TOUR WITH US
THE RISE AND FALL OF ANNE BOLEYN
TOUR DATES:
THIS TOUR IS NOW FULLY BOOKED
2 – 8 SEPTEMBER 2024
WHO WAS ANNE BOLEYN?
LOVER? RELIGIOUS REFORMER? ICON? TRAITOR?
‘On 19 May 1536, a French sword stilled the beating heart of an English queen. Her name was Anne Boleyn, and she would become one of the most controversial and iconic queens in English history. In her lifetime, Anne was a force of nature; she captivated the heart and soul of a king, divided a court and ignited the Reformation on English soil, beginning a process that would transform the religious and social landscape of the country.’
Extract from In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn,
by Sarah Morris and Natalie Grueninger.
Over the centuries, countless people have had their say about Anne Boleyn; some have loved her, others hated her. Now it’s time for you to follow in her footsteps and make up your own mind…
ARE YOU READY?
For more details of the itinerary and pricing, or to book your place, click the button below:
MEET YOUR HOSTS
YOUR TOUR CO-HOSTS
Natalie
Grueninger
Founder of ‘On the Tudor Trail’ and ‘Talking Tudors’ podcast. Author of In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn’, ‘In the Footsteps of the Six Wives’ and ‘The Final Year of Anne Boleyn’.
Sarah
Morris
Founder of ‘The Tudor Travel Guide’ and ‘The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Tudor England’. Author of ‘In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn’ and ‘In the Footsteps of the Six Wives of Henry VIII’.
Adam
Pennington
Founder of ‘The Tudor Chest’ blog and podcast, historian and author of ‘Henry VIII and the Plantagenet Poles – The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty’, coming summer 2024.
YOUR ITINERARY
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO DURING THE TOUR…
DAY ONE: The Courting Years
Pick up in Central London and Transfer to Windsor
Early pick up from a central London location and transfer to Windsor. After dropping our luggage off at the Castle Hotel, we will head across the road to tour St George’s Chapel and see the burial sites of Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Charles Brandon.
In the afternoon, there will be a couple of free hours to explore Windsor or rest as we settle into our four-star boutique hotel.
The Castle Hotel is situated directly across the street from the entrance to the Castle. Steeped in history, with regal connections and more than a touch of luxury and elegance, it is the perfect base to explore Anne Boleyn’s early relationship with Henry and her rise to power at the Tudor court.
In the late afternoon, we will gather for afternoon tea while your hosts set the scene for the rest of the week ahead, including a talk from author and historian Sarah Morris on ‘Anne Boleyn at Windsor Castle’.
In the evening, we will enjoy a private tour of Windsor Castle, with a complimentary glass of Prosecco on hand, before returning to the hotel for our evening meal in a private room of the hotel’s restaurant, ‘The Windsor Grill’.
Day Two: Anne the Queen
Anne Boleyn at Hampton Court Palace
On day two, we visit the only surviving Tudor palace: Hampton Court. Built by Wolsey in 1515, in its day, Hampton Court was one of the most splendid Renaissance residences in England, and its courtyards, corridors and chambers echo with the ghostly voices of its Tudor past.
While you may have visited Hampton Court before, you will see the palace afresh on this tour as your hosts recreate the layout of the lost State and Privy Apartments of Henry VIII, exploring behind the scenes with our expert guide, Dan Jackson, Head of Historic Buildings at Historic Royal Palaces. We will see parts of the palace generally off the usual visitor route.
Along the way, we will hear stories of triumph and tragedy, including the rarely discussed and heart-breaking loss of Anne’s second pregnancy in the summer of 1534.
Day Three: A Slice of Tudor Life
Hever Castle & Penshurst Place
After breakfast on day three, we will make our way to Hever Castle, renowned as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.
After dropping our bags, there will be plenty of free time in the morning and over lunch to explore the castle and grounds at your leisure, soaking up the vibe of a place held so dear by many fans of Anne Boleyn.
In the afternoon, we will travel to Penshurst Place, where we will enjoy a guided tour of the house before experiencing a slice of everyday life at the Tudor Court. Led by one of your co-hosts, you will see and have the opportunity to learn some Tudor dances accompanied by live musicians before Brigitte Webster, author of ‘Eating with the Tudors’ delights us with her talk on Tudor food, accompanied by samples of Tudor food for us to taste.
Afterwards, we will transfer to Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. As the sun begins to set, we will (weather permitting) enjoy a BBQ on the lawn overlooking the castle. Idyllic!
Day Four: Reformation, Religion and Cultural Catalyst
Hever Castle
We start day five with a private tour of Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Saved from likely ruin in the early twentieth century by the powerful Lord Astor, the Hever we see today has evolved from the house the Boleyns would have known.
Once again, we delve into the details to help you reimagine the Boleyn family home of the sixteenth century. Along the way, we will explore how Anne’s early influences, both in England and abroad, shaped the woman and queen she later became.
Central to understanding this is to understand Anne’s religious beliefs, how these were shaped and how, in turn, those beliefs changed the course of English history. Kate McCaffrey, an expert on Anne’s religious life, will join us before dinner to talk to us about this crucial aspect of Anne’s life and her lasting legacy.
In the evening, we will gather to enjoy dinner amidst the unique atmosphere of Hever’s Great Hall, presided over by Henry VIII himself. Finally, over dessert and coffee, we will hear from our historian-in-residence, Natalie Gruneninger, who will talk to us about the final year of Anne Boleyn’s life in preparation for our visit to the Tower the following day.
Day Five: The Fall of Anne Boleyn
The Tower of London
There are few places more foreboding than the Tower of London. It is here that Anne was held for 17 days following her dramatic arrest at Greenwich Palace on May 2, 1536.
We have secured a fantastic opportunity to arrive at the Tower before it opens to the public. Led by Alfred Hawkins, Assistant Curator of Historic Buildings at Historic Royal Palaces, we will first visit the site of Anne Boleyn’s burial in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula before exploring pre of the hidden nooks and crannies of this most historic of buildings.
We will retrace the route taken by Anne as she was escorted to the royal lodgings following her arrival at the Tower, as well as seeing all the key sites associated with her imprisonment and execution.
After lunch, you will have the option to continue to explore the Tower at your leisure or accompany your tour hosts to the site of Tower Hill, where the men condemned alongside Anne met their deaths.
In the late afternoon, we will check into our London hotel for a leisurely dinner in the evening before preparing for our final day.
Day Six: The Falcon Takes Flight
Westminster Abbey
Twenty-five years would pass before Anne’s white falcon would once more take flight. This time, it was in the shape of her daughter, Elizabeth.
On this final day of our immersive tour, we return to London. We spend the day celebrating Anne’s life and possibly her most outstanding legacy, her daughter, who, against all odds, survived to be crowned Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey on 15 January 1559.
Your tour guides will recreate the splendour of coronation by taking you to all the key places associated with this most ancient of ceremonies. Along the way, you will hear how Elizabeth incorporated the memory of her mother into her coronation, and you can stand agog in front of the chair in which both Anne and Elizabeth were crowned.
Of course, no visit to Westminster Abbey would be complete without a tour of the Lady Chapel, constructed by Henry VII in 1502 as a majestic mausoleum to the Tudor dynasty, where your guides will recount the extraordinary tale of the rediscovery of Elizabeth I’s tomb during the 1800s.
We will round off our adventure by climbing to the heights of the abbey’s triforium to visit the Jubilee Galleries, celebrated for its spectacular views over the world-famous Cosmati pavement and Edward the Confessor’s tomb.
Finally, we will head back to our five-star hotel, The Doubletree by Hilton, to raise a glass of bubbly to the woman who changed English history and still holds us in her thrall over 500 years later!
Day Seven: Final Farewells
Central London
After a leisurely breakfast at The Doubletree Hilton, there will be final farewells as we say goodbye for now, taking fabulous memories of an incredible week with us.
Until next time!
For more details of the itinerary and pricing, or to book your place, click the button below: