Claire | April 26, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 26th April 1536, six days before her arrest, Queen Anne Boleyn met with her chaplain, Matthew Parker. Perhaps Anne Boleyn had got wind of something going on at court. Parker later reported that the words that she spoke to him that day had such an impact on him that […]
Claire | April 23, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 23rd April 1536, St George’s Day, George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, lost to Nicholas Carew in the Order of the Garter elections. George Boleyn was, of course, the brother of Queen Anne Boleyn, so how did he lose, and was this a sign of the beginning of the end for […]
Joel | November 27, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 27th November 1531, former Benedictine monk and reformist, Richard Bayfield, was burnt at the stake at Smithfield for heresy after Sir Thomas More had caught him importing heretical books into England. It wasn’t Bayfield’s first brush with the authorities. He’d been in trouble for heresy previously so was now […]
Claire | February 21, 2018
A couple of years ago, I made a video as one of my “Claire Chats” weekly talks for the Tudor Society on Holy Trinity Church. I had just been to visit this church, specifically to visit the resting places of William Shakespeare, his wife Anne Hathaway, his daughter Susannah and other members of the family. […]
Claire | April 23, 2014
Happy 450th Birthday to William Shakespeare! Although it is not actually known which day in 1564 William Shakespeare was born, his birth is celebrated on 23rd April because he was baptised on 26th April and baptism usually took place around three days after birth. It is also St George’s Day, St George being the patron […]
Claire | January 2, 2014
I’ve had some time off research and writing over the Christmas period, and I also spent a long weekend in the UK seeing my best friend and my family. I popped into Stratford-upon-Avon one morning, to meet my parents and brother (and his family) and so snapped a few photos with my phone. My brother […]
