Follow in the Footsteps of Tudor Royalty!
Discover inspiration for your next Tudor road trip based on our collection of places associated with notable Tudors.
Follow in the Footsteps of…
Follow Henry VII in this first progress of the new Tudor dynasty. As the dust settles from the brutal shift of power from York to Lancaster, England’s new king sets out to stamp his authority on the unruly North.
We follow Henry on the outward leg of the progress from St John’s Priory in London to the capital of the North: York.
In the last summer of Elizabeth’s life, this first and much-loved Tudor queen set out on progress with her husband, Henry VII. We follow the royal couple’s unusual progress to the south-west, from Woodstock in Oxfordshire to Raglan Castle in Monmouthshire and back again. Along the way, we explore the reasons behind this unique journey, which reads less like a progress and more like a trip down memory lane!
The 1535 progress is sometimes called ‘The Reformation Progress’ with Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn seeking to honour courtiers loyal to the King and his chosen wife. It also saw the consecration of three Reformist bishops and the beginning of Cromwell’s ‘visitations’ of the smaller monasteries. Prepare for an epic 3-month journey through Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Hampshire.
Thomas Cromwell is the Tudor character we hate and admire in equal measure. He was the architect of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and famously the principal protagonist in the downfall of the Boleyn faction. He was also a master statesman and shrewd operator. During his rise at the Henrician court, he garnered titles, status, and wealth and, as a result, came to own an impressive property portfolio. The most important of these are detailed in this section.
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In the summer of 1575, Elizabeth participated in one of the most celebrated events of her reign. She spent around three weeks as the guest of her childhood friend, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, at his Warwickshire home of Kenilworth Castle.
We follow the progress and unpick the events surrounding Dudley’s last-ditch attempt to win Elizabeth’s hand in marriage in this most well-known of all Queen Elizabeth’s extensive progresses.
Mary, Queen of Scots: Crowned at six days old, she held the promise of a glorious reign over Scotland and France. But tragedy marked her life: her first husband’s early death, her tumultuous rule in Scotland marred by conflict with unruly Protestant lords, and her eventual forced abdication. Fleeing to England, she became Elizabeth I’s prisoner for 20 years, until her execution in February 1587. Click to explore the key locations of her remarkable journey.
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Tiverton Castle, Devon
Tiverton Castle was an important seat of power in Devon, often associated with the Earls of Devon (the Courtenay family), who lived in the castle from 1293-1556. Today it offers a range of self-catering accommodation for groups of 2-6 guests.
Plague, Power, and the Cromwells: The Story of Swanborough Manor
One of the delightful things about researching this series is how uncovering the history of one location has unearthed yet…
Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich
Name and Title: Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich and Lord Chancellor during the reign of King Henry VIII.
Born: Basingstoke, Hampshire, July 1496.
Died: 12 June 1567, Rochford, Essex.
Buried: Holy Cross Church, Felsted, Essex.
Read more and see images of the tomb here…