Shakespeare, Russell and Tea!
Hello Fellow History Lover!
This week:
Our first weekend length tour, ‘Shakespeare in Stratford’ opens for bookings tomorrow, see the itinerary below.
Interview with Gareth Russell about his new book ‘The Palace’
Watch this week’s Tea Time Live
Before all of the above I want to tell you more about something else coming up this week.
For decades we have understood the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which took place in the late 1530's during the reign of Henry VIII, in a short hand, summarised and sanitised version of events. Professor James Clark, in his book 'The Dissolution of the Monasteries. A New History' published by Yale University Press in 2021, looks at how the dissolution unfolded for the ordinary people and exposes the received history and its short hand explanations of the process as way too simple and, in many ways, inaccurate.
The starting point for the dissolution is NOT a total dissolution.
The story to be told is not endlessly revisiting the drama between Henry, Cromwell and Anne Boleyn but actually trying to understand what it means for people in the Kingdom of England."
A few months ago I had the immeasurable pleasure of spending 3 hours with James and am very proud to have produced a 5 episode series.
In this series "The Truth About the Dissolution of the Monasteries," over 5 episodes, Professor James Clark discusses in fascinating detail, how the dissolution unfolded.
Episodes in this series:
Episode 1 - Henry VIII's real intention for the Monasteries of England and Wales
Episode 2 - How the Pilgrimage of Grace may have led to the more monasteries being closed
Episode 3 - What was the Valor Ecclesiasticus?
Episode 4 - What really happened when a monastery was closed.
Episode 5 - "Even in 1539, they still don’t believe the end is coming."
Each day for 5 days, from Monday 21st August, an episode from the Dissolution of the Monasteries Series will be released to members of the British History Patreon with a member only bonus 1 hour released on Saturday in which James talks about Anne Boleyn’s involvement, and the plight of the women turfed out of their religious houses (it may not be what you think!).
The 5 episodes detailed above, will be made available too everyone from 28th August - 1st September.
Here is a reminder about my latest paid blog on The Armada Maps (also available to all members of my Patreon - https://patreon.com/BritishHistory)
New Tour for 2024!
Shakespeare in Stratford Tour: 28th - 30th June 2024
with Dr Katrina Marchant
£895 per person, based on two people sharing.
Highlights:
Show Tickets for a Shakespeare production at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Three talks from Dr Katrina Marchant
Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Schoolroom and Grave
Included:
2 nights luxury accommodation
Breakfast and Dinner
Theatre Show Ticket
All Admissions
Priority booking opens for this tour tomorrow to members of my British History Club over on Patreon but even if you are not a member you can still view all the tour details on the British History Tours website, www.britishhistorytours.com.
Gareth Russell Interview
Gareth Russell on his new book The Palace. From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 years of history at Hampton Court. The book is out in the UK, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa now and will be published in the USA and Canada on 5th December.
Tea Time History Chat Live
16th August 2023
In my first Tea Time History Chat after being away on a camping trip, I talked about the newest tour released for 2024, The Shakespeare in Stratford Tour, Interviews which are out now and those about to be released, a little about Tudor history in Westminster, this Autumn’s Online History Festival, who is speaking and how to get tickets, The Armada Maps and their link to Hever Castle, and Elizabeth’s Tilbury Speech!
Next time….
I want to take you on an exploration to a place called Thorney Island, a land bank at a crossing in the River Thames which would grow to become the capital on an Empire!
See you next week
Philippa