The Tudor History & Travel Show

In this special Tudor Travel Show: Extra , Sarah welcomes back an old friend of the show, Owen Emmerson, House manager at Hever Castle. Owen is currently researching a new book on the social history of the castle and in this episode, we take a stroll through Hever's timeline, from the Tudors to the twentieth century, to hear tales of passion, intrigue and murder!   If you want to watch a tour of H...

 In this month's episode, Sarah travels to Eltham palace in Kent, once a grand medieval palace and Tudor royal nursery. We go on a guided tour of the old palace accompanied by Jeremy Ashbee, Head Curator at English Heritage, and hear about the history of the buildings and some of the people and events associated with Eltham. There is a blog to accompany this podcast, which includes some pictures t...

Last year, The Tudor Travel Show covered the archaeological excavations going on to locate the original position of the now lost palace of Collyweston, in Northamptonshire. In this month's episode, we revisit Collyweston, the Midlands home of Margaret Beaufort, to hear from Rachel Delman, Lecturer in History at York University, about how the palace appeared and was used by Margaret in its hey-day....

In March’s episode of the  Tudor Travel Show,  we focus on William Cecil Lord, Burghley in this, the 500th anniversary of his birth year. To kick-off, Sarah chats with Emily Cole of Historic England about one of William Cecil’s most ostentatious architectural projects that set a trend for house building in Elizabethan England: Theobalds in Hertfordshire. There is also a blog: Theobalds: A Hollywoo...

In February’s episode of the Tudor Travel Show,  we travel first to the hauntingly austere Bolton Castle in North Yorkshire, one-time prison of Mary, Queen of Scots. Sarah tours the castle with our guide, Elizabeth Carter, and learns about the castle’s history and its association with Mary. There is also a blog about Bolton Castle and the Vengeful Prisoner of Wensleydale which you can access here...

In this first episode of 2020, we are going Howard crazy here on The Tudor Travel Show!   Sarah is in discussion with Nikki Clarke, Senior Lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern History at Chichester University about Kenninghall, in Norfolk, one of the principal country residences of the Dukes of Norfolk in the sixteenth-century. There is also a blog to accompany this part of the podcast, ‘Kenningh...

In December’s festive episode,  The Tudor Travel Show  returns to Hever Castle in Kent, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Sarah talks once more with Owen Emmerson, House Manager at Hever, about Tudor Christmas traditions and how the Boleyns would have enjoyed Christmastime at home. We also hear about the very special Christmas of 1526, when Anne makes a momentous decision. If you wish to see a vi...

In November’s episode,  The Tudor Travel Show  travels to Penshurst Place in Kent, the ancestral home of the Sidney family since the mid-sixteenth century. Sarah takes a stroll through the house and talks to visitor guide, Gaye Jee, about the house’s Tudor history. If you wish to see more of Penshurst Place, you can catch up with my story of Penshurst and the Boleyn family via YouTube,  here .   I...

Jane Seymour's childhood home, Wolfhall, is sadly lost to time. Thankfully, experts are able to examine underground structures to build a picture of how Wolfhall may have looked during Jane's time there. In my book, In The Footsteps of the Six Wives of Henry VIII , I share more about the history of Wolfhall, and how it may have shaped Jane's character. To purchase a signed copy of the book, which...

In September's episode,  The Tudor Travel Show  travels to Hever Castle, in Kent. Sarah goes on a tour of the house with House Manager, Owen Emmerson, recreating the Tudor castle as it would have been in the sixteenth century when it was home to Anne Boleyn. If you wish to read a transcript of this podcast, which includes many pictures of the rooms, features and artefacts discussed in the show, yo...

In August's episode,  The Tudor Travel Show  revisits Kenilworth Castle, in Warwickshire, where we hear about the story of the ambitious project to recreate Elizabeth I' privy garden, a project which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Matt Bulford, of English Heritage, takes us on a tour of the garden and tells just how the garden was just so accurately recreated. If you wish to read a...

In this extra podcast for July, Sarah visits what remains of the old Priory of St John in Clerkenwell, London. Once a place of enormous power and prestige, with close links to the Crown, today its treasures are preserved in the Museum of the Order of St John. With museum director, Tom Foakes, as our guide, we explore the history of the Order of St John, the story of the priory, and reimagine just...

In this month's episode,  The Tudor Travel Show  explores the castle that was built on a love story: Kenilworth, in Warwickshire. In part one, we tour the castle with Volunteer Co-ordinator, Gus Nasser, reimagining the castle at the height of its glory during Elizabeth I's three-week visit in 1575. Part two follows next month. If you wish to read an earlier blog I wrote about Kenilworth Castle, ba...

In this month's episode, The Tudor Travel Show goes on location for the first time. In our lead interview, we travel to Collyweston in Northamptonshire to hear from Chris Close, President of The Collyweston Historical and Preservation Society about a new archaeological dig which got underway in May. This is aimed at uncovering more of the story of the now lost palace, once an important Tudor power...

In this month's episode, Sarah speaks with Florence Evans, Director at The Weiss Gallery in London, about an extraordinary portrait of a relatively young Elizabeth. Recently surfaced from private ownership, this hitherto largely unseen portrait is hauntingly beautiful, and shows a deeply contemplative, very human Elizabeth, (before the mask of Gloriana was contrived to elevate her status to that o...

In today's programme, we explore the exciting new project, soon to be underway, at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. Hear all about a rare Tudor find that the team at Dig Ventures aim to uncover over the course of the summer. Learn how you can get involved, whether from the comfort of your own armchair, or directly in the trenches. Its hands-on history at its best! We also hear from best-selling...

In today's programme, Sarah talks with Natalie Cohen and Frances Parton from Knole, in Kent; from a Tudor perspective, this was the grand country house of first, the Archbishops of Canterbury, and later Henry VIII himself. We hear, in particular, about a major restoration project that has been underway at Knole. We find out about what was uncovered during the works undertaken, and also about the w...

In this episode, The Tudor Travel Guide speaks with Kieran Rose, Front of House Manager at Borthwick Castle in Scotland, the scene of a daring escape by Mary Queen of Scots in 1567, as she fled from those who had turned against her, and her unpopular husband, the Earl of Bothwell. Hear all about the castle, its fascinating history and how you can visit this popular wedding and event destination to...

In today's programme, Sarah revisits her chat with renowned architectural historian, and ex-curator of Hampton Court Palace, Jonathan Foyle. In part two of this discussion, Jonathan takes us time travelling and recreates the Hampton Court Palace Wolsey would have known.   In addition, in a bumper packed programme, we talk to another wonderful curator, Tracy Borman. Tracy is the current curator of...

In today's programme, Sarah talks to the renowned architectural historian, and ex-curator of Hampton Court Palace, Jonathan Foyle, about Wolsey's Hampton Court; its early origins, the renaissance principles guiding Wolsey's plans for his grand country home, and how more than the fair share of credit is given to Henry VIII for the creation of this magnificent Tudor building!   Sarah also chats with...