The 1535 Progress: Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire
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The 1535 Progress: Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire

On Monday 26 July 1535, the royal party left Sudeley Castle and made the seven-mile journey north-west to Tewkesbury. In keeping with protocol for all royal arrivals, the mayor and other dignitaries would have received the king, queen and their retinue just outside the town, with the two parties merging to travel in procession to the cathedral or abbey church.

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The 1535 Progress: The Old Palace of Langley, Oxfordshire

After the court had made the twelve-mile journey from Abingdon Abbey, they arrived at the Old Palace of Langley on 16 July , staying for five days. Today, perched on high ground to the south of the village of Shipton-Under-Wychwood, is the small hamlet of Langley, locally famous for being home to a site where it’s traditionally said once stood King John’s Palace. Although the Old Palace of Langley was extensively remodelled in 1858, the converted building includes Tudor walls and It’s still possible to see the initials H E, for Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, on a stone panel at the front of the farmhouse.

The 1535 Progress: Abingdon Abbey, Oxfordshire
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The 1535 Progress: Abingdon Abbey, Oxfordshire

On 14 July 1535, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn made the ten-mile journey from Ewelme to Abingdon en route to Langley. This was not the first time that the couple had relied on the hospitality of this great monastic house, as they had spent time there in late August 1532.

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The 1535 Progress: Ewelme Manor, Oxfordshire

After staying at Reading Abbey, the second stop of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s 1535 progress was Ewelme Manor. While staying there Henry VIII asked for the property to be returned to the crown. Ewelme once more became a royal residence and was used by the king as a lesser house, a place where he retreated for greater privacy with a select group of friends while on hunting trips.

The 1535 Progress: Reading Abbey, Berkshire
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The 1535 Progress: Reading Abbey, Berkshire

On 8 July 1535, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn left Windsor Castle bound for Reading Abbey. The twelfth century monastery was founded by William the Conqueror’s youngest son, Henry I, and was the first stop on a summer progress to the West Country and Hampshire, and at only a day’s ride away from Windsor, it was a very convenient staging post. 

KATHERINE PARR, QUEEN OF ENGLAND
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KATHERINE PARR, QUEEN OF ENGLAND

Name and Title: Katherine Parr (she signed her letters Kateryn Parr), Queen of England.

Born: Blackfriars, London, c.1512.

Died: 5 September 1548.

Buried: Sudeley Castle Chapel, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

In this blog we explore the life, death and burial of Queen Katherine Parr…

The History of Otley Hall: Intriguing Tales of Spectre & Adventure
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The History of Otley Hall: Intriguing Tales of Spectre & Adventure

In this episode, I head to the county of Suffolk to visit Otley Hall. A house of enormous historical significance, the part-timber, part-brick building is a traditional Tudor design and retains many original features.

I’m joined by Louisa Flavell, who moved to Otley Hall in 2020 and is committed to bringing this stunning Tudor building back to its former glory.