The Tudor Travel Show – Episode 28: Edinburgh Castle and an Audience with Marie Stuart

Right, now for my Tudor Rose ration fo the Old Palace of Hatfield. Now this specifically applies to the Old Palace and not Hatfield House.

For Historical Significance: 5 Tudor roses. This place was Elizabeth’s refuge and she lived there over a considerable period of time, on and off from being a baby. I consider it the cradle of the Elizabethan age and as such it gets 5 Tudor roses from me.

Authenticity: 3.5 Tudor roses: You get a good feel for the original approach and the existence of the west range,  is exactly what you would expect to see from a Tudorpalace of the first half of the sixteenth century. Inside the hall, the roof is of the period, but many other features have been lost and it is often dressed for wedding receptions, which takes away a bit from the authentic period vibe.

Wow factor: 3.5 Tudor Roses. Again, what is there is beautiful to behold. But it is just one wing of a palace which once had four. For that reason, I have to mark it down but the gardens are pretty and in all, it is a satisfying place to visit

Accessibility: 3 Tudor roses. As the Old Palace is available for hire throughout the year as a venue for corporate and private parties, marriage ceremonies, wedding receptions, etc.,  it is not always possible to view the inside of the Old Palace. On days when it is not in use, then you can see the hall via the viewing bay and the Upper Solar overlooking the hall. Tours of the Old Palace are often also available on the days when it is not in use. 

PART FOUR: Edinburgh Castle with Donal Ferrie and ‘An Audience with Marie Stuart’

This month sees the launch of a special celebration of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, here, on The Tudor Travel Show. Throughout September, I will be publishing one episode a week, as I follow ‘In the Footsteps’ of this legendary Scottish queen, visiting some of the most historic locations associated with her time in Scotland. Along the way, I will be meeting up with local guides, (many are members of the Marie Stuart Society), who will share their knowledge and passion for Mary and her story.

In this week’s episode, I travel back to Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. In the first half of the episode, I visit the castle with our guide for today, Donal Ferrie. Join me as we get a private viewing of Mary’s bed chamber and the closet in which she gave birth to her son, James. To see more images of the castle, join my private FB group, which accompanies this podcast, The Tudor Travel Show: Hitting the Road.

In the second half of the show, I am granted a private audience with Marie Stuart herself. As a friendly English Ambassador, I put some challenging questions to the Scots queen. Tune in to hear her reflections on the dramatic events crashing through her life. It turned out to be an ‘interesting’ conversation!

Links and Resources

For up-to-date visitor information on Edinburgh Castle, follow this link.

For more details on becoming a member of Historic Environment Scotland, follow this link.

To learn more about Helen Cuinn, follow this link.

To join the Marie Stuart Society, follow this link.

If you want to keep up to date with all the Tudor Travel Guide’s adventures, as well as top tips for planning your own Tudor road trip, don’t forget to subscribe to the blog via www.thetudortravelguide.com.

This podcast now has an accompanying closed Facebook group, dedicated to discussing the places and artefacts discussed in each episode. it is also a place to ask your fellow Tudor time travellers questions about visiting Tudor locations or planning your Tudor-themed vacation or sharing your top tips to help others get the most out of their Tudor adventures on the road. Go to The Tudor Travel Show: Hitting the Road to join the community. 

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