TOUR WITH US
THE RISE AND FALL
OF ANNE BOLEYN
TOUR DATES
6-13 SEPTEMBER 2027
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 have hated her. Now it’s time for you to follow in her footsteps and make up your own mind…
SO, 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
Sarah
Morris
Founder of ‘The Tudor Travel Guide’ and 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’.
YOUR ITINERARY
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO DURING THE TOUR…
DAY ONE: BEGINNINGS
Pick up in Central London and Transfer to Windsor
Our pickup will be from a central London location, with a transfer to Windsor.
Our hotel, the MacDonald Hotel, is situated directly across the street from the castle’s entrance. Steeped in history and a touch of luxury, it is the perfect base for exploring Anne Boleyn’s early relationship with Henry and her rise to power at the Tudor court.
After dropping off our luggage at the 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, 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’ and Estelle Paranque on the events leading up to Anne’s rise to prominence and her elevation to the title of Marquess of Pembroke, which happened at Windsor on 1 September 1532.
In the early evening, we will head back to the castle for a private tour, exploring its interior and standing in the very room where Henry VIII once placed the coronet on the head of the woman he intended to take as his queen.
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, Hampton Court was, in its day, 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, and you will explore behind the scenes with our expert guides. 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.
After our day at Hampton Court Palace, we will return to Windsor for dinner at the opulent and fashionable Ivy restaurant.
Day Three: A Life in Papers
Anne Boleyn at the National Archives
On our third day, we visit the National Archives, a repository of many key documents relating to the sixteenth century.
As Anne lived her extraordinary life, like most figures of note, her actions and those done to her left behind a paper trail. These documents are what remain behind as both a testimony to these extraordinary events, those that shaped her destiny, as well as the more mundane.
Regardless, these papers help us better understand this enigmatic queen: the gifts she gave and received, the lands she owned, the sources of her income, the people who petitioned her, and the people and events that sought to destroy her.
This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to meet with archival expert and Head of Medieval Records, Dr Sean Cunningham and get up close and personal with a wide range of documents covering Anne’s rise, queenship, and fall, including the precious Baga de Secretis, which contains the trial documents that recorded and condemned Anne to death.
Following our visit to the National Archives, we travel to central London and check into our hotel near the Tower. In the evening, we dine out together at London’s celebrated and ever-popular Dishoom! restaurant – a Simply Tudor Tours favourite!
Day Four: 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.
Led by our on-site expert guides, we will enjoy a private guided tour of the Tower, exploring areas not usually accessible to the general public.
We will retrace the route Anne took as she was escorted to the royal lodgings after her arrival at the Tower and see all the key sites associated with her imprisonment, execution and ultimately, her burial in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.
Later in the afternoon, 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.
After a busy day exploring one of the most pivotal locations in Anne Boleyn’s story, the evening will be free for you to explore more of London, dine out or simply relax in your hotel room.
Day Five: 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.
We spend the day celebrating Anne’s life and, perhaps, 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 abbey’s triforium to visit the Jubilee Galleries, which are celebrated for their spectacular views over the world-famous Cosmati pavement and Edward the Confessor’s tomb.
Once the day’s sightseeing is done, we return to our hotel before heading into the city to enjoy dinner together at a central London restaurant.
Day Six: A Slice of Tudor Life
Hever Castle & Penshurst Place
After breakfast, we will head out of central London and into Kent, the so-called ‘Garden of England’, to check in at our final hotel, the much-beloved Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.
Hever Castle needs little introduction. It is always the highlight of the tour. The compact castle that witnessed the courtship between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII unfold is beguiling. As the Astor Wing is exclusively reserved for our group during our stay, we also have the opportunity to wander around the castle grounds after the general public has departed.
Following our arrival at Hever, we will have time for lunch before heading to nearby Penshurst Place, the former mansion of the 3rd Duke of Buckingham. This came to the Crown following the Duke’s attainder and execution in 1521. Subsequently, Thomas Boleyn was made steward, and the Boleyn family undoubtedly spent time at the property.
While at Penshurst, we will enjoy a private guided tour of the house after it has closed to the public. In the late afternoon, we head back to Hever for an informal BBQ on the lawns surrounding the Astor Suite (Weather permitting).
Day Seven: The Boleyn Legacy
Hever Castle
After breakfast, we begin the day with instructive talks from popular Tudor historians.
Estelle Paranque will give the first talk, focusing on how Anne Boleyn was betrayed by her one-time allies in France; two other speakers (to be confirmed) will join us, taking us on a deeper dive into different aspects of Anne’s life.
After a break for lunch, Sarah and Adam will lead a guided walk to explore St Peter’s Church and the burial place of Anne’s father, Thomas Boleyn, and her infant sibling, Henry.
There will be free time in the early afternoon to explore the castle grounds at your leisure before reconvening in the evening for a private, out-of-hours tour of the castle.
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 knew. However, the first-floor apartments have been recently redeveloped to showcase the rooms as the family would have known them in the sixteenth century.
After the tour, enjoy an aperitif before settling in for a memorable evening as we dine together in Hever’s fabulous Great Hall. Perhaps some VIP Tudor visitors will join us, so prepare to polish your Tudor manners as we raise a glass to the woman who changed English history and still holds us in her thrall over 500 years later!
DAY NINE: FINAL FAREWELLS
Hever
After a leisurely breakfast at Hever, we will say our final farewells 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: