The Tudor Society
  • An outspoken reformer, Lady Margaret Douglas dies, and a man of “plyable” willow

    In the first part of this week in Tudor history, I introduce an outspoken reformer whose works were burnt, I talk about the death of Henry VIII’s niece, Lady Margaret Douglas, and how it was surrounded by rumour, and I give an overview of the life and career of a Tudor administrator who claimed he survived in politics in such turbulent times because he “was made of the plyable willow, not of the stubborn oak”

    8th March 1569 – Death of evangelical reformer and Member of Parliament Richard Tracy at Stanway in Gloucestershire. Henry VIII and his council ordered the burning of his works in 1546….

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  • Tudor Women Writers and Poets Crossword Puzzle

    As it’s Women’s History Month this month in some countries, I thought we’d mark it by testing your knowledge of female poets, writers and translators from the 16th century.

    How much do you know about them?

    Test yourself with this crossword.

    Simply click on the link or image below to open and print out.

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  • A mathematician, Call Me Risley, and a scapegoat

    In this second part of This week in Tudor history, historian Claire Ridgway introduces mathematician and inventor William Oughtred, tells you about the life of Thomas Wriothesley, the man known as “Call me Risley” in Hilary Mantel’s novels, and shares about Germaine Gardiner, a bishop’s nephew who was executed as a scapegoat.

    5th March 1575 – Baptism of mathematician William Oughtred at Eton College. Oughtred is responsible for developing a straight slide-rule, a gauging rod and various sundials. He also introduced the “×” symbol for multiplication and the abbreviations “sin” and “cos” for the sine and cosine functions…

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  • Tudor Shere – Julian Humphrys

    In this week’s Friday video, historian Julian Humphrys tells us all about historic Shere, in Surrey, and the people who owned the manor.

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  • Tudor Fabrics

  • Margaret Clitherow (c.1552-1586)

    Margaret Clitherow was born in around 1552 in York and was the daughter of Jane Middleton and Thomas Middleton, a wax chandler and freeman of York. It is believed that she would have been baptised at the Church of St Martin, where her father served as a churchwarden between 1555 and 1558. At around the age of 18, Margaret married John Clitherow in July 1571. John Clitherow was a widower with two sons and a wealthy butcher who became a freeman in 1560 and elected a chamberlain in 1574.

    Following her marriage to John, Margaret moved to the Shambles in York, where she helped her husband with his business. Although we know that Margaret had numerous children, we do not know the exact number, but we know that in addition to her stepsons, she had a son Henry and a daughter named Anne. In 1576, she was pregnant and again in 1581. She was released from prison to give birth, but we don’t know whether these children survived.

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  • Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day!

    Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day!

    Yes, 1st March is St David’s Day, the feast of the patron saint of Wales. Thanks to a friend who’s planted daffodil bulbs on his land, I have daffodils in a vase this year and I’m enjoying leek soup – yum!

    The Tudors, of course, had strong links to Wales, with Henry VII’s grandfather being Welshman Owen Tudor, but did the Tudor court mark the day in any way?

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  • A Grand Prior, Anne of Denmark, Margaret Tudor’s third marriage and Mary Boleyn’s son

    In the first part of her “This week in Tudor history” for week beginning 1st March, I introduce you to Thomas Tresham, grand prior of the Order of St John of Jersualem, and Anne of Denmark, James I’s queen consort, as well as talking about another unhappy marriage for Margaret Tudor, and the birth of Mary Boleyn’s son.

    1st March 1559 – Death of Thomas Tresham, landowner, Catholic politician and Grand Prior of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in England.

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  • Phil Downing – Priest Holes – Expert Talk

    This month we have the wonderful Phil Downing talking about priest holes. He works at Harvington Hall and in this videos he speaks about the “Terrifying lives of Priests and their Priest Holes: the darker side of the Elizabethan period”.

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  • March 2021 on the Tudor Society Website