Enjoy this week’s Friday video hosted by Brigitte Webster which is all about Tudor food during the period of Lent.
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Food in Lent
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A secret agent and rebel, Henry VIII’s barber, More’s granddaughter, and a Puritan soldier
In this second part of This Week in Tudor History, historian Claire Ridgway introduces Sir Christopher Blount, a secret agent and rebel who married his master’s widow and whose stepson, the Earl of Essex was his undoing; Edmund Harman, the man who trimmed and washed King Henry VIII’s hair and beard, and who was rewarded for it; Mary Bassett, Sir Thomas More’s granddaughter, who was a highly educated Tudor woman and gifted translator; and Sir John Leveson (pronounced Looson), a Puritan and soldier whose later life was marred by a falling out over money.
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Artists in the spotlight – Siouxsie
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Thomas Cromwell, Cardinal Wolsey and Wolf Hall
Thank you to Emilie and Nathaniel the dog for asking these excellent questions on Wolf Hall, and the relationship of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and his servant, Thomas Cromwell.
Were the two men as close as they were shown in Wolf Hall?
How did Cromwell feel about Wolsey’s fall?
I answer these questions and also explain the history behind a scene in Hilary Mantel’s second novel in the series, Bring Up the Bodies, in which Cromwell vows revenge on those involved in Wolsey’s fall and in mocking him.
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Edward Barlow or Ambrose Barlow (1585-1641)
Benedictine monk Edward (religious name: Ambrose) Barlow was born at Barlow Hall in Manchester in 1585, the fourth son of Sir Alexander Barlow and his wife, Mary.
The Barlow family had converted to Protestantism, but this conversion had been somewhat reluctant. Ambrose’s grandfather had died in 1584 while imprisoned for his Catholic leanings, and his father had a large portion of his estate confiscated as a result of his initial refusal to conform to the new religion. On 30th November 1585, Ambrose was baptised, and following this, he adhered to the Anglican faith until 1607, after which he converted to Roman Catholicism.
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An interview with Claire Ridgway
In this interview journalism students, Merel and Emma, ask historian Claire Ridgway about the Tudor Society, including questions such as: “why did you (Claire) start the Tudor Society?”, “Do you (Claire) have any dreams for the Tudor Society?” and a quickfire round in which you can find out who Claire’s favourite Tudor Monarch is and with which Tudor she would have a cup of tea!
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The Boleyns of Hever Castle – A talk by Dr Owen Emmerson and Claire
Those of you who are in the UK or planning on visiting the UK this summer (fingers crossed!) many be interested in knowing that I will be speaking with my dear friend, Hever Castle Supervisor Dr Owen Emmerson, at Hever Castle on Sunday 1st August 2021.
The talk is on our very favourite subject, the Boleyns, and it will take place at the Two Sisters Theatre in the grounds of Hever Castle at 8pm.
Anne Boleyn’s parents weren’t the only Boleyns linked to the castle, it was connected to the Boleyn family for 77 years before it was taken by the Crown, and we’ll tell you all about its Boleyn owners.
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A monk who embraced reform, a translator and soldier, and Black Will Herbert
In this first part of This Week in Tudor History for the week beginning 15th March, I look at the life and career of a bishop who started out as a monk but whose conversion to the reformed faith saw him dying an awful death in the reign of Queen Mary I, before moving on to the death of a soldier, translator and diplomat in Henry VIII’s reign, and the death of a Tudor earl and brother-in-law of a queen who was once known as Black Will Herbert.
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Thomas Boleyn Quiz
As Friday was the anniversary of the death of Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne Boleyn and grandfather of Elizabeth I, on 12th March 1539, I thought we’d test your knowledge on him.
How much do you know about this gifted diplomat and royal servant?
Find out in this fun quiz.
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The School of Night or School of Atheism
Recently, on YouTube, I answered Tudor Society member Real Tudor Lady’s question on the books and TV series, A Discovery of Witches, examining whether the School of Night (School of Atheists) really existed. I thought I’d go into it in a bit more detail for Tudor Society members, and also share some further reading resources.
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A pope kind to Jews, a Catholic martyr, an Elizabethan actor and a bishop supporting the Welsh
In the second part of This week in Tudor history, I talk about Giovanni di Lorenzo de’ Medici, who became Pope Leo X in 1513 and who was known as a patron of the Arts and his generosity to Jews, Christopher Bales, a Catholic priest and martyr from Elizabeth I’s reign; Richard Burbage, an Elizabethan actor who was friends with William Shakespeare, and Arthur Bulkeley, a Tudor bishop who supported reform and the use of the Welsh language in sermons.
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Artists in the Spotlight – Erica
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International Women’s Day – unknown Tudor women
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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
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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
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Rare Disease Day
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Tudor Diseases Quiz
As it’s Rare Diseases Day today, I thought it was only right to test your knowledge of diseases which affected people in the Tudor period, although they weren’t rare!
I hope you enjoy this quiz!
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Tudor Meals: Shrewsbury Biscuits
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A literary patron and her husband, a chaplain dies at sea, and a pragmatic reformer pleases nobody
In this second part of This week on Tudor history for the week beginning 22nd February, I introduce a literary patron and her husband, a clergyman who ended up dying on a voyage far from home and being buried at sea, and a famous reformer whose peacemaking and pragmatic approach failed to heal rifts and please people. Oh and he ended up being dug up and posthumously tried for heresy, and burnt!
24th or 25th February 1618 – Death of Elizabeth Carey (née Spencer), Lady Hunsdon. Elizabeth was a renowned literary patron and was one of the Spencers of Althorp…
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The Vaux Passional and Elizabeth of York’s death
In this week’s Friday video, Claire looks at a beautiful manuscript with links to Henry VII and the Vaux family. It really is stunning and it’s wonderful that it’s survived. It also appears to give us an inisght into his grieving children following the death of their mother, Elizabeth of York.
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March 2021 – Tudor Life – Pride
Here at the Tudor Society, we continue with the deadly sins (!) with this month’s edition featuring pride. The Tudors were a proud lot, and so you’re in for a treat with this edition.
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How to watch the expert talk
