The Private Tudor Gardens of Hampton Court were lost when they were replaced by later additions. Yet small glimpses remain to us of these Privy Gardens, revealing an intriguing snapshot into the private lives of the Tudor monarchs and the people who worked for them. Alexandra Stevenson is Curator of Archaeology and Historic Buildings. She shares with us her latest research exploring Elizabeth I’s garden sanctuary - where herbs were grown, sweet-smelling waters were distilled, and where the Tudor queen may have bathed and relaxed away from the eyes of the court. Travel back to the Lost Tudor Gardens at Hampton Court and see the Wijngaerde Panorama of the Gardens from 1558.
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Holbein’s The Ambassadors - A Tudor Masterpiece
Hans Holbein’s Tudor masterpiece known as the Ambassadors was painted in 1533, the year when Henry VIII changed the course of history. Religious turmoil sweeps through Europe and Anne Boleyn is Queen of England. Two Ambassadors choose to capture this pivotal moment of religious and political upheaval, but who were they and what did they want this painting to convey? In today’s episode we join Tracy Borman, Chief Historian, as she explores the painting known as The Ambassadors, by Hans Holbein. You can view The Ambassadors in high resolution here. Thank you to the National Gallery for letting us record in front of the painting.
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A Walk in the Gardens of Hillsborough Castle
The Gardens of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are the perfect place to walk and enjoy the sounds and feelings of being in nature. So for today’s episode, we’re collaborating with sound artist and musician Alice Boyd, who is going to lead us into these tranquil gardens to meet Claire Woods who is Head Gardener at Hillsborough Castle. We want you to be immersed by this episode, so take a moment to focus in on the lovely sounds and enjoy an escape to the Gardens of Hillsborough Castle. Find out more about the Gardens of Hillsborough Castle.
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LGBTQ+ History – Queer Possibilities at Our Palaces
LGBTQ+ people have always existed in the history of our palaces, yet the stories of this community have often been obscured or misunderstood. When we explore queer histories, we gain a much fuller picture of societies in the past, from when our palaces were first built, right on through to their more recent history. In this week’s episode, Curator Matthew Storey is joined by Assistant Research Curator Holly Marsden, and Dr Kit Heyam, to discuss some queer stories connected to our palaces, and how best to understand them in their historic context. A transcript of this episode is available on the Historic Royal Palaces website. Explore more LGBTQ+ histories from our palaces on our website. Read Matthew’s article about Kathleen Woodhouse. Read Molly McClain's article on Stuart women. Find Kit Heyam’s books on their website. In this episode we use a range of different gender pronouns to discuss historical people, including those used in the original sources and those used by historians today. Content warnings: Homophobia, including the murder of queer people Transphobia Non-consensual medical examination Suicide
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Queens of the Medieval Tower of London
There are two Queens Consort particularly connected to the history of the Medieval Palace at the Tower of London; Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile. Although less famous than other queens, these women are emblematic of how medieval queenship could perform and embody power in the 13th century. To find out more, Curator Charles Farris is joined by Professor Louise Wilkinson. Today marks the third and final episode in a mini-series to celebrate the reopening of the Medieval Palace at the Tower of London. Read more about the life of Eleanor of Provence.
Historic Royal Palaces are a team of people who love and look after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world. This fortnightly podcast brings you the history and stories of those palaces.
You’ll hear from our experts and the people who bring our palaces to life, as we create space to explore how history moves us, telling stories about the monarchs you know, and uncovering the lives and histories of the people you don’t.
Just like our palaces, this podcast is a mix of old and new. Each episode will have a different feel, from previously recorded live talks, to exciting new discussions and discoveries. You’ll have every opportunity to share in the history we love.
Explore more history and stories from our six palaces hrp.org.uk
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