The Lost Palaces of Tudor England

The anniversary programme begins with The Lost Palaces of Tudor England, a special talk exploring the lost architectural world of Tudor England, focusing on the vast portfolio of palaces and houses once owned by Henry VIII.  At the height of his reign, Henry VIII possessed more than 60 royal residences. Yet within a century of his death, many had been destroyed during the English Civil War, their riches dispersed and their histories largely forgotten.

Drawing on recent research, Jonathan Foyle will bring these vanished buildings vividly back to life, revealing how they were designed, decorated, and experienced.  His talk will also highlight the great halls that once defined the skyline during the lifetime of William Shakespeare, some of which may even have offered him his earliest stage.

Dr Jonathan Foyle, says, “So often history is lost beyond recall, but sometimes it’s lost in plain sight.  Recent discoveries have helped to piece together the palaces and royal houses of Tudor England. This talk explores diaries, furniture and other arts and objects that have been misidentified, but through forensic analysis we can identify them and reconstruct more of the royal palaces and houses they were once part of.”

Tickets for the event are priced at £10 for adults and £7.50 for students and can be booked online https://shakespearesschoolroom.digitickets.co.uk/tickets .