Claire | November 2, 2015

Happy All Souls’ Day! Unfortunately, back in 1541 All Souls’ Day was not a happy day for Henry VIII and any thoughts or prayers he had for departed loved ones were soon forgotten when he attended All Souls’ mass and found a letter left for him in the Holy Day Closet at Hampton Court Palace. […]

Category: Anne Boleyn General | 8 Comments »
Tags: All Souls, All Souls' Day 1541, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, Catherine Howard, Catherine Howard's past, Cranmer's letter to Henry VIII, fall of Catherine Howard, Francis Dereham, Henry Mannox, Thomas Cranmer

Claire | October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween! Today in many countries around the world children and adults will be dressing up in costume, carving pumpkins, going to parties, going trick or treating… having all kinds of fun, but what is Halloween really all about? Is it a celebration of all things paranormal and evil? Well, no, not originally anyway and […]

Category: Tudor Times | 7 Comments »
Tags: All Hallows, All Saints, All Souls, Feast Days, Halloween, Tudor feast days

Claire | October 31, 2013

All Hallows Eve (Halloween), the night before All Saints’ Day (All Hallows), has its roots in the Celtic new year festival of Samhain, which was celebrated from sunset on 31st October to sunset on 1st November. At Samhain, it was believed that the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead […]

Category: Tudor Events, Tudor Times | 23 Comments »
Tags: All Hallows, All Saints, All Souls, Halloween, Hallowtide, Samhain, Soul Cakes, souling