OCTOBER 16-23, 2024
Join popular British historians, authors, and broadcasters, Dr. Owen Emerson, Dr. Nicola Tallis, and Kate McCaffrey (a.k.a. The TUDOR TRIO) for a unique look into the lives of the Boleyn family! When you think Boleyn, the name Anne always comes to mind. But there is so much more to this family. If you love Tudor History, this is one Adventure you don't want to miss!
ITINERARY AND EXCURSIONS
Day 1
Wednesday
October 16, 2024
Travel
Arrive in London, and transfer to our hotel. We will have our traditional "Welcome Meeting" in the evening. (D)
Day 2
Thursday
October 17, 2024
Norwich:
Blickling Hall & Gardens
St. Andrews Church
After breakfast, we leave for Blickling Hall, the Boleyn family’s early seat. Though this is largely a 17th-century rebuild, new research shows that much of the original ‘house of fair brick’ that Geoffrey Boleyn built in the 1450s remains inside the Jabobean facade. Geoffrey had been the ‘pivotal’ Boleyn, transforming the family’s fortunes from being workers of the land to being Lord Mayor of London. Blickling was his first major property acquisition and remains the most likely property where all of the subsequent Boleyns were born. Following our visit, it's lunch on your own.
Next, we go to St Andrews Church, a beautiful building that retains its original painted medieval font where Anne was very likely christened. In the evening, dinner is on your own. (B)
Day 3
Friday
October 18, 2024
Norwich Cathedral
Following breakfast we take a tour of the beautiful Norwich Cathedral. We'll take a short break for lunch on your own and continue on to Royal Tunbridge Wells. Dinner is on your own. (B)
Day 4
Saturday
October 19, 2024
Penshurst Place
After breakfast, we go to Penshurst Place to visit the House and Gardens. Penshurst is a somewhat hidden gem in the story of the Boleyn family, and a beautifully preserved one. Originally the seat of the Duke of Buckingham, it was seized by the crown in 1521 following the execution of Buckingham and Thomas Boleyn acquired the stewardship of the property in 1522. He therefore was responsible for its upkeep and attained the right to occupy it when the King wasn't using it. If Henry ever visited Anne at her Kentish castle, it is very likely that it was at this palatial residence, just four miles from Hever. We find Thomas occupying Penshurst on several occasions too. Later, Queen Elizabeth I would often visit Penshurst, staying there on at least three occasions. As Hever is directly on the route from London to Penshurst, it is overwhelmingly likely that she saw her mother’s former home of Hever during these visits. Dinner is on your own. (B)
Day 5
Sunday
October 20, 2024
Allington Castle &
Leeds Castle
We begin our day with a rare opportunity unique to our group, a visit to Allington Castle; a real hidden gem rarely open to the public. It is the family seat of the Wyatt family and is just 15 miles from Hever. Because of this closeness, the Wyatt and Boleyn family were close neighbours, and the poet Thomas Wyatt the Elder developed a passion for Anne Boleyn, immortalising her in famous poems such as ‘Whoso List to Hunt’. Allington features again in the Boleyn story when Thomas Wyatt the Younger used the castle as the base for his rebellion in 1554 as he attempted to overthrow Queen Mary I in favor of her sister, Princess Elizabeth. Allington’s proximity to Hever also endangered the life of Hever’s then-tenant (and close stepmother to Elizabeth) Anne of Cleves. After our visit, we are off to visit Leeds Castle.
Leeds Castle is a stunning Kentish property with connections to six fascinating queens. During the Tudor era, it emerged as a favourite property of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first queen. It was at Leeds that Henry and Catherine resided in 1520 before travelling to the famous Field of Cloth of Gold summit with King Francis I, an event where Henry may have first set eyes on Anne Boleyn, who was serving at the French court. Leeds would later be occupied by Gregory Cromwell, whose father, Thomas Cromwell, had been a key player in facilitating Anne Boleyn’s rise to the throne and her bloody downfall. When finished, it's lunch on your own then we return to the hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening as well. (B)
Day 6
Monday
October 21, 2024
Hever Castle
Today, we spend the day at Hever Castle, the second major acquisition by Geoffrey Boleyn in 1463. Hever would emerge as the central seat of his grandson, Thomas Boleyn, who moved his family here from Norfolk in 1505. It is here that Anne Boleyn would spend her formative years, and then later, would base herself during the tumultuous years of The Great Matter. During this latter period, Hever acted as a central location in the political upheaval that would result in the break with Rome, and Anne acted as a significant political player in that process. We will see the exciting new curation of the rooms occupied by the Boleyn family, giving us a flavor of how the rooms looked during their tenure. We will complete our day with dinner at the castle and sleeping at the castle B&B. At Hever, a limited number of guests will have an opportunity to dress in authentic Tudor attire! (for an additional cost) (B)(D)
Day 7
Tuesday
October 22, 2024
London:
The Tower of London
& Westminster Abbey
We begin our day with a tour of London, stopping at the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Both Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I stayed in the royal apartments of the Tower before their respective coronations, and important features survive at the Tower that were installed especially for Anne’s coronation celebrations. This was also the place where Anne was imprisoned and executed in 1536, and where her daughter, Elizabeth, would be imprisoned following the Wyatt Rebellion in 1554. Mother and daughter would share the same prison room, and though Elizabeth would survive, she was released from the Tower on the anniversary of her mother’s execution. Anne is buried here in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula. Following our visit, you will have time for lunch on our own before our final stop, Westminster Cathedral, the site where both Anne and Elizabeth were crowned queen consort and regnant (respectively). Indeed, Anne was pregnant with Elizabeth when her mother had received an unusually lavish coronation and had been crowned with St Edward’s crown which had only ever been used to crown the monarch previously. This is also the burial place of Elizabeth I, with her magnificent tomb adorned - amongst other emblems - with the white falcon used by her mother. After this visit we say goodbye to London and return to our hotel for dinner on your own. (B)
Day 8
Wednesday
October 23, 2024
Leave for Home
We will transfer to the airport for our return trip home, taking with us connections to new friends and memories of a wonderful adventure! (B)
SPACE IS LIMITED
RESERVE YOUR PLACE TODAY
ONLY $300 per person!
*Total Tour Cost:
*$3995 per person*
OR CALL:
801-809-2434
* based on double occupancy
**single supplement additional $685
(Let us know if you're willing to share a room)
**single supplement additional $685
(Let us know if you're willing to share a room)
THE TUDOR TRIO
Dr. Owen Emmerson
Dr. Owen Emmerson is a social and cultural historian with a particular interest in the intersections between the social, the cultural and the emotional. For six years, he worked as Castle Historian and Assistant Curator at Hever Castle where he co-curated three exhibitions, managed key loans, and co-founded Hever’s online subscription site. His first book, co-authored with the historian Claire Ridgway, is entitled The Boleyns of Hever Castle. His second book, co-authored with the historian Kate McCaffrey, is entitled Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court. Owen’s third book, co-authored with historian Kate McCaffrey and Curator Alison Palmer is entitled Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers. His most recent book, entitled Holbein’s Hidden Gem: Rediscovering Thomas Cromwell’s Lost Book was published in 2023. It tells the story of the ground-breaking discovery he made alongside Kate McCaffrey, and Alison Palmer of the Book of Hours depicted in Hans Holbein’s painting of Thomas Cromwell. Dr Tracy Borman has dubbed their efforts as ‘The most exciting Thomas Cromwell discovery in a generation – if not more’. Owen has appeared in seventeen documentaries about the Tudor era, including “Blood, Sex, and Royalty: Anne Boleyn” (Netflix, 2022); “The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family” (BBC2, 2021); “Who Do You Think You Are? Josh Widdicombe” (BBC1, 2021); “Walking Tudor England” (C5, 2021); “Lady Rochford” (C5, 2021); and “Henry VIII and the King’s Men” (Smithsonian, 2020). He has also featured in three documentaries with HistoryHit focused upon the exhibitions he co-curated. He has featured regularly on the BBC’s Dominic King radio show, and has appeared on several podcasts for Historic Royal Palaces, Not Just The Tudors, Talking Tudors, and BBC History. He has written for BBC HistoryExtra, The Daily Mirror, Jacobin, The Telegraph, The Express, and Radio Times.
Dr Nicola Tallis
Dr. Nicola Tallis has a first class BA (Hons) in History from Bath Spa University, and an MA in Public History from Royal Holloway College, University of London. She received her PhD at the University of Winchester, where her thesis examined the jewellery collections of the queens of England between 1445 and 1548. Nicola has been passionate about English history all of her life, and has worked as a curator, lecturer, and historical researcher. She is currently the resident historian for Alison Weir Tours. She is a regular contributor to historical magazines, and has also featured prominently on BBC’s Countryfile, Who Do You Think You Are?, and Frankie Boyle’s Farewell to the Monarchy. Nicola’s debut, Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey, is the result of five years of research on the Grey family. She is since the author of four further books – Elizabeth’s Rival: The Tumultuous Tale of Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester, Uncrowned Queen: The Tumultuous Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Rebel, All The Queen’s Jewels 1445-1548: Power, Majesty, and Display, and her latest book, Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen.
Kate McCaffrey
Kate McCaffrey is the current Castle Historian and Assistant Curator at the gorgeous Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s childhood home in Kent. Her Master’s degree was with the department of Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent. Her celebrated MA thesis focused on groundbreaking, new evidence she uncovered in one of Anne Boleyn’s printed Books of Hours, held at Hever Castle. She uncovered previously unknown inscriptions within the book, and connected the volume for the first time to another copy of the same printing once owned by Catherine of Aragon. This research gained international press attention on its launch in 2020, including coverage from The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Observer and The Smithsonian. More recently, she discovered (this time alongside Dr Owen Emmerson and Alison Palmer) another copy of this same book which was once owned by Thomas Cromwell, and is the book painted on his desk in his portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger. Dr Tracy Borman has dubbed this discovery as ‘the most exciting Thomas Cromwell discovery in a generation – if not more.’ Kate has published about her work in three books: ‘Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court’ and ‘Holbein’s Hidden Gem: Rediscovering Thomas Cromwell’s Lost Book of Hours’ (both co-authored with Dr Owen Emmerson), as well as ‘Catherine and Anne: Queens, Rivals, Mothers’ (co-authored with Dr Owen Emmerson and Alison Palmer). Kate has co-curated exhibitions at Hever Castle, based on her own research. She has appeared in three documentaries for History Hit, on BBC’s Songs of Praise and on BBC’s Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. She has written for the Times Literary Supplement, and BBC History Revealed Magazine, and appeared on podcasts including BBC History Extra, Talking Tudors and Not Just the Tudors, amongst others.
DISCLAIMERS AND FINE PRINT DETAILS
- All payments are refundable in the case of travel restrictions beyond our control. Refunds will only be withheld should the trip go forward and a guest still chooses to cancel. For this reason, travel insurance is strongly recommended and may be purchased separately.
- Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Prices include: accommodation at four star hotel, excursions, and meals as listed in the itinerary.
- Prices DO NOT include: airfare, optional excursions, and single supplement.
- For optimal tour experience, guests are encouraged to read/revisit books by The Tudor Trio as listed in their bios.
- Final payment due on or before July 1, 2024
BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE
WITH THE TUDOR TRIO
TODAY!
801-809-2434
All information provided on this website, including but not limited to data, dates, prices, itineraries and descriptions is given as information only and is subject to availability and may change at any time for any reason, without prior notice. Rates shown do not include taxes, port fees, or other necessary charges. Please call the number above for specific details.