Tour Code

Depart London

Return London

TUD

Saturday

Tuesday

Prices: GBP £495 pp twin share / GBP £545 single room /
Child 12 & under sharing room with 2 adults GBP £389

NIGHTSTOP

DAY ONE - SATURDAY

Departing London at 08.00, we first drive to Burghley House in South Lincolnshire. This sumptuous stately home was home for the great Cecil family, This largest and grandest house of the first Elizabethan age was completed by William Cecil, Lord Burghley in 1587. Today, eighteen state rooms are filled with wonderful paintings, furniture and fine art. The kitchens are truly amazing! We'll next take a brief stop at Kirby Hall, another of England’s greatest Elizabethan and 17th-century houses. Begun by Sir Humphrey Stafford in about 1570, it was purchased six years later by Sir Christopher Hatton, one of Queen Elizabeth’s ‘comely young men’ and later her Lord Chancellor. Kirby Hall’s exceptionally richly  decorated Great Hall and state rooms remain intact. Sir Christopher Hatton the Fourth added the great gardens (described as ‘ye finest garden in England’) in the late 17th century. They are now partly restored and laid out in an elaborate ‘cutwork’ design.

Finally, to the battlefield which marked the demise of the House of York and the ascendancy of the Tudors; Bosworth. Here, in 1485, Henry Tudor slew Richard III (his offer of a ‘my kingdom for a horse’ not being quite enough!). It’s an interesting site and we’ll take a guided walk of the battlefield.

Our night stop is close to the magnificent ruined castle of Kenilworth. Though the castle has a history preceding the Tudor period,  it has connections with John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, who became virtual ruler of England at the time of the rule of the pre-teen King, Edward. It was Dudley who tried to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne, and who was beheaded to the Tower for his efforts by ‘Bloody’ Mary.

Warwickshire in accommodation dating from Tudor times!

DAY TWO - SUNDAY

Today, we’ll change our focus and look at Tudor literature, medicine and how the common folk lived. What finer place to use as our ‘classroom'! Then, Stratford upon Avon and nearby Warwick.

Patently, the great bard, Shakespeare, provides one major theme to the day, but we’ll also learn about daily life during the late Tudor period  as we take visits to some of the houses associated with his life and family. Amongst many other fascinating things, you’ll hear how we come to use the phrase ‘to let one’s hair down’  as a synonym for having fun!

We’ll also see Harvard House which was the home of Katherine Rogers, mother of John Harvard, whose bequest made possible the foundation of Harvard University. Built in 1596, it is a fine example of an Elizabethan town house and also the home of the Museum of British Pewter.

Nearby, in Warwick, we’ll visit the Lord Leycester Hospital. Robert Dudley (another one!), Earl of Leicester, and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, converted the picture-book buildings of the dissolved Warwick Guilds into a retreat for old soldiers and it has continued to serve that purpose until the present day.

We turn south and drive to Oxford. Many of the colleges here were endowed during the Tudor period by such as Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII. We will see Christchurch, originally known as Cardinal College, and then King Henry VIII’s college.

Next, touring through the magnificent Cotswolds. This sheep farming region was an important source of wealth throughout the Tudor period. We'll stop at Northleach, a typical village of the area and see the chapel built to commemorate the marriage of Henry Tudor and Elizabeth of York. One other reason for coming here is to visit Sudley Castle, a place with connections running through the Tudor Dynasty and court circle. It was the home of three queens; houses the marble tomb of Katherine Parr, the wife of Henry VIII who survived and a place where scandal left its impression on the young mind of the future Queen Elizabeth I.

We’ll start the day seeing the imposing ruins of the first abbey to be dissolved by Henry VIII. Then, to perhaps the jewel in the Tudor crown, Hampton Court Palace. We’ll be taking time to explore in detail, having lunch here beside the Thames. The gardens, kitchen and external architecture are all absolute gems.

Our final visit of the day, and tour, will be to Hever Castle, in Kent. For many this is the prettiest of all Tudor palaces and certainly redolent with its history.This was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth, and later given to another of Henry’s wives, Anne of Cleeves as part of her divorce settlement.

Our tour ends in London where you’ll be dropped at one of our main hotel drop off points.

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