Guided Tour
Henry VIII & His Courtiers
Colorful, corpulent and many-wived, Henry VIII was a scholarly, forward-looking monarch… and a ruthless executioner “who released an orgy of iconoclasm and sadistic revenge on those who rebelled against him” in the words of David Starkey.
The county of Essex was one of the king’s favorite haunts and a popular retreat for his wealthy courtiers – and it is here that ACE and English Heritage will throw fresh light on Henry’s legacy five centuries after his accession to the throne.
One of Henry VIII’s first acts after the death of his father was to install Sir Henry Marney as vice-chamberlain and captain of his bodyguard. Henry later afforded Marney a further rare privilege: a personal visit to his Essex mansion, Layer Marney Tower, one of England’s most distinguished gate-houses -- “a showpiece of crazy height” according to Pevsner. Layer Marney’s stunning long gallery will be the setting for a very special evening: a feast of traditional Tudor fare, period music and authentic entertainment.
Sir Thomas Darcy, master of the artillery in the Tower of London and gentleman of the privy chamber, was another of Henry’s favorites. Darcy owned St Osyth’s, a former Augustinian priory set at the head of the rivers Stour and Blackwater. We will take a private tour of the priory, usually closed to the public, and learn how the property was surrendered to Thomas Cromwell in 1539 at the dissolution of the monasteries. We will also cast an eye over the gate-tower, currently under restoration thanks to a grant provided by English Heritage.
Ingatestone Hall, a 16th century manor house set in formal gardens, was built by another formidable Essex man, Sir William Petre, secretary of state not only to Henry VIII but also to Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth. Mary stayed at Ingatestone in 1553 and Elizabeth I spent several nights there on her progress of 1561. As the present Lord Petre will explain to us, fifteen generations of his family have lived – and still live – in the house, which largely retains its Tudor form.
The Tudor palace of Beaulieu, also known as New Hall, was acquired by Henry VIII from Thomas Boleyn, the father of Anne, in 1516. On his summer progress of 1527 Henry spent over a month at Beaulieu, taking supper with Anne in his private chamber –- whilst still married to Katherine of Aragon. Katherine and Henry’s daughter, Mary, later occupied the house before it passed into the hands of Oliver Cromwell for the sum of 5 shillings. Show Less
Colorful, corpulent and many-wived, Henry VIII was a scholarly, forward-looking monarch… and a ruthless executioner “who released an orgy of iconoclasm and sadistic revenge on those who rebelled against him” in the words of David Starkey.
The county of Essex was one of the king’s favorite haunts and a popular retreat for… Read More
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Tour assembles 1:00 p.m. at Marks Tey Hotel, near Colchester (approximately one hour by train from London). Afternoon: Introductory talk followed by visit to Layer Marney Tower (England’s tallest Tudor gate-house) for tea and private tour with owner followed by illustrated talk: Life as a Courtier – The Pleasures and Pains. Welcome dinner.
Day 2: Epping Forest: Elizabethan Hunting Lodge (built for Henry in 1543) followed by Waltham Abbey. Afternoon: Ingatestone Hall (owned by Petre family for 15 generations) for tea and tour (priest holes, twin courtyard, stepped gables) with Lord Petre. Evening: grand Tudor banquet at Layer Marney Tower.
Day 3: Illustrated talk: Henry VIII and Essex: The Architectural Legacy followed by New Hall (Henry VIII’s Palace of Beaulieu) with light lunch. Afternoon: private tour of St Osyth’s Priory: 16th century gate-house, abbot’s terrace, clock tower. Tour disperses 5:00 p.m. at Marks Tey Hotel.
Additional Information
Mary Dicken grew up in and around Cambridge, England and read Modern History at Oxford University. She taught history at schools in Oxfordshire and Cambridge and was head of history at a leading independent school in Cambridge for 15 years, during which time she led numerous educational expeditions to castles, battlefields and historic houses. By training and inclination a medievalist, as a teacher she specialized in the Tudor and Stuart periods and since retiring has developed interests in the 18th century and in women’s history. Mary has published a textbook on Disraeli and several local history booklets and is currently working on the history of her parish church.