TUDOR ENGLAND

The tour starts at 10.00am on Sunday 27 April, at Victoria Coach Station, London.

The tour ends at 9.00am on Monday 12 May, at The Bloomsbury Hotel, London.

After boarding our coach at Victoria Station, we begin our tour at the beginning of Henry VIII’s reign, visiting two locations which shaped Henry’s early years. Our tour leader will introduce us to the young Prince Henry as we visit Eltham Palace, originally a moated Bishop’s Palace and then royal residence since the 14th century. The Palace played an important part in Henry VIII’s early years, and this is where he spent a great deal of his childhood. While the estate is now a unique mesh of medieval, Tudor, and 1930’s Art Deco, we will be able to explore the magnificently preserved Medieval Great Hall, as well as the exterior grounds which still boast Tudor brickwork and the medieval moat bridge. From here, we then drive to Greenwich where the Palace of Placentia once stood, the birthplace of Henry VIII and his favourite royal residence. We will have free time for lunch before a tour of the grounds and museum to see the remnants of the Palace. We then depart for Ashdown Park Hotel, nestled in the green countryside of East Sussex. After check in, we will enjoy drinks and an introductory talk, followed by a welcome dinner. Overnight Sussex (D)

This morning we depart for Hever Castle, the childhood home of Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn and an estate with deep connections to Henry’s private life. Henry VIII’s affair with Anne Boleyn changed English history, and we will learn about this extraordinary part of Henry’s reign as we enjoy a private guided tour of Hever Castle before it opens to the public, exploring the rooms Henry knew well. It also has ties to Henry’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, who called Hever home after her divorce from the much-married King. After a tour and private talk within St Peter’s Church, we will have time for lunch, and to explore the magnificent grounds of Hever. In the afternoon, we return to our hotel with time to freshen up before we reconvene in the hotel lounge to enjoy a private Afternoon Tea and an “In conversation” style event with our tour leader and a special guest Tudor Historian. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Overnight Sussex (B, AT)

We begin the day with a brief talk before we board our coach and depart for the historic city of Canterbury, famous for its quaint medieval streets and buildings and its stunning gothic cathedral, where we begin with a guided tour. We learn about Canterbury’s role in one of most important diplomatic meetings of Henry VIII’s reign, when Henry and his first queen, Katherine of Aragon, met the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. After free time for lunch and exploration of this charming city, we depart for Leeds Castle. Built across two islands in a lake formed by the river Len, Leeds Castle has the reputation for being “the loveliest castle in the world”. In the first years of Henry VIII’s reign, he transformed it for Katherine of Aragon, and the whole court stayed there in 1520, just before the famous summit known as the Field of Cloth of Gold held in France between Henry VIII and the French King Francis I. We will enjoy a tour of the castle and some free time to explore the beautiful grounds before returning to our hotel for a free evening. Overnight Sussex (B)

Today begins with a walking tour of the Tudor village of Chiddingstone, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved villages in Kent. We visit the little church, the Tudor timbered buildings of the main street, and if time permits, take a walk around the exterior of Chiddingstone Castle. After returning to our hotel, there is free time for lunch and to freshen up before we depart for our special destination of the day - Penshurst Place. Now privately owned by the Viscount and Viscountess De L’Isle, Penhurst has strong ties to Henry’s private life. Throughout his reign he used Penshurst Place as a hunting lodge, and it became part of his divorce settlement with his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. We will enjoy a special private after-hours tour of the chapel, grounds, and estate. We then finish in the glorious 14th-century Baron’s Hall with a champagne reception and a brief talk by our tour leader, followed by a three-course private dinner in the medieval sandstone Buttery, a fitting end to our stay in Sussex! Overnight Sussex (B, D)

We have a leisurely morning before we checkout and depart for Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world with a history spanning 1000 years, and where Henry VIII is buried alongside his third queen, Jane Seymour. We will tour St George’s Chapel, followed by free time for lunch, before we explore the magnificent State Apartments, which house some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, acquired over the centuries by Kings and Queens of England. We then depart for Oxford where we will spend the next three nights. In the evening, we take a short stroll through Oxford before dinner in a local restaurant, and a talk by a special guest Tudor historian. Overnight Oxford (B, D)

The famous university town of Oxford has strong links to the Tudors, with three colleges founded during Henry VIII’s reign. We begin our day with a walking tour of the town, including a tour of one of the most famous of Oxford’s colleges, Christ Church College. Originally founded by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1525 as Cardinal’s College, after Wolsey had fallen out of favour and following his death, Henry took over the college and created Christ Church. After a break for lunch, we will tour one of the most famous libraries in the world - the Bodleian, which dates back to 1488. The library also has a rich literary history, and is where many famous scholars have studied through the ages, including monarchs, Nobel Prize winners, British Prime Ministers and writers such as Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. The afternoon and evening are then free to enjoy the historical, cultural, and architectural delights of Oxford. You may wish to visit famous sites such as the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Castle, or may prefer to simply wander the charming streets teeming with shops. Overnight Oxford (B)

This morning we learn more about the Tudors’ life beyond London, with a visit to the spectacular Kenilworth Castle, and Henry VIII’s favourite home outside of the capital. We tour the site and learn more about Henry’s impact on Kenilworth throughout his reign. We then visit the town of Stratford Upon Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, whose History plays shaped the mythology of English Kings, Henry VIII included. We will soak up the town’s centuries of history, and the Tudor timbred buildings which line its picturesque streets, with free time for lunch to explore the town. There will also be the option to visit the award-winning Tudor Museum, which offers visitors a glimpse into the world of the Tudors from 1483 until the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603. Before our return to Oxford, we visit the cottage of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. Built in 1463, the thatched cottage is a lovely example of Tudor architecture. We return to Oxford for a free evening. Overnight Oxford (B)

The Tudor dynasty was born in Leicestershire in 1485 on the field of Bosworth where Henry Tudor (Henry VII) defeated Richard III, and today we travel north to learn about this key event in the origin story of the Tudors. After leaving Oxford, we first travel through the glorious Cotswolds. We stop briefly at Bourton-on-the-Water, a village in the rural Cotswolds area which straddles the River Windrush, known for its low bridges and traditional stone houses. We then continue onto Bosworth and enjoy a guided tour of the award-winning Bosworth Heritage centre, winding back the centuries to the beginning of the Tudor story. Our day concludes in York, where we begin to learn about the role this historic city played in one of the most dramatic events in Henry’s reign, which almost brought the Tudor dynasty its knees. After check in we will enjoy a group dinner. Overnight York (B, D)

York is an underappreciated part of Henry VIII’s reign, and we begin our day with a visit to the magnificent York Minster Cathedral, one of the most breathtaking architectural achievements of the Middle Ages, which Henry VIII visited for the first time in 1541 as part of his first progress to the north. We then take a walking tour of the city, from the medieval gates to the Shambles, one of the most famous and preserved medieval streets in England, featuring buildings dating back until the 14th century. During our walk, we will learn more about Henry’s momentous visit to York with his fifth queen, Catherine Howard. Before lunch we will explore Barley Hall, a former medieval priory which has been rebuilt and preserved, offering a glimpse into 16th century life. The afternoon is free to explore this charming city before we reconvene in the early evening for a special after-hours tour of the spectacular Jorvik Viking centre, for brief escape from Tudor history, as we explore York’s ancient Viking origins. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Overnight York (B)

This morning we depart York for the medieval town of Lincoln, where Henry VIII visited as part of his royal progress to pacify the northern part of his realm. We take a tour of Lincoln Cathedral, after which guests will have time for lunch and to explore the town. In the early afternoon we visit the ruins of the Bishop’s Palace, which dates back to the 12th century. Henry VIII and Catherine Howard stayed in the once magnificent palace, and we will have the chance to retrace their steps through the ruins. We arrive in Cambridge in the late afternoon for check in and dinner at our hotel. Overnight Cambridge (B, D)

Like its university counterpart Oxford, Henry VIII’s influence on Cambridge still resonates through the centuries, including his building works and Cambridge University Press, the oldest university press in the world, formed in 1534 when Henry granted the city letters patent. This morning after a brief talk in the hotel, we embark on a tour of the city’s beautiful heritage, including the exterior of Trinity College, founded by Henry VIII in one of the last acts before his death in 1547, followed by a tour of Cambridge’s most famous college, King’s College. Both Henry VIII and his father contributed enormously to Kings College, and we will be able to explore the grounds and halls, and the Tudor imprints that remain. We will also pay a visit to Great St Mary’s church, the building of which was largely funded by Richard III and Henry VII. Afterwards, there will be free time for lunch and to explore Cambridge, with many fascinating options including the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. We reconvene in the early evening for a very special, private after-hours tour of the Wren Library, and the Tudor treasures it has housed through the centuries. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Overnight Cambridge (B)

After breakfast we depart for Oxburgh Hall, a wonderfully preserved manor estate dating back to the Tudor period. Built around 1482 in highly fashionable red brick, Oxburgh was intended to reflect the newly acquired status of Sir Edmund Bedingfeld at Henry VII’s court, and once hosted Henry’s parents, Henry VII and his Queen, Elizabeth of York. As we tour the grand rooms, we learn of Henry Bedingfield’s career under Henry VIII. We explore the lovely, moated manor and gardens, and will have a chance to view a letter signed by Henry VIII himself. We then enjoy lunch near the grounds of Oxburgh, before visiting the iconic Ely Cathedral, exploring its links to Henry’s reign. Returning to Cambridge, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Overnight Cambridge (B, L)

Departing Cambridge this morning, we travel to the glorious Hampton Court, one of the most famous of Henry VIII’s palaces in England with its deep connections to Henry’s wives, from Anne Boleyn to Catharine Parr. Here, we will enjoy a guided tour of the Tudor kitchens, the magnificent Great Hall, built by Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn, and the Chapel Royal, where Henry VIII married Catharine Parr in 1542. After gazing at the luminous gold and blue ceiling of the chapel, we move on to the complex of state apartments, where Jane Seymour gave birth to Henry’s long-awaited son and heir, the future Edward VI, and where Catherine Howard made her desperate bid to reach the king as she was arrested and sent to the Tower. Following the tour, there will be free time for lunch and to enjoy the beauty of Hampton Court and its gardens. Arriving in London in the late afternoon, we check in to our hotel, with time to freshen up before a group dinner. Overnight London (B, D)

Our day begins with a brief talk before we depart for our first destination, Steeped in more than a thousand years of royal history, it is the burial place of some of the most famous kings and queens of England, including Henry VIII’s parents and his children. Henry and two of his queens, Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, were crowned at Westminster, and Westminster Abbey features largely in the Tudor reign. After our visit, we journey to Southwark on the Southbank of London. Southbank is one of the most vibrant parts of London, where you feel transported back in time to the late 16th century. There will be time to explore the famed Borough Markets, and all of its culinary delights, as well as the charming Southwark Cathedral. We will then enjoy a Tudor walking tour of London, ending at the National Portrait Gallery, where we will have the chance to gaze upon the exquisite portraits of Tudor individuals we will have come to know so well throughout our trip - including Henry VIII himself. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight London (B)

On our final day in London, we begin with a brief talk before departing for our main destination for the day, the Tower of London. Founded by William of Normandy in the 11th century, with an incredible history as both a castle and a prison, the Tower of London has dominated the capital for almost 900 years. We spend time today exploring the Tower’s links to Henry VIII, as the fortress he spent the night before his coronation - on the precipice of what promised to be a golden age - and where the lives of so many victims of his reign, from Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, to Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell, were cut short. Highlights of our day will include the White Tower, where Henry VIII’s armour is on display; the Martin Tower and the Bloody Tower, where Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned; the Medieval Palace; and the wall walk. We will also visit the chapel of Peter ad Vincula, where Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were laid to rest. After an afternoon at leisure, we will reconvene for our farewell dinner, a short distance from our hotel. Overnight London (B, D)

Our tour ends after breakfast. Please check individual documents for onward travel plans. (B)

Hotels have been selected principally for their central location and historic atmosphere. All hotels are excellent four and five-star standard.

• Sussex, Ashdown Park Hotel (4 nights)

• Oxford, The Randolph Hotel (3 nights)

• York, The Grand York (2 nights)

• Cambridge, The University Arms (3 nights)

• London, The Bloomsbury Hotel (3 nights)