From EDP24:

Built in around 1600 by Sir Thomas Knyvett, who was the man who arrested Guy Fawkes, the hall remained the family home for more than 300 years and has only changed hands four times.

The property, mentioned in Sir Nicholas Pevsner’s Buildings of England, is of architectural merit with restored mullioned windows and octagonal chimney flues. It has been beautifully restored throughout with original features retained and restored with large reception rooms painted in period colours and some exceptional en suite bathrooms installed. Of particular note is a stunning designer kitchen and a new oak staircase has also been added.

Full article (including aerial photo)

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre is celebrating after being recognised by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) as meeting the national standard for UK museums.

Run by Leicestershire County Council, Bosworth Battlefield officially opened in 1974 and has made the transition from a well known visitor attraction to an officially accredited Heritage Centre & Museum.

Full article

Official site for the Heritage Center

When I was on my first trip to the UK (10 years ago this month!) I had planned to go up to the battlefield, but I messed up my back earlier in the day on one of the winding staircases in Warwick Castle, so I decided to skip it. I didn’t make it back to that area of England on either of my subsequent trips, so it has to go on the “wish list” for the future!

From the BBC:

An online archive of the proceedings of the original Scottish Parliament from its first surviving act of 1235 to its dissolution in 1707 has been launched.
…
Dr MacIntosh said: “Parliament was a pretty rowdy place back then - members were allowed to take a sword in, and there are records of duels and arrests being made after punch-ups broke out in the debating chamber.”

That last line amused me.

Full BBC article

And here is the official website for the records

Here are the US Amazon links (regular and Blu-ray):

And the UK Amazon link:

And here is a .doc file of the Press Release for those who are interested!

Also, Alison Weir has been on a tour giving talks on the book and other related topics and will be coming to the US soon. If she’s going to be in your area and you’d like to meet up with other Tudor fans, leave a comment below!

Here’s the schedule: http://alisonweir.org.uk/events/index.asp
Thanks to TudorRose for the link for the tour!

From The Telegraph:

Prepare to be dazzled - after years in storage the V&A’s jawdropping collection of jewellery from the past 3,000 years is about to go on permanent display.
…
On 24 May the William and Judith Bollinger jewellery gallery will open at the V&A, displaying 3,500 items from the museum’s collection, which is one of the finest and most comprehensive in the world and tells the story of European jewellery over the past 3,000 years.
…
Chadour-Sampson pulls out another drawer and places in the palm of my hand a small locket, the Armada or Heneage jewel made about 1595, a gift from Elizabeth I to her vice-chamberlain, the poet and secret-service agent Sir Thomas Heneage. The locket depicts a profile portrait in gold of the queen up to her neck in a giant gold ruff, her head weighed down by wig and pearls, encircled by diamonds and Burmese rubies. Turn it over and there is a gold and enamelled portrait of an ark, representing the English church, riding through stormy seas, a cloud above raining down lightning on the frail vessel. Open it up and there’s a portrait of a much younger, more girlish Elizabeth, the real woman behind the symbol, or how she wanted to be seen - a wistful love token sent by an old woman.

Full article

Website of the Victoria and Albert Museum

And here are some images of the Elizabethan jewel described in the article (from the V&A website…. you can see larger images if you go to their image collection page and search for “Armada jewel”):

From The Yorkshire Post:

As part of the events to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Bess of Hardwick, Hidden Hardwick tours will take place at the hall, near Chesterfield, on May 13 and 19.

They are an opportunity not only to have a tour of the hall with an experienced guide but also to go off the normal visitor route and explore previously hidden areas.

“From the hidden floor which cannot be seen from the outside to the secret door between the High Great Chamber and the Long Gallery, visitors love the fact they are in places that others are not normally allowed into.”

The tour will also include areas of the roof space where visitors will be able to see the timber frame with the wattle and daub lining of the rooms and the secret servants’ floor.

Full article

Harwick Hall’s page at the National Trust

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Here’s an article from The Telegraph about the sale:

A 700-year-old castle which once belonged to King Henry VIII has been put on the market for only the second time in its history for £1.5 million.

Sheriff Hutton Castle, which was built in 1382, comes complete with a hooded ghost and bat cave but it is almost totally ruined.

Just four crumbling 100ft stone turrets and the corners of the keep remain and it has no roof or walls.

However, it boasts an impressive list of former royal owners, including Richard III, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

One thing I find interesting is that the castle was built in the 14th century and was owned by the Neville family that played a big part in the Wars of the Roses, but the title of the article is: “For sale: King Henry VIII’s haunted castle”. Playing to the popularity of the Tudors perhaps?

From The Daily Mail:

A large group of paintings from the prime ministerial retreat Chequers, including a pair of Van Dycks and a locket ring owned by Elizabeth I containing portraits of herself and Anne Boleyn, is to go on public view for the first time.
…
Individual works have been loaned over the years but this is the first group loan and the 10 works will go on display at another country mansion, Compton Verney in Warwickshire, from June.
…
ther loaned works include portraits of Mary I, James I and Lady Mary Grey, a younger sister of Lady Jane Grey, who was confined to Chequers by Elizabeth I.

The special display at Compton Verney, Portaits from Chequers: Kings, Queens and Revolutionaries, will run from June 21 to September 7.

Full article

Website of Compton Verney