Is there anything left to know about Anne Boleyn?
How to see past tours and follow this May's.
Hello Fellow History Lover!
The past few weeks have been full of tour preparation as we are in the run up to ‘The Anne Boleyn Tour,’ our flagship tour which has become a staple of the tour calendar and deservedly so! It’s an incredible experience and I say so because, although of course I always strive to provide that, guests on the past 7 Anne Boleyn tours have told me, and indeed left reviews, saying so.
We stay for 4 nights at Anne Boleyn’s childhood home of Hever Castle with trips out to Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London, and are joined by our historian in residence Gareth Russell, as well as Tracy Borman OBE and Kate McCaffrey! Private tours of Hampton Court Palace have, in the past, included access to areas off limits to the public. Last year we were able to see the apartments Anne Boleyn would have occupied as a Lady-In-Waiting to Katherine of Aragon. A highlight of the tour has to be our after-hours tour of Hever Castle after everyone has gone home which concludes in the Great Hall, where we enjoy a three-course dinner!
I will be writing an article each night of the tour about what we have been doing, seeing and hearing, with photos for paying Substack Subscribers. (These will also be published in my Patreon.)
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the history around Anne Boleyn must be pretty fixed by now but, only last year, Professor James Clark gave us a talk ‘Anne’s Religion. Henry’s Reformation’ in which he told us previously unheard evidence of Anne’s Catholic piety, which shed a different light on her presumed influence on the Reformation (which of course she didn’t live to see.) Members of my Patreon can watch that talk, or if you’re not a Patreon member you have the option to buy it for a one-off cost of £20 - Click Here to take a look!
The talk from Professor Clark is one of 7 talks recorded on The Anne Boleyn Tour available for you to watch with an 8th one being added today! (You can see a short extract below). Dr Jonathan Foyle is an architectural historian, presenter and author. He has worked as Buildings Curator at Hampton Court Palace and has intimate knowledge of the building. He gave a brilliant talk about the Palace which Henry VIII inherited (err-hum) from his Chief Advisor Thomas Wolsey, and which he and Anne set about making into a palace for their court. Please Click Here.
Note about joining Patreon if you are reading this on an iPhone. Apple, in their wisdom, have whacked on huge fees for paying for a membership via the iOS system. However, if you sign up on a desktop you will avoid the charge but still be able to access Patreon on your iPhone. In other words, you only need to do it once and you will have the same access anyway.
(Click above to watch a short extract from Jonathan Foyle’s talk)
If following along ‘The Anne Boleyn Tour’ whets your appetite and you would like to do it in person, we have some spaces remaining for May 2026 - please click here.
This year’s tour begins on Friday 16th May (next Friday). As well as the articles, you can also follow along on my Instagram and Facebook pages.
Until next time, take care.
Philippa 💜