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Dartington Hall and John Holand’s White Hart Badge

February 12, 2023

Dartington Hall and John Holand’s White Hart Badge

Always look up as you enter the porch at Dartington Hall. In the centre, where the ribs of the vaulting meet, you will see a carved boss; a white hart atop a red rose from beneath which a few wheat ears protrude.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is believed the carving was installed when John Holand (c.1352-16 January 1400), 1st Duke of Exeter, 1st Earl of Huntingdon and half brother …

Valentine’s day and the Tudors

February 12, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine’s day and the Tudors

Nowadays, in England and many other countries, February 14 is traditionally the day to present gifts like chocolates and flowers or to send cards and messages to those we love — all in the name of St Valentine. But who exactly was St Valentine and how was his feast day celebrated in the sixteenth century?

Valentinus, a priest, who supposedly disobeyed an edict from the Roman Emperor, Claudius II .The emperor, believing unmarried men made better …

Did Henry VIII eat turkey for Christmas dinner?

December 12, 2022

Did Henry VIII eat turkey for Christmas dinner?

It’s a question that often comes up at my Tudor Christmas events. So here’s a bit about the history of our favourite Christmas dish and a few personal memories of the noble turkey bird.

A Christmas feast at the court of King Henry VIII must have been a truly magnificent spectacle. Every type of meat, fish and fowl you can imagine — including some that seem very strange to us today — found its way on to the groaning tables at Greenwich Palace and Hampton Court. But …

Rare survivors: Farthingale sleeves and supports

December 12, 2022

Farthingale sleeves — a chance to examine some very rare survivors

In an episode of the BBC’s Antiques Road Show that first aired on 30 October 2022, an incredible cache of Elizabethan textiles was presented for assessment at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham. This very rare collection belonged to the Willoughby family of Wollaton Hall, which was built in 1588 by wealthy coal baron Sir Francis Willoughby.

The items included a wonderful 500-year-old bedspread and pillowcases, but they were eclipsed by the "extremely rare" ivory silk satin sleeve and sleeve support found in the same chest.

 

Missing Persons — Who were the Typical Tudors?

December 12, 2022

Missing Persons — Who were the Typical Tudors?

Tudor Tailor Conference, Nottingham, 22-25 October 2022

They say the best things are worth waiting for. Well, the conference to launch the Tudor Tailor’s new book “The Typical Tudor” was certainly worth the wait. After several false starts because of the pandemic, Tudor costume enthusiasts from all over the world gathered in Nottingham on a rather wet weekend. What a treat was in store for us.

 

We were greeted with a glass at registration on Saturday afternoon and there was time …