History Tours of Britain

Overview

The Executed Queens Tour allows attendees to visit some of the key Tudor sites which relate to the ill-fated queens: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Queen of Scots:-

• The Battle of Bosworth Field – The battle that started the whole Tudor dynasty.
• Sheffield Manor Lodge – See the Turret House which is said to be haunted by Mary Queen of Scots
• Hever Castle – Childhood home of Anne Boleyn
• Tower of London – The resting place of Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey
• Hampton Court Palace – The lavish palace ‘given’ to Henry VIII by Cardinal Wolsey

The main highlight, of course, is staying at Hever Castle, in the private Astor Wing, and being able to walk where Anne Boleyn walked – it’s truly an amazing experience!

The tour will be led by historian and author, Gareth Russell.

• Priced From
• £2100
• Nights
• 6
• Max Group Size
• 20
• Includes
• All-inclusive (except flights)

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

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Itinerary

Day One

Pick up from London Victoria Station late morning. Travel to the Midlands to Coombe Abbey near Coventry. This luxury hotel is a former 12th Century Cistercian Abbey and is a beautiful building set within 500 acres of breathtaking parkland. It was surrendered to Henry VIII in 1540, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and was later owner by Tudor courtier Sir John Harrington of Exton. James I’s daughter, Princess Elizabeth, lived at Coombe Abbey for some time.

You will be welcomed by Brother Jonathan, who will give a talk on the Abbey, including its links to the Gunpowder Plot, and then you will be taken back to the year 1539 for a medieval banquet. Equipped with a dagger and bib, you will enjoy delicious food washed down with mead and wine. You will also be entertained with singing, dancing and sketches.

Day Two

Full day at Bosworth Battlefield – A visit to Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre will take you back in time to the moment when the Tudor dynasty was born, the bloody battle in 1485 which saw the death of King Richard III and the accession of King Henry VII. The Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre has an exhibition telling the story of the Battle of Bosworth and showcasing the archaeological objects which have been found at the site. The day will include a guided tour of this exhibition, a guided walk of the battlefield itself, a talk on Tudor weaponry and battles, and an interactive falconry experience.

Travel back to Coombe Abbey for a three course dinner and talk on Mary Queen of Scots by Dr John Guy. John is a Tudor historian whose best-selling books include:-

• “My Heart is My Own: the Life of Mary Queen of Scots” – Winner of the Whitbread Biography Award, the Marsh Biography Award and shortlisted for the National Book Critics’ Circle Biography Award.
• “A Daughter’s Love: Thomas and Margaret More”
• “The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction”
• “Tudor England”

He is a contributor to The Oxford History of Britain, The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor and Stuart Britain, and The Oxford History of the British Isles: the Sixteenth Century. John is a Fellow at Clare College, University of Cambridge, and has been a professor or visiting fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, the Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Rochester, New York.

Day Three

Day at Sheffield Manor Lodge – Travel by coach to Sheffield Manor Lodge, where the group will have exclusive use of the Discovery centre, Turret House and Scheduled Ancient monument, a tour of the site focusing on Mary Queen of Scots’ imprisonment here and a workshop made up of different elements focusing on Mary Queen of Scots, her imprisonment, correspondence and portraits. You may even get to meet Bess of Hardwick!

Day Four

Travel to Hever Castle in Kent, Anne Boleyn’s family home. Enjoy a buffet lunch followed by free time to explore the magnificent gardens and castle. Evening banquet followed by a private guided tour of the castle..

Hever Castle dates back more than 700 years and was restored in the early 20th century by William Waldorf Astor, a Tudor enthusiast and wealthy American. It is the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and was also owned by Anne of Cleves. On our private guided tour you will see the castle’s collection of portraits, which David Starkey has described as “one of the best collections after the National Gallery”, the castle dining room, the inner courtyard, Anne Boleyn’s bedroom, a Priest’s hole and a hidden private chapel, and Anne Boleyn’s exquisite Books of Hours. It is a moving experience for any Tudor history lover.

Day Five

Visit to the sumptuous Hampton Court Palace – Enjoy a one and a half hour guided tour by a costumed guide, focusing on the Tudor parts of the palace. After lunch you will have the option of a a guided tour of the gardens and William III’s apartments, or free time to visit other parts of the Palace and shop at the large gift shop. Attractions include the Great Hall, exhibitions, tapestries and portraits, the Chapel Royal, Tudor kitchens and 60 acres of gardens. The day will end with an evening banquet at Hever, followed by a talk on Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard by author and historian Gareth Russell.

Day Six

Visit to the Tower of London – Special tour of the Tower of London, focusing on Anne Boleyn and the reign of King Henry VIII. The tour will include time in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula so that you can pay your respects to Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey who are all buried there. After lunch you will have the option of free time to visit other parts of the Tower and the gift shop, or a guided tour of the White Tower, Beauchamp Tower and other parts related to Tudor times.

Day Seven

Breakfast and then spend the morning in the gardens at Hever before the coach picks the group up to go to London Victoria.

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

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Dates and Prices

2011

2012

Executed Queens Tour June 2012

From: Saturday, 9 June, 2012
To: Friday, 15 June, 2012
Nights:6

Maximum Guests: 20
Spaces Available: 10
Single Price: £2600
Double Price(pp): £2100
Twin Price(pp): £2100

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Executed Queens Tour June 2012

 

Single Booking

Price for a single is £2600

Reserve your place now:
ONLY £300 in total

 

Double Room Booking

Price for a double room is £4200
(£2100 per person)
Reserve TWO places now:
ONLY £600 in total

 

Twin Room Booking

Price for a Twin Room is £4200
(£2100 per person)
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0845 058 2338 (Within UK)
+44 161 9208938 (Rest of world)

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

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Guest Speakers

Speakers include the eminent Tudor historian Dr John Guy and the tour leader, Gareth Russell, who has researched the life and death of Anne Boleyn. One more speaker to be confirmed.

Dr John Guy

John Guy’s best-selling books include:-

• “My Heart is My Own: the Life of Mary Queen of Scots” – Winner of the Whitbread Biography Award, the Marsh Biography Award and shortlisted for the National Book Critics’ Circle Biography Award.
• “A Daughter’s Love: Thomas and Margaret More”
• “The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction”
• “Tudor England”

John is a contributor to The Oxford History of Britain, The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor and Stuart Britain, and The Oxford History of the British Isles: the Sixteenth Century.

He is a Fellow at Clare College, University of Cambridge, and has been a professor or visiting fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, the Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Rochester, New York.

He appears regularly on BBC Radio 4 and has presented five documentaries for BBC2 television, including the Timewatch film “The King’s Servant” and the four-part series “Renaissance Secrets”. He has made several appearances with Channel 4’s “Time Team” and a film to which he contributed on “Wolsey’s Lost Palace of Hampton Court” was a finalist for the 2002 Channel 4 television awards.

He is a regular contributor the The Sunday Times and reviews for the Economist, the Times Literary Supplement, History Today and The Literary Review.

He lives in London and is married to the historian Julia Fox. His current book is a biography of Thomas Becket.

Gareth Russell

Gareth Russell is an author, historian, past student of Oxford University and creator of the “Confessions of a Ci-Devant” blog which he describes as “Musings on history, life, literature, movies, art and merriment”. He is author of “Popular”, a novel released by Penguin in July 2011, and is an historian with a special interest in Anne Boleyn. He has researched Anne’s life extensively and is planning to write a biography on her.

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

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Accommodation

The Executed Queens Tour is split between 2 bases, which are both historic houses: Coombe Abbey in the Midlands and Hever Castle in Kent. Both offer luxury accommodation and a taste of Tudor times.

The Crown Rooms at Coombe Abbey offer a wonderful atmosphere and everything you’d expect from staying in a converted abbey. Each one is different with some having feature baths and others having views across the breathtaking grounds, but all have special touches like historical artifacts.

All rooms have full en suite facilities, direct-dial telephone, trouser press, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer, 24 hour room service, free wireless internet access. An iron and ironing board can also be provided upon request.

At Hever Castle, Executed Queens Tour participants will have exclusive use of the luxury Astor Wing of Hever Castle. This part of the castle was built in a Tudor village style by William Waldorf Astor when he purchased the castle back in 1903.

The Astor Wing is situated across the moat from the main castle and consists of 21 individually designed en-suite rooms and the Tudor Suite with its Tudor dining room and conference rooms, overlooking the lawns and outer moat.

All rooms have: ensuite bathrooms, TVs (Sky), Wi-Fi internet access, tea/coffee making facilities, bottled mineral water, direct dial telephones, alarm clock radios and hair dryers. An iron and ironing board are available on request.

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

Or you can Book Now

Cost Includes

The Executed Queens tour is an all-inclusive tour and includes:-

• Coach pickup from London Victoria at the start of the tour and coach drop off at London Victoria at the end of the tour.
• Luxury accommodation at Coombe Abbey and Hever Castle
• All meals – This includes breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. You will also get wine and mineral water with evening meals.
• All entrance fees, tours and sightseeing – The group will have a personal guide at Bosworth Battlefield, Sheffield Manor Lodge, the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, and a private guided tour of Hever Castle.
• Coach travel for days out.
• Guide Books
• Special Executed Queens goodie bag.
• Guest speakers – All speakers are experts in their fields.
• Tour leader – Historian and author Gareth Russell will lead the Executed Queens Tour.

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

Or you can Book Now

Photo Gallery

Enjoy this slideshow of some of the attractions you will see

Please use the contact us page if you have any questions, or to register an interest in this tour

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