Walking Through History, Estate Office, Stoneleigh Abbey Kenilworth (2026)

24/05/2025

Pembroke Castle, South Wales.

This was our first visit to the castle and it won't be our last. We were there for 3 hours and could have spent longer there but we had another place to be.
I've been wanting to visit Pembroke castle for its links to The Greatest Knight, William Marshal and it didn't disappoint - it should sefinitely be added to any itinerary if you're in the area. The cakes in their tearoom were lovely and the heritage centre was interesting too - we spent a while looking up the origins of my hubby's surname.

Interesting history:
1. Gerald de Windsor was appointed Constable of Pembroke. He was the husband of the infamous Princess Nest (fascinating woman with a great story to tell).
2. William Marshal links - his wife Isabel de Clare was Countess of Pembroke in her own right, even though it took him 10 years to be confirmed as Earl of Pembroke by King John in 1199. A statue of Marshall can be found at the start (or end) of the castle walk along the water, and another one of Henry Tudor on the other side. Also, look out for the tapestry which depicts Marshal's life (see pic).
3. Birthplace of Henry Tudor, he even has his own tower and an exhibition space inside. Henry's uncle Jasper received the castle and Earldom of Pembroke in 1454. It would be here at the castle in 1457 that Henry's mother, the formidable Margaret Beaufort who was just 13 at the time, would give birth to her son.

Reasons to visit:
1. Every nook and cranny of this castle ooses history. You can walk part of the castle walls, go up to the top of the 75ft tower that Marshal had constructed and get amazing 360° views, go down into the Wogan cavern. The site even has a large walkable Great Map of castles in Wales - great if you're looking for inspiration for further castle exploring!
2. The guided tour is one of the best. They run every hour and last just over an hour.
3. Fantastic gift shop with excellent range of topical books. I picked up Julia Hickey's book on Isabel de Clare and Tony Riches Author Mary Tudor, but could easily have picked up Judith Arnopp's Beaufort trilogy as well. I'm a prolific reader and I always appreciate places that stock books linked to their sites.

Opening times vary throughout the year but during peak times (April-August) the castle is open 9.30am-5.30pm. It's £11 for an adult to visit, which for us was totally worth it. The site has no parking, we parked down the hill in the commons which was a 5 minute walk.

25/03/2025

Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire

We were in the area for a couple of days and managed to squeeze this in and I'm so glad we did! It was a trip of two halves, having visited Kenilworth Castle for the Dudley/Tudor connection and then to here - purely for the Jane Austen connection through her Leigh family line.

Interesting history:
1. The original building was founded by King Henry II as a Cistercian Abbey in 1154, but the gatehouse is the only surviving remnant of the 14th century original Abbey buildings.
2. The house has hosted some very famous names; King Charles I, Queen Victoria & Prince Albert, a young Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and George Elliot - and the guides have stories about them all.
3. Jane Austen. Stoneleigh was home to Jane's maternal relatives, the Leighs, for over 400 years. It was acquired by Sir Thomas Leigh, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, in 1558. Jane, Cassandra and their mother visited Stoneleigh in 1806 accompanied by Reverend Thomas Leigh. Much of the interiors and furniture is as it was in Jane's time, so you're seeing it almost as she herself would have seen it. Remember to check out the chapel, particularly if you're a fan of Mansfield Park - the chapels description in the book pretty much identically reflects the Chapel at Stoneleigh.

Reasons to visit:
1. The tour is great. I love a tour that is given where the speakers are passionate about the place and its stories. The volunteers are knowledgeable and great story tellers, with a place like Stoneleigh that has such interesting characters - they do the characters justice.
2. It's a great place for fans of Jane Austen and her books to explore another site, perhaps a less visited associated site than Chawton or Chatsworth, where she took inspiration from for her characters.
3. HHA members have free entry to the gardens and then £8 per adult for the guided tour of the house. Parking is ample and they have a little gift shop on the way in that has some Jane Austen/Regency themed mementoes.

Entry to the house is by guided tour only at 11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm on the days they are open.

Stoneleigh Abbey

25/03/2025

Medieval Women exhibition held at the British Library

We managed to tick this off our list last month a a couple of weeks before it closed. Did many of you get to see it, and if so, what did you think?

I personally thought it was fantastic, and it looked to be very popular - we went midweek and despite timeslot entry we snaked around the exhibits. Nevertheless it was a joy to see so many other people sharing in the marvels on show. Women's history is no longer as sidelined as it has previously been, and the growing pool of work in this area (such as this exhibition) highlights how much women's stories still have to show us. We were there for about 3 hours soaking it all in.

It was beautifully put together after so much planning and organising, so hats off to the curatorial team. It was an extraordinary collection of stories and artefacts, all clearly enunciating the voices of medieval women.

There's a few photos of my favourite exhibits, but my particular favourites were;
1. The Foundress Cup - a silver-gilt cup that belonged to Eleanor Cobham and Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester which has their joint coat of arms enamelled on the inside. Their whirlwind romance would end with Eleanor accused of witchcraft in 1441 and the downfall of her husband Humfrey. But this cup is a lasting testament to their union, and beautiful it is.
2. Joana of Castile (or perhaps better, but not as fairly, known as Joana the Mad) book of hours. Her husband, father and son all tried to deprive her of her throne, her confinement for life inevitably exacerbated any condition she may have had.
3. The book of Margery Kempe. The only surviving copy of a female autobiography in English.
4. Margaret of Anjou's wedding gift, 'the Talbot Shrewsbury Book' made in Rouen, France. This exquisitely detailed collection of romances and chivalries was gifted to Margaret by John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury - the first miniature actually depicts the moment of gift giving!
5. Foundation charter of Bordesley Abbey by Empress Matilda, Lady of the English. In a brief period during The Anarchy when King Stephen was imprisoned, Matilda, in effect, ruled England.
Her seal shows her holding a sceptre, and it's suggested that the silk bag the seal is kept in, was fashioned from one of her dresses.

24/03/2025

24th March

Today marks the 422nd anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I's death. For many she would have been the only Monarch of living memory, having ruled for 44 years reaching the grand old age (for the period) of 69.

It was upon her death that the crowns of England and Scotland united under James I. It would be almost 104 years to the day in 1707 that The Act of Union would be passed (it was actually confirmed on the 25th March 1707), which officially united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Photo was taken last year at Hatfield House, we (rather fortuitously) visited the day after the return of the fully restored 'Rainbow Portrait' and saw it in its full splendour. It's said that it was under an oak tree in the grounds of the Old Palace of Hatfield, that Elizabeth first learnt that she was to be Queen.

23/03/2025

Another first for us, visited Syon Park - House and Gardens in London today. The London home of the Dukes of Northumberland, with a history that spans nearly 600 years and with more recent events including being used as a filming location for the likes of; Belgravia, Miss Austen and Bridgerton.

Interesting history:
1. Syon's history goes all the way back to 1415. It's name derives from Syon Abbey, a Bridgettine monastery that was founded on a nearby site by Henry V (of Agincourt fame). Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Syon came under Crown ownership and Lord Protector Edward Seymour (Duke of Somerset) became its lease holder. He rebuilt the site as Syon House.
2. After Somerset's downfall, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland (one of the most powerful and wealthiest men after the king) took hold of Somerset's estates for himself. It was in the Tudor long gallery that his daughter in law, Lady Jane Grey, would be put upon to take the crown as Edward VI's heir and be taken by Robert Dudley by barge to the Tower of London.
3. There's a portrait of Charles I and a young James, Duke of York in the red drawing room. Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland, was a key figure during the English Civil War, he was ultimately made guardian of Charles' eldest children. It's said that this was painted at Syon, during the period of which Charles was under house arrest at Hampton Court Palace. He was moved to Syon in order to see his children.

Reasons to visit:
1. The ceilings are stunning. In the red drawing room the ceiling is said to represent heaven and earth. This is denoted by the centre roundels containing figures which appear to be floating (representing Heaven), whilst around the edges all the figures have a foot to the floor (representing Earth).
2. You can spend all afternoon just wandering around the Long Gallery. The guides in this room knew every inch of its history and of its designer Robert Adam. Remember to look up in this room, each of the roundels are beautifully and exquisitely detailed, and they are all different.
3. The guides. If you're a fan of being told fascinating history to, you'll not be disappointed here. They knew what they were about, and it was wonderful to hear their enthusiasm for the place and its character radiate through what they were sharing with us.
4. The garden centre is nice to walk around and Brownbread Bakery are setup just by the entrance and sell lots of delicious baked goods - maybe one to take with you as you explore the gardens and grounds?

We've already decided we'll be going back and as HHA members we go in free and you don't need to book. It's a really great place to explore. The admissions bit also has a selection of books relevant to the house's history which I always appreciate - they typically become my souvenir. 'House of Grey' by Melita Thomas is a great read. It's also a stones throw from Kew Gardens if you're in the area for a couple of days.

22/03/2025

Medieval Bodies by Jack Hartnell

I loved this book. It's brilliant for anyone remotely interested in medieval medicine, or more generally, anyone who wants to read about how people in the Middle Ages understood themselves and how they fit with the world around them.

Hartnell is an Art Historian which goes some way to explaining why the book includes so many beautiful illustrations, which he references and narrates throughout. I thought it was well written and would appeal to specialists and novices alike - using lots of material that people may not have seen for themselves before.

The books chapters are broken down into parts of the body i.e. the head, senses, skin, heart and hands etc making it easy to dip in and out of if necessary. While it is a well researched scholarly text, I found it accessible and easy to read. I didn't lose my way through the text and get bogged down in academic detail.

Ultimately I'd recommend this. It's a superbly put together book; with erudition, humour and richly detailed storytelling.

21/03/2025

21st March

21st March

1556 Thomas Cranmer, former Archbishop of Canterbury is executed. On the day of his ex*****on, Cranmer deviated from the scripted sermon and renounced the recantations he made stating, "as for the pope I refuse him, as Christ's enemy, and Antichrist with all his false doctrine".

21/03/2025

Is this the face of Lady Jane Grey?

Apologies for the photo, this was the best angle due to reflections on a very sunny day!
It was interesting to see this portrait up close, and English Heritage did a good job of providing a narrative of back story and research findings.

It's been a part of Wrest Park's collection for many years, having been acquired by Anthony Grey, 11th Earl of Kent at an auction in 1701 when described as an 'image of Lady Jane Grey'.

It's recently returned to Wrest Park having undergone technical analysis, and has thrown up some interesting evidence following new research by English Heritage, the Courtauld Institute of Art, and dendrochronologist Ian Tyers. The evidence includes insights following dendrochronology, XRF (x-ray fluorescence which identifies elements in the materials used) and infrared reflectography (which reveals what lies under the surface of a painting).

The results of the dendrochronology provides us with a window of when the portrait was most likely painted, 1539-1571. This would place the portrait as being painted in Jane's lifetime.
The reflectography indicates that the clothing has been significantly altered, most notably making it plainer. It's suggested that this could possibly be a way of making her appear more like a Protestant martyr.

While no conclusions can be definitively made, it keeps the story of Lady Jane alive. It makes her more than just a nine days wonder, she's inciting our interest and curiosity centuries later. Like many other women from history, it shows she still has stories to share and the power to captivate us. If it is Jane, this is the only known likeness of her to be made during her lifetime - which is very exciting.

Excellent recommended non-fiction reading material on Lady Jane Grey would be Nicola Tallis' 'Crown of Blood' & Eric Ives' 'Lady Jane Grey'. But her story is also brought to life in fiction; Suzannah Dunn's 'The Lady of Misrule' and Alison Weir's 'Innocent Traitor' amongst many others.

21/03/2025

Absolutely exquisite, I'm a passionate medievalist and artefacts like this are just so exciting to be able to see up close. That's me off planning another trip to the Tower!

20/03/2025

20th March

1330 Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent and son of King Edward I and his seocond wife Maragret of France, was executed. Edmund believed (wrongly) that his royal half-brother Edward II was held captive but still alive. It was this belief that led him to attempt to free Edward. This was considered treason and he was indicted for it by Parliament, he was subsequently beheaded but not as soon as expected. The ex*****oner had run off not wishing to soil his hands executing a man whose only crime was to help his brother. Its said that hours passed, as no-one was willing to do the deed until a condemned man took up the task in exchange for a reprieve.

1413 Henry IV also known as Henry Bolingbroke, eldest son of John of Gaunt & his first wife Blanche of Lancaster, dies. Henry had been suffering from an ongoing condition for the last 7-8 years of his life. He's remembered for dealing dealing rebellions, most notably the Epiphany Rising, Owain Glyndŵr's and Henry 'Hotspur' Percy's.

1469 Elizabeth Woodville gave birth to a daughter, named Cicely (or Cecily), presumably after her grandmother, Cicely Neville, Duchess of York. Cicely was considered as a possible bride for the son of James III of Scotland, but she suffered a dramatic turn in good fortune when her father Edward IV died, and her uncle, Richard III had Cicely and all her siblings declared illegitimate. Following the battle of Bosworth, Edward's daughters were restored to legitimacy, but there would be no royal marriage for Cicely. In 1487, she married John, Viscount Welles, the half-brother of Lady Margaret Beaufort - of whom Cicely appeared to be on good terms with. This rapport proved fruitful upon her second marriage, of which Henry VII (Lady Margaret's son) disapproved of, as Lady Margaret helped stem the worst of his anger.

1549 Thomas Seymour (brother of Queen Jane Seymour) was executed for treason against their brother, the Lord Protector Somerset. Somerset signed the death warrant himself. Seymour became his own worst enemy. Becoming increasingly jealous of his brothers position and authority, it led him to plotting to marry the King's sister - the Lady Elizabeth. Seymour remains infamous for his inappropriate advances into the young Elizabeth's bedchamber, advances which would mire her reputation in scandal.

1917 The birth of Vera Lynn, singer, songwriter and actress and ultimately, the nations sweetheart.

20/03/2025

Temple Church, London

Recently visited Temple Church for the first time. It's nestled amongst a maze of narrow cobbled paths in the heart of London. But being situated in London's legal centre, its not shrouded in the hustle and bustle expected so close St Paul's Cathedral.

Interesting history - this Church has nearly 9 centuries of history woven through its fabric, but my key take aways were:
1. It was built in the 12th century by the crusading monks known as the Knights Templar, an order founded to protect those on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The Round Church was inspired by the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, it was consecrated in 1185 and was where the Knights Templar conducted their initiation ceremonies.
2. It served as the royal treasury under King John, and would act as one of two bases in London during the crisis which led to the signing of the Magna Carta (the other being the Tower of London).
3. The devastating night of 10th May 1941, it saw the most catastrophic raid during The Blitz. It would ruin vast swathes of London, more so than the impact of the Great Fire of London, with Temple Church at the heart of these raids.

Reasons to visit.
1. Famous for its medieval effigies, most notably that of William Marshall, it's also recognisable from its starring role in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code.
2. Inside, look out for a remarkable series of grotesques in the nave, the penitentiary cell tucked into the staircase and the encaustic tiles in the clerestory.
3. Outside, the details of the West Door where initiates would process through before taking oaths of piety and chastity.

I also appreciated the small selection of books they had available for purchase, specific to the history and characters bound to its story.

Walking Through History

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