Category: Picture of the Week

Plaques on the wall next to Mary Tudor’s grave in St. Mary’s Church, Bury St. Edmunds. Photo May 2015.

The Mary Tudor Window, St. Mary’s Church, Bury St. Edmunds. Photo May 2015.

This window was presented to the church in 1881 by Queen Victoria.

St. Mary’s Church, Bury St. Edmunds. Photo May 2015.

Moving away from Shakespeare themes for the moment – this month I’m featuring the burial place of Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk, who died June 25, 1533.

Shakespeare monument in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Shakespeare family graves at the foot of the chancel of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Grave of Anne Hathaway Shakespeare, Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

The Grave of William Shakespeare, Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Next in the Shakespeare-themed months for the Picture of the Week is Holy Trinity Church, where several members of the Shakespeare family are buried as we’ll see over the next few weeks.

Bust of Shakespeare at his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Bedroom in Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

The back view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Now that we’re into April it’s time for a new theme for the Picture of the Week! And as you may have guessed, this month will feature Shakespeare’s Birthplace in honor of the Bard’s birthday later this month. (Even though the big anniversary this year is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, I don’t have any recent photos of New Place since it was closed when I was there last year for the project to re-display the site.)

Looking through doorways of Palmer’s Farmhouse at Mary Arden’s Farm. Photo May 2015.

The Arden Family Farmhouse in Wilmcote, near Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

When the building that was formerly identified as Mary Arden’s Farm was discovered to actually belong to the Palmer Family, it was fortunate that the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust had also purchased the other Tudor-era building at the site, since THAT was the one that turned out to actually belong to the Arden Family! And it just happened to be the building that I could see out of my window when I stayed at the Mary Arden Inn right across the street. 🙂

Cozy kitchen scene at Mary Arden’s Farm. Photo May 2015.

The other side of Palmer’s Farmhouse at Mary Arden’s Farm near Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo May 2015.

Palmer’s house at Mary Arden’s Farm, Wilmcote (near Stratford-upon-Avon). Photo May 2015.

This month’s theme will start a few months of things related to Shakespeare! March will start things off with Mary Arden’s Farm, the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother. The building above was discovered to actually be Palmer’s Farmhouse, but the Arden’s home is on the property too and will be featured later this month.

The Poorhouse of Framlingham Castle. Photo May 2015.

The poorhouse buildings date from the 17th and 18th century and are built on the site of the medieval great hall. Some parts of the great hall were incorporated into the poorhouse and can be seen in the foreground of this picture. The fireplace and chimney to the far right in the photo date from the 16th century.

Mary I plaque at Framlingham Castle. Photo May 2015.

Along the walls of Framlingham Castle. Photo May 2015.

Framlingham Castle. Photo May 2015.

Later this month, Mary Tudor (daughter of Henry VIII) will have her 500th birthday so I chose Framlingham Castle for the theme of the February Pictures of the Month. The castle was where Mary rallied her troops to her cause as she asserted her claim to the throne after the death of her brother Edward VI.