On this day in Tudor history, 27th October 1526, Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall presided over a book burning at Paul’s Cross in London.
The goal was to stop heresy, and in order to do this, he’d ordered the buying of every copy of William Tyndale’s English translation of the New Testmant.
This censorship spectacularly backfired, though, as Tyndale used the money to pay for the printing of the improved second edition!
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On this day in Tudor history, 23rd October 1538, Thomas Goldwell, prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, wrote to Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s chief advisor and vicar general.
Goldwell was frightened. The world he knew was collapsing due to the king and Cromwell’s dissolution of the monasteries.
The prior begged to keep his “poor lodging” for life, adding the heartbreaking words: “I would rather die than live, if it were God’s pleasure.”
Goldwell’s letter shows us the human side of the Reformation.
Behind every confiscated abbey and looted shrine was a person left wondering how to live in a changed world.
On this day in Tudor history, 22nd October 1521, Sir Edward Poynings, soldier, administrator, and diplomat, died at his manor of Westenhanger in Kent.
He’s not a household name, but “Poynings’ Law” was quite a legacy. That law shaped Irish governance until the late 18th century
Poynings helped Henry VII restore royal control in Ireland, hunted pirates off the Flemish coast, and later steered diplomacy for Henry VIII…
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On this day in Tudor history, 21st October 1554, John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick, died at Penshurst in Kent, the home of his brother-in-law, where he was under house arrest.
Warwick had only just been released from the Tower of London.
He was the son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and brother of Guildford Dudley, both of whom were executed for their parts in the succession crisis of 1553, which saw Guildford’s wife, Lady Jane Grey, becoming queen for thirteen days.
Find out more about Warwick, whose rise had seem assured until that July…
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Step into the shadows of history this Halloween and discover the haunted secrets of Hever Castle, once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.
Join Messrs Watts, Moses and Cavendish as they lead you through a theatrical night of ghostly investigation and Victorian mystery. Together, you’ll venture beyond the veil between the living and the dead — exploring rarely seen corners of the Castle in search of spirits that may still linger there.
Your eerie evening begins at the Moat Restaurant, where you’ll meet your hosts before a lantern-lit walk along the Topiary Walk to the Castle Courtyard. Once inside, you’ll wander through the most atmospheric rooms of Hever Castle — familiar yet transformed — as haunting stories and spine-tingling surprises unfold.
Watch in wonder as a Victorian séance takes place before your very eyes. Are the spirits truly with you, or are you witnessing clever illusion? Only you can decide.
Blending favourite moments from last year’s experience with new, chilling twists for 2025, this immersive event promises to thrill both first-time visitors and returning ghost-hunters.
Each ticket includes a complimentary glass of Prosecco (or soft drink alternative) to steady your nerves before your journey into the unknown.
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On this day in Tudor history, 16th October 1594, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Cardinal William Allen died in exile in Rome.
To English Catholics, he was the shepherd who kept the old faith alive by founding colleges abroad that sent missionary priests back to England. To Elizabeth I’s government, he was a traitor who conspired with England’s enemies.
Allen even supported a Spanish invasion in 1588, the Spanish Armada, and readied himself to return to England when Elizabeth was deposed, seeing the queen as a heretic and usurper.
Find out more about him and decide for yourself whether he was a man of faith, a traitor, or both.
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On this day in Tudor history, 15th October 1542, William Fitzwilliam, Earl of Southampton, died on campaign at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, serving Henry VIII one last time.
Southampton had been by the king’s side since childhood, when he’d been placed in Prince Henry’s household. He grew up to become a soldier, sailor, ambassador, and royal enforcer.
From being injured in a naval strike in 1512, to helping with the organisation of the Field of Cloth of Gold, and being involved in the falls of Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Cromwell and Catherine Howard, Fitzwilliam’s career ran through the heart of Tudor power.
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On this day in Tudor history, 10th October 1530, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, magnate, soldier, jouster, court insider, and Lady Jane Grey’s grandfather, died. He was buried at at Astley Collegiate Church in Warwickshire.
He was a well-connected man – his grandmothers were Elizabeth Woodville and Catherine Neville, sister of “The Kingmaker”, and at his death, he was one of the richest men in England.
Find out more about the man imprisoned by Henry VII, but released by Henry VIII…
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On this day in Tudor history, 8th October 1549, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector, woke up the most powerful man in Tudor England and went to bed a denounced traitor.
Somerset had ruled as king in all but name since February 1547, leading his nephew King Edward VI’s government.
He pushed bold reforms (the Act of Uniformity and the Book of Common Prayer), but rebellion, rivalry, and ambition brought him down. On 8 October 1549, the Privy Council branded Somerset a traitor. By the 11th, he had surrendered. Within days, he was in the Tower; his protectorate abolished.
Find out more, and how this wasn’t actually the end of Somerset…
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On this day in Tudor history, 7th October 1589, William Hawkins, died.
He’s not as famous as his brother, Sir John Hawkins, but let me tell you more about this merchant, sea captain and three-time mayor of Plymouth…
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n my latest historian/author interview for my youtube channel, I’m joined by historian Elizabeth Norton to talk about her new book Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy. We cover how she chose her rulers, the thorny language of “queen” vs “female king”, why so many societies accepted women only in crises, and the single pattern she kept seeing across five millennia.
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