The Tudor History & Travel Show

This episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , is Part I of II, from a special, behind the scenes mini-series recorded at Hampton Court Palace. I'm joined by Daniel Jackson, Hampton Court Palace Curator. We travel back to the mid-1530s, exploring the royal apartments and lesser known parts of the palace, imagining the characters and stories that unfolded here.  Some useful links, mentioned...

In this Halloween special episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , we travel to the Tower of London, whose ancient walls imprisoned some legendary inmates, including perhaps the most famous of all, Queen Anne Boleyn. Joined by Assistant Buildings Curator, Alfred Hawkins, we explore some of the well-known, and much less well-known, nooks and crannies of this notorious fortress/palace and pr...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , we travel back to one of England's greatest Tudor buildings: Cowdray House. As Part 2 of my podcasts from Cowdray House, I meet with Dominic Fonatana, academic geographer, and expert in the Cowdray murals. Destroyed by fire, Dominic brings the Cowdray murals back to life. We discuss the fine detail in the murals, commissioned to record key...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , we travel back to one of England's greatest Tudor buildings: Cowdray House. I chat to Paul Ullson, guide at Cowdray House as we discover the history of this once splendid building, its owners and how a fire destroyed its valuable collection of precious Tudor artefacts. Tune in to discover the chilling tale of Cowdray House...   Some useful...

Happy 10th Birthday ’ Le Temps Viendra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn '! An Extract from the Audiobook   Today marks the 10th anniversary of the first publication of Volume I (of two volumes) of my first Tudor book, Le Temps Veindra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. The book tells the story of Anne's innocence through the eyes of a 21st-century heroine, drawn back in time and into Anne's body during some of the m...

How to Read a Medieval House with John Roberts from 'The Weald and Downland Museum'   In this information-packed podcast, I learn how to read a medieval hall house with John Roberts from the Weald and Downland Museum. If you want to know more about the ordinary Tudor and how they lived, this episode is perfect for you! If you wish to watch a video recording of this episode, click here . In order t...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , we discuss one of the most popular monarchs in history: Elizabeth I. I'm joined by Siobhan Clarke, historian and co-author of Gloriana: Elizabeth I and the Art of Queenship . We discuss how Elizabeth used portraiture and miniatures to represent her image and royal authority.  Would you like to find out more about the story of Elizabethan ar...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , Sarah travels to Norwich in Norfolk to go on the trail of Elizabeth I, as she arrives at the city during the pinnacle of her 1578 progress. Our expert guide in this episode is historian, Aidan Norrie, whose special interest is in Elizabeth, her iconography and Elizabeth pageants. So, why not join us on progress as we explore Tudor Norwich,...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I'm joined by musician and composer, Geoff Proudley, as we talk about his exciting new project 'K of A'. Geoff has combined his love of the Tudors with his love of music. Inspired by Katherine's stoicism and strength, Geoff's music tells Katherine's story. Join us as we time travel through music...   To watch the video recording of this pod...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , join me in West Berkshire at the beautiful Shaw House. Built in 1581, Shaw House is laid out in an H-Shaped configuration and reflects the grand designs and social ambitions of its owner's new-found wealth. Join me and our guide, Sarah Somerville, to find out more about Shaw House, and its royal visitors.    To see the photos associated wit...

This is an Extra!  episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , crafted to introduce to you a brand new Tudor magazine that showcases the very best insight and inspiration for learning about and visiting 'Tudor Places'. Join me in conversation with Deb Roil, Editor of the magazine to hear about Deb's personal motivation for creating the magazine and what you can expect when you subscribe - inc...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I head up to North Yorkshire to see and explore a glorious, medieval moated manor house. Off the tourist trail, Markenfield is described as 'the loveliest place you've never heard of'. Remaining largely untouched, Markenfield Hall is steeped in remarkable history. Join me and our guide, Kate Mainprize, to find out more about this beautiful...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I take a tour of Sutton house in Hackney. Joined by our tour guide,  Jo Nightingale, we look around the house once owned by aspiring Tudor courtier, Sir Ralph Sadler. Sutton House was built for Sir Ralph and his family as his fortunes were on the rise. Described as a ‘small gentry house’ and one that has ‘no direct parallels’, Sutton House...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I head over to the Nottinghamshire countryside to visit the much-overlooked site of the Battle of Stoke Field. I am joined by Kevin Winter from the Battlefields Trust, as we take a walk around the site of the final battle in the Wars of the Roses. Kevin shares the story of the bloody battle, which saw 7000 men slaughtered in one day and bro...

In this episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , I return to Hever Castle in Kent, where I chat to Kate McCaffrey, Assistant Curator. We discuss a very special project that Kate has been working on: the study of Anne Boleyn's Book of Hours. Kate shares some spectacular and unexpected findings that tell us more about what happened to Anne's book, and how a network of Kentish women treasured...

In this episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , I'm joined by Dr Owen Emmerson, Castle Historian and Assistant Co-Curator at Hever Castle. Recorded during my visit to the castle back in July 2021, we talk about Anne of Cleves' time at Hever. We re-imagine how the castle would have looked during her occupancy and how she might have spent her time there. Also, we explore the Wyatt rebellion...

This episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show takes us back to a misty Autumn day when I headed over to Blenheim Park and Palace in Oxfordshire. Today a fine baroque building stands on a site that was once home to The Royal Manor of Woodstock, a medieval and Tudor hunting park. The manor provided lodgings for royal progress, and was the site of Queen Elizabeth's imprisonment before her ascen...

Please Note: ADULT CONTENT IS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , I'm joined by Sarah Bendall, a material culture historian. We place the undergarments of early modern women under the spotlight. Want to know why men were suspicious of women's farthingales and why busks led a double life, imbued with erotic connotations? Well, if you have ever been cur...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I'm joined by Dr. Alexzandra Hildred and John Seager. During my guided tour of the Mary Rose Museum, we discover the story of the Mary Rose and her thirty-four-year history as a successful warship before her fateful sinking in 1545. As we tour the museum, we discuss some of the wonderful artefacts from the ship, each with its unique and fas...

If you are someone who loves to pack your bags and hit the road to see your Tudor history and want loads of inspiration and top tips for travelling and visiting historic locations here in the UK, then this show is for you. Each month, I will be teaming up with Philippa Brewell from 'British History Tours' to answer your most pressing travel-related questions, hearing from a guest about their favou...

If you are someone who loves to pack your bags and hit the road to see your Tudor history and want loads of inspiration and top tips for travelling and visiting historic locations here in the UK, then this show is for you. Each month, I will be teaming up with Philippa Brewell from 'British History Tours' to answer your most pressing travel-related questions, hearing from a guest about their favou...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I'm joined by Julie Milner, tour and house guide at Knole House in Kent. A grand and impressive house, Knole is remarkably well preserved, with some significant Tudor connections. Join me as I take a tour of the house, discovering how six centuries of history have shaped what we see today. There is a show notes page associated with this pod...

If you are someone who loves to pack your bags and hit the road to see your Tudor history and want loads of inspiration and top tips for travelling and visiting historic locations here in the UK, then this show is for you. Each month, I will be teaming up with Philippa Brewell from 'British History Tours' to answer your most pressing travel-related questions, hearing from a guest about their favou...

In this episode of  The Tudor History & Travel Show , I welcome Nick Rushby, Secretary of the Archbishop’s Palace Conservation Trust. I chat to Nick about Otford Palace as we uncover its history, why it fell into disrepair, and discover what steps are being taken to preserve its heritage for future generations. As we take a tour of what remains of Otford Palace today, we travel back in time to...

In this episode of The Tudor History & Travel Show , I'm joined by Claire Ridgway and Dr Owen Emmerson as we talk about the release of their new book 'The Boleyns of Hever Castle'. Hever Castle sits in Kent's countryside and is famous for its links with the Boleyn family. As I chat with Claire and Owen, they share the tale of how this wonderful book came to life. With stunning colour photograp...