A medieval, moated and much-loved family home, Markenfield Hall is a historic house unlike any other. Set within stunning Yorkshire countryside south of Ripon, medieval Markenfield has remained largely untouched and is one of a few moated, medieval manor houses that its original owners could still recognise; indeed, the Hall is instantly recognisable thanks to … Read more
Every now and again, a tragedy befalls a Tudor house that is so catastrophic that the sorry tale makes you want to weep at the mere thought of what has been lost. The focus of this blog tells such a story. On the fatal night of 24 September 1793, a fire broke out in one … Read more
Now part of the Nottinghamshire countryside, the Battle of Stoke Field was witness to the final major conflict in the Wars of the Roses. Lambert Simnel, an imposter pretending to be Edward, Earl of Warwick, was used as a figurehead for the Yorkist rebel cause as they tried to re-establish their hold on the crown. … Read more
On 15 January 1535, King Henry VIII was proclaimed Supreme Head of the Church of England. In a bid to claim annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon, Henry sought to abandon Rome and the Catholic opposition to his divorce. The break with Rome triggered England’s transition to being a Protestant country, which brought … Read more
The subject of today’s blog is a place that I would bet very few Tudor history fans know about. Yet, in its time it was once a palace and later became a cherished residence of one of the most powerful figures in Tudor history – and a time that would change the very fabric of … Read more
I am delighted to be hosting a stop on Sylvia Barbara Soberton’s virtual book tour for her new book The Forgotten Tudor Women: Gertrude Courtenay: Wife and Mother of the last Plantagenets. A writer and researcher specialising in Tudor history, Sylvia’s work goes behind the scenes, to share the lives of lesser-known people from the … Read more
Recently, I visited Blenheim Park in North Oxfordshire; the site of the once magnificent Woodstock Manor, the most ancient, royal palace in England. Standing next to a solitary plinth, which is all the remains to mark the spot where this historic palace once stood, I felt a deep sadness. This was not only for its … Read more
Please note: THIS BLOG CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT AND EXPLICIT SEXUAL REFERENCES I have long been fascinated by Tudor dress, from the magnificent gowns worn by queens and courtiers to the garments worn by women of the mercantile classes. The fashions of the Tudor dynasty communicated status, power and femininity; dress was a form of political … Read more
Welcome back to The Tudor History & Travel Show. In this episode, I visit the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth for a guided tour, led by two experts: Dr. Alexzandra Hildred and John Seager. Alex is Head of Research and Curator of Ordnance and Human Remains at the Mary Rose Trust. She joined the project in … Read more
This post contains some affiliate links Confession time: I am not a fan of the Stuart monarchy. In fact, if you press me, then privily I will admit that although my interest in English history stretches way back to our Anglo-Saxon forefathers, it stops around 24 March 1603 with the death of Elizabeth I, the … Read more