Kimbolton Castle, was first up geographically. It's where she died and is said to haunt. The place is now a school with about 650 students and not generally open to the public, only special tours allowed. The place is very diferent from when Catherine knew it, it had a huge amount of works done in the 1700's but the chapel she was laid in and the rooms she lived and died in are there still. Our tour guide read out Catherine's last letter in the room it was written, that gave you a funny feeling to say the least.
The second place was Buckden Towers, a Bishops Palace and where Catherine was held for a time before being moved to Kimbolton and where the Duke of Suffolk tried with a few armed men to take her away but the local men stood in his way and would not let her be taken. This stand off lasted for 5 days before the Duke went off to get some more men. Our special guide was so enthusiastic about the place from the gardens to the tower that it was hard to tear ourselves away and on to the next place.
Lastly was Peterborough Cathedral where she is buried. A simple black marble slab markes the grave paid for in the 1800's when all women called Catherine was asked to make a small donation. The people of England loved her when she was alive and they love her still, rarely a day goes by without fresh flowers on her grave. As it was Mothering Sunday we stayed for evensong and the power of the sound when the organ was playing was incredible, The type of power that you get when you turn up the volume on the stereo up to 11 on the dial, I was away and soaring. We had a bit more time after with our special guide to see some of the secrets of this magnificent Cathedral. We timed our exit from the Cathedral just has the heavens opened nad rained heavily for the first time this week.
Along the way we also saw a pair of red kites, a very rare bird in England only 600pairs in the whole country
Kimbolton Castle, was first up geographically. It's where she died and is said to haunt. The place is now a school with about 650 students and not generally open to the public, only special tours allowed. The place is very diferent from when Catherine knew it, it had a huge amount of works done in the 1700's but the chapel she was laid in and the rooms she lived and died in are there still. Our tour guide read out Catherine's last letter in the room it was written, that gave you a funny feeling to say the least.
The second place was Buckden Towers, a Bishops Palace and where Catherine was held for a time before being moved to Kimbolton and where the Duke of Suffolk tried with a few armed men to take her away but the local men stood in his way and would not let her be taken. This stand off lasted for 5 days before the Duke went off to get some more men. Our special guide was so enthusiastic about the place from the gardens to the tower that it was hard to tear ourselves away and on to the next place.
Lastly was Peterborough Cathedral where she is buried. A simple black marble slab markes the grave paid for in the 1800's when all women called Catherine was asked to make a small donation. The people of England loved her when she was alive and they love her still, rarely a day goes by without fresh flowers on her grave. As it was Mothering Sunday we stayed for evensong and the power of the sound when the organ was playing was incredible, The type of power that you get when you turn up the volume on the stereo up to 11 on the dial, I was away and soaring. We had a bit more time after with our special guide to see some of the secrets of this magnificent Cathedral. We timed our exit from the Cathedral just has the heavens opened nad rained heavily for the first time this week.
Along the way we also saw a pair of red kites, a very rare bird in England only 600pairs in the whole country
Saturday 2 April 2011
Six Wives of One King- Sudeley and Kenilworth
A little bit of a transport problem this morning, it failed to turn up for an hour to take us to Sudeley, sometimes things got little wrong. On the plus side, it was supposed to be raining yet we had sun and a bit more sun and dry all day, which meant we could enjoy the outdoor part of the day.
Sudeley is such a peaceful place, set in islation near the village of Winchcombe deep in the Cotswolds. It is mostly a ruin blown apart by Cromwell's forces during the civil war, but it was partially restored in 1837 and it's still the family home of the person who restored it.
It is where Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's sixth wife, lived after she married Thomas Seymour after Henry died. It's where she died shortly after childbirth two years later. She now lies peacefully in the chapel within the grounds of the castle in a suitable tomb on the left hand side of the chancel. The grounds are not yet in full bloom so not as colourful as they might be. But inside they still have the exhibition of costumes from David Starkey's series of the six wives of Henry VIII.
On to Kenilworth, where not exactly within the Six Wives story, never-the-less has a very important place in the Tudor century. It is where Elizabeth I came on her grand progress in 1575 and Robert Dudley spent two weeks and a vast amount of money to get Elizabeth to marry him, all to no avail. It ruined him financialy, English Heritage spent £3million two years ago just to re-create the Privy garden. What with all the pageants and displays, games and hunting Dudley must have spent a small fortune.
Lets hope the weather is as dry and sunny tomorrow.
Sudeley is such a peaceful place, set in islation near the village of Winchcombe deep in the Cotswolds. It is mostly a ruin blown apart by Cromwell's forces during the civil war, but it was partially restored in 1837 and it's still the family home of the person who restored it.
It is where Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's sixth wife, lived after she married Thomas Seymour after Henry died. It's where she died shortly after childbirth two years later. She now lies peacefully in the chapel within the grounds of the castle in a suitable tomb on the left hand side of the chancel. The grounds are not yet in full bloom so not as colourful as they might be. But inside they still have the exhibition of costumes from David Starkey's series of the six wives of Henry VIII.
On to Kenilworth, where not exactly within the Six Wives story, never-the-less has a very important place in the Tudor century. It is where Elizabeth I came on her grand progress in 1575 and Robert Dudley spent two weeks and a vast amount of money to get Elizabeth to marry him, all to no avail. It ruined him financialy, English Heritage spent £3million two years ago just to re-create the Privy garden. What with all the pageants and displays, games and hunting Dudley must have spent a small fortune.
Lets hope the weather is as dry and sunny tomorrow.
Friday 1 April 2011
Six wives of One King-Windsor and Oxford
Today it was Windsor Castle and Oxford,it is now officially the summer season so the changing of the guard took place in the quadrangle at Windsor rather than the guardroom area.
Being the first through the doors does have a great advantage in that there are very few other tourists there to push and shove and get in the way when you are trying to read the information notes by the paintings. and there are some great paintings of the Tudors to look at, HenryVIII, Elizabeth as a teenager and Mary all in the same room.
Outside in the street we saw the guards march past the Henry VIII gate. Opposit us on the other side of the road were a group of 6 year old school kids in red uniforms all lined up waiting and when they heard the band about 100 yards away many of them started marching on the spot. It really isn't fair on the guardsman to have teenagers making fun of them because they can't respond but the one today had his own back on a group of very giddy girls and a few boys. He suddenly stood to attention with the loudest stamp like a pistol shot and marched off, he scared the girls to death and they ran away, good on him.
On to Oxford by train and a walk around this ancient University city. We took in Magdalen College, where Cardinal Wolsey was a student. ChristChurch College that he also original endowed. Passing through St Mary's church where Amy Robsart is buried ( Did she fall or was she pushed down those stairs?) and pausing momentarily at the memorial to Hugh Latimer, Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Ridley, martyrs burned at the stake by Queen Mary, we went to the Ashmoleon Museum to see the few Tudor Artifacts on disply.
The Oxford Colleges really haven't got it right at all. Magdalen has a tapestry that commemorates the event of the Bethrothal of Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon. St Johns College has a rare original painting of Anne of Cleves. Both are not in the general public view. I wrote, I phoned, and tried to get to see these rare historical treasures with all the reasons and offering to pay extra all to no avail. Why keep these treasures if no one is allowed to see them only in books. I'll keep trying and get to see them eventually and make a report.
Being the first through the doors does have a great advantage in that there are very few other tourists there to push and shove and get in the way when you are trying to read the information notes by the paintings. and there are some great paintings of the Tudors to look at, HenryVIII, Elizabeth as a teenager and Mary all in the same room.
Outside in the street we saw the guards march past the Henry VIII gate. Opposit us on the other side of the road were a group of 6 year old school kids in red uniforms all lined up waiting and when they heard the band about 100 yards away many of them started marching on the spot. It really isn't fair on the guardsman to have teenagers making fun of them because they can't respond but the one today had his own back on a group of very giddy girls and a few boys. He suddenly stood to attention with the loudest stamp like a pistol shot and marched off, he scared the girls to death and they ran away, good on him.
On to Oxford by train and a walk around this ancient University city. We took in Magdalen College, where Cardinal Wolsey was a student. ChristChurch College that he also original endowed. Passing through St Mary's church where Amy Robsart is buried ( Did she fall or was she pushed down those stairs?) and pausing momentarily at the memorial to Hugh Latimer, Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Ridley, martyrs burned at the stake by Queen Mary, we went to the Ashmoleon Museum to see the few Tudor Artifacts on disply.
The Oxford Colleges really haven't got it right at all. Magdalen has a tapestry that commemorates the event of the Bethrothal of Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon. St Johns College has a rare original painting of Anne of Cleves. Both are not in the general public view. I wrote, I phoned, and tried to get to see these rare historical treasures with all the reasons and offering to pay extra all to no avail. Why keep these treasures if no one is allowed to see them only in books. I'll keep trying and get to see them eventually and make a report.
Thursday 31 March 2011
Six Wives of One King- Hampton Court Palace
Today on a breezy but dry and a little sunny day we visited Hampton Court Palace, the legendary Palace that is the only one left standing from the 60 palaces and castles and built or in this case confiscated from Cardinal Wolsey by Henry VIII.
We had no traffic problems getting there and were for the very first time in my life the first one through the doors at 9.45. It's great getting there so early that there were largely no other toursts about for the first hour.
To our surprise the base court and clock court had been completely transformed into a medieval market scene featuring stalls with hides, animals(stuffed)of all types and poultry. The reason for this transformation was the filming of a new Disney Film "Jack the Giant Killer" starring Ewan McGreggor, we didn't see any filming going on but we did see some interpretive drama playlets around the Palace.
The players put on a great drama with gossip about who the king will marry next after Catherine Howard, Sssshhh don't mention her name. We were in the Great Hall trying to listen to Mistress Penn with about 100 or so 9 year olds on school trips sitting and working at the tables when the King walked in and within 15 seconds the place was absolutely silent you could hear a pin drop. All the kids looked agog and even their teachers were amazed.
The kitchens had one of the log fires blazing, you could smell the woodsmoke from the Carpenters court. It gave you a great feeling of what is was like to work in the Kitchens. Unfortunately the Real Tennis court wasn't open, but the gardens were still very colourful with all the spring flowers. All in all a great visit.
After Hampton Court we travelled to Windsor ready to visit the castle. The driver was kind enough to divert a little to pass the Magna Carta Memorial at Runnymede along side the Thames. We got here early enough to attend Evensong. We were really lucky to have the boys choir singing, it was so beautiful that one woman sitting on the opposit side was in tears.
A very good day with the tour progressing well. Tomrrow it's the Castle and Oxford.
We had no traffic problems getting there and were for the very first time in my life the first one through the doors at 9.45. It's great getting there so early that there were largely no other toursts about for the first hour.
To our surprise the base court and clock court had been completely transformed into a medieval market scene featuring stalls with hides, animals(stuffed)of all types and poultry. The reason for this transformation was the filming of a new Disney Film "Jack the Giant Killer" starring Ewan McGreggor, we didn't see any filming going on but we did see some interpretive drama playlets around the Palace.
The players put on a great drama with gossip about who the king will marry next after Catherine Howard, Sssshhh don't mention her name. We were in the Great Hall trying to listen to Mistress Penn with about 100 or so 9 year olds on school trips sitting and working at the tables when the King walked in and within 15 seconds the place was absolutely silent you could hear a pin drop. All the kids looked agog and even their teachers were amazed.
The kitchens had one of the log fires blazing, you could smell the woodsmoke from the Carpenters court. It gave you a great feeling of what is was like to work in the Kitchens. Unfortunately the Real Tennis court wasn't open, but the gardens were still very colourful with all the spring flowers. All in all a great visit.
After Hampton Court we travelled to Windsor ready to visit the castle. The driver was kind enough to divert a little to pass the Magna Carta Memorial at Runnymede along side the Thames. We got here early enough to attend Evensong. We were really lucky to have the boys choir singing, it was so beautiful that one woman sitting on the opposit side was in tears.
A very good day with the tour progressing well. Tomrrow it's the Castle and Oxford.
Six Wives of One King- Syon House
On a rainy afternoon we visited Syon House on the Thames 10 miles from the centre of London.
One of the benefits of rain is that it keeps the tourists away, so consequently we had the House almods to ourselves. The room stewards or Dosens as the American call them were only too delighted to talk to you and point out things that you would just walk on by.
We were especially pleased to be allowed over the rope on a couple of occasions to view portraits and they showed us a family portrait painted by Gilbert Stuart a very important US artist. Of course with the room stewards, they are very knowlegeable and to ask them about a portrait you can't quite see on a quiet day makes their day.
The House is built on a medieval monastary started by Henry V in 1415 as a Brigetine Order and features prominantly in the Tudor Century. It was where Catherine Howard was incarcerated after her arrest and before she was taken to the Tower of London. Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen in the Long Gallery here. Catherine of Aragon, pious lady that she was, came here often to make her devotions. Anne Boleyn, fired into the Nuns for their wanton incontinence ( wicked behaviour ) and the place suffered the dissolution.
There are also some medieval out buildings used now as offices and shops and there is a Victorian great Conservatory that was used as the model for the Crystal Palace exhibition. A good day and a gentle start to the Six wives tour.
One of the benefits of rain is that it keeps the tourists away, so consequently we had the House almods to ourselves. The room stewards or Dosens as the American call them were only too delighted to talk to you and point out things that you would just walk on by.
We were especially pleased to be allowed over the rope on a couple of occasions to view portraits and they showed us a family portrait painted by Gilbert Stuart a very important US artist. Of course with the room stewards, they are very knowlegeable and to ask them about a portrait you can't quite see on a quiet day makes their day.
The House is built on a medieval monastary started by Henry V in 1415 as a Brigetine Order and features prominantly in the Tudor Century. It was where Catherine Howard was incarcerated after her arrest and before she was taken to the Tower of London. Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen in the Long Gallery here. Catherine of Aragon, pious lady that she was, came here often to make her devotions. Anne Boleyn, fired into the Nuns for their wanton incontinence ( wicked behaviour ) and the place suffered the dissolution.
There are also some medieval out buildings used now as offices and shops and there is a Victorian great Conservatory that was used as the model for the Crystal Palace exhibition. A good day and a gentle start to the Six wives tour.
Thursday 24 February 2011
Coins and costumes
A new £2 coin featuring the Mary Rose will go into limited circulation this year. 2011 is the 500th anniversary of the launching of the Mary Rose in 1511 Henry VIII most famous battleship.
A special gold version of the coin can be obtained from the Royal Mint www.royalmint.com
Also some of the costumes from the 4th Series of the Tudors staring Jonathan Rhys Myers go on display at the Mary Rose Museum including Henry VIII’s orange and bronze war costume from the final series.
Other costumes on show will be those that were worn by Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII, Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves, Joely Richardson as Catherine Parr, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Catherine of Aragon, Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn, Annabelle Wallis as Jane Seymour and Tamzin Merchant as Catherine Howard.
I can't wait to get down to Portsmouth and have a look.
A special gold version of the coin can be obtained from the Royal Mint www.royalmint.com
Also some of the costumes from the 4th Series of the Tudors staring Jonathan Rhys Myers go on display at the Mary Rose Museum including Henry VIII’s orange and bronze war costume from the final series.
Other costumes on show will be those that were worn by Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII, Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves, Joely Richardson as Catherine Parr, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Catherine of Aragon, Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn, Annabelle Wallis as Jane Seymour and Tamzin Merchant as Catherine Howard.
I can't wait to get down to Portsmouth and have a look.
Saturday 22 January 2011
Tower of London
The Tower of London this year will be holding a special exhibition showing the history of the place as a zoo.
Many exotic animals were on display for centuries that the place was a zoo, it only closed in the 1800s' and the animals transfered to Regents Park zoo. The exibition won't have real animals of course, I think the lions would upset the ravens. No these will be replicas of the original animals and should prove to be a lively addition to the many exhibitions on at the Tower.
The place is still undergoing some repairs and renovations ready for the Queen's 60th Jubilee next year so any photos you take might still have some scaffolding in the background, but still a great place to visit.
Many exotic animals were on display for centuries that the place was a zoo, it only closed in the 1800s' and the animals transfered to Regents Park zoo. The exibition won't have real animals of course, I think the lions would upset the ravens. No these will be replicas of the original animals and should prove to be a lively addition to the many exhibitions on at the Tower.
The place is still undergoing some repairs and renovations ready for the Queen's 60th Jubilee next year so any photos you take might still have some scaffolding in the background, but still a great place to visit.
Tuesday 4 January 2011
Westminster Abbey
2011 will see the eyes of the world on Westminster Abbey on April 29th when Prince William marries Catherine Middleton.
The Abbey will be putting on it's finest face to the world as for the last two years parts of it have been undergoing restoration. Including the fabulous Cosmati pavement, one of the finest medieval pavements in the world and until recently been covered by carpet. Even when the present Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953 the pavement was covered. In what promises to be a global television event Prince William's marriage will be celebrated right on the pavement at the centre of the Abbey.
Many fine portraits, rarely seen by the public have also been restored and will be on show for this year. Not forgetting the 400th year anniversary of the King James Bible printed in 1611 that will also be coming up in May.
Finally the coronation Throne will be put back on display after it's renovation
We look forward to 2011 being a momentous year at the Abbey
The Abbey will be putting on it's finest face to the world as for the last two years parts of it have been undergoing restoration. Including the fabulous Cosmati pavement, one of the finest medieval pavements in the world and until recently been covered by carpet. Even when the present Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953 the pavement was covered. In what promises to be a global television event Prince William's marriage will be celebrated right on the pavement at the centre of the Abbey.
Many fine portraits, rarely seen by the public have also been restored and will be on show for this year. Not forgetting the 400th year anniversary of the King James Bible printed in 1611 that will also be coming up in May.
Finally the coronation Throne will be put back on display after it's renovation
We look forward to 2011 being a momentous year at the Abbey
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