I am so happy to see so many new people here and I thought perhaps it would be a good time to reintroduce myself but, before I do, I’d like to first, tell you what my intention is here.

In a world which seems so chaotic, I hope that I can persuade you to take 5-10 minutes, perhaps once or twice a week, to enjoy some history and history travel content. It’s not that the past is necessarily any less chaotic or dangerous of course, but we can explore it at a safe distance and have fun! The articles aim to be interesting and engaging as well as informative and, in the case of encouraging historical travel, inspiring. Historian interviews with people eminent in their field are also shared with you here, allowing a longer break while you take in the knowledge shared by historians, authors and creators in the history field.

I promised some good news too, but before I do that let me remind you of the latest articles and interviews which you may have missed.

The Good News

I have two pieces of lovely news for you, and a reminder of some exclusive offers for my readers.

101 Books!

I have been asked to be a judge for the the Historical Writer’s Association Crown Award for non-fiction. What an honour! It has meant that I have had to find space for over 100 books - but can you imagine how exciting it has been to get that many fabulous books through the post!?

The judges are meeting in London next week to decide on the long list, which will be announced on 16th September. The shortlist will be announced on 14th October, and the winner on 18th November.

British History Tours is a Visit Worcestershire Awards Finalist!

As well as being a history travel writer, youtube host and history content creator, I am the owner and Managing Director of British History Tours, which I started in 2014.

I shared recently that we had won the Prestige Central Award for Historical Tour Operator of the Year for the second year running and am now very excited to announce that we are finalists in the Visit Worcestershire Awards in the International Tourism category.

I met with one of the judges last week and had a wonderful chat about British History Tours, the experiences that we offer international, and domestic, travellers, and our plans for the future. Whether we win or not, it has already been a lovely experience, a great chance to showcase the tours and service we are rightly proud of, and an honour to have the recognition of being a Visit Worcestershire Tourism Awards finalist.

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

(scroll down for your exclusive offers)

Reader Offers

Aubrey Research - 15% off

It’s like an ancestry site - but for places!

If you choose to buy through this link I will earn a commission and you receive a 15% discount.

There are also some free reports available for you to see what level of information is included.

Tudor Places Magazine - 10% off

Treat yourself to Tudor Places’ special issue Cambridge: A Treasure House of Tudor History and, with historian, author and tour leader Julian Humphrys, explore how the Tudor era transformed Cambridge University.

Learn about the eight colleges founded during the Tudor period - several on former monastic sites and others that flourished with wealth released by the Dissolution of the Monasteries and from lavish Royal patronage.

Use Code TPBHT10 at checkout for 10% off

Read about how Henry VII and Henry VIII invested heavily in the building of King’s College Chapel, and Henry VIII founded Trinity College and established five professorships, while Lady Margaret Beaufort left an enduring legacy in Christ’s and St John’s Colleges.

From this remarkable era emerged the striking, distinctive gatehouses that remain some of the most iconic and recognisable symbols of Cambridge University today.

Buy Cambridge: A Treasure House of Tudor History in print and digital formats: Cambridge: A Treasure House of Tudor History - Tudor Places Magazine

Have ever attempted to research family or local history? If so, you will know that the sources can be disparate and fragmentary. Some records may be online, others in books, still more in local archives, libraries and museums. Keep reading if you are interested in researching any site in the UK or USA, as I have something exciting to share with you!

It will not surprise you that, as a history travel writer and historic tour itinerary creator, I am fascinated by the history of any, and all, locations both for my own interest and because I love sharing what I discover with you!

I am currently working on a project (more on that in the near future) on the historic city of Worcester.

Worcester is the capital city of Worcestershire county, and sits on the River Severn. At the time of the Roman invasion, from AD 43, the area was part of the Dobunni territory. Tactical surrender to the new occupiers by the elite of the tribe meant rewards for them but a tougher overlord for everyone else. They were, however, spared a violent takeover and slowly Roman ways were adopted. The Roman road that ran through here linked Salinae (modern day Droitwich) with the larger settlements of Glevum (Gloucester) and the second largest city in Roman Britain, Corinium (Cirencester). Salinae was an important site for salt production, utilising the natural brine springs. Worcester, by comparison, was a small settlement but evidence can still be found of it, including parts of the City walls which were later built upon in Medieval times and which were eventually reduced to an impotent height following the Civil wars when the city was used by the Royalist army of Charles (later King Charles II).

Worcester was a significant Christian site, its first cathedral being founded in AD 680. Saint Oswald established a monastery here in AD 983 when he also rebuilt the cathedral. The present building was started by Saint Wulfstan in AD 1084. It was the presence of these saints’s tombs which influenced King John’s decision to be buried here in 1216, as requested in his Last Will and Testament, held in the Cathedral Archives. 3 centuries later, the decision was made to bury the Tudor heir to the throne, Arthur, Prince of Wales, here after his premature death at Ludlow Castle. (You can read the article I wrote on Substack about his death by clicking here)

Worcester’s links to royalty continued. Elizabeth I visited here in 1575 but less than 100 years later the City bore witness to the end of the monarchy and the adoption of Parliamentary rule when it was the site of the final battle of the civil wars and the place from which Charles (later II) fled into exile.

I can’t tell you about the project just yet but I am very excited to tell you about a brand new online resource, Aubrey Research, that I have been using in my research, and to share the report it created for me on Worcester, for you to explore too!

See the Worcester Report

The creators of Aubrey Research, named after the 17th century antiquary, John Aubrey, regarded as one of the founding fathers of British archeology and local history, have brought together old maps, LiDAR images, Domesday records, artefact finds, battle sites, scheduled monuments and knowledge of Roman Britain, all in a single report for anywhere you want! (There’s actually even more than that, but the list was getting very long.)

As well as my Worcester report there are a number of reports already available on the site for free including Bosworth Battlefield and the Fishpool Hoard. If you are interested in what is available for a US location, take a look at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, or Deadwood, South Dakota.

What if more finds are made after you have bought a report?

I love this; if there are any new discoveries after you have bought a report Aubrey Research will alert you to the updates for free! No need to re-buy.

Interested in travelling to Worcester?

I will be sharing more history travel articles about Worcester over the coming weeks and months with places to visit to explore the incredible amount of history here, and of course I will let you know of the Worcester related project as soon as I can.

Myself and the historian Gareth Russell are going to be leading a tour here with British History Tours in June 2027. The Rise of the Tudors tour will run from 20th - 27th June 2027 and take in 10 historic locations over 8 days. If you’d like to learn more about this fully immersive, luxury travel experience, click on the image or button below.

See the Itinerary

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

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A man for all seasons, as he was described by his life-long friend, Desiderius Erasmus, Thomas More, sometimes referred to as Sir, sometimes Saint (he was made a saint in the Catholic Church in 1935) is a well known figure in Tudor history and is familiar to many through his depiction in historical fiction around the court of Henry VIII. He was a lawyer and a humanist scholar, and rose to prominence when he replaced Cardinal Thomas Wolsey as Lord Chancellor of England after the former’s downfall from grace. His relationship with Henry VIII has been depicted, most notable in the ever-popular Showtime series ‘The Tudors’, as friendly and even close. But what is the truth of their relationship?

According to More’s biographer, historian Dr Joanne Paul, whose interview with me is out today (details below) “we don’t know that much about the direct relationship between Henry VIII and Thomas More. This idea that they’re friends and comrades [talking about] astronomy as they walk in the garden arm in arm, all of that is is almost certainly not the case.” Indeed, the level of access and influence on the king that we have come to believe More had, may not have been there at all in the way we imagine, Joanne goes on to say “More was a servant, essentially, to the king; fulfilled the function that he needed to, until he didn’t. […]”, “[he is] someone that the king calls upon and dismisses as he wishes.”

If Henry VIII was not particularly close to More, then how did he get the position of Lord Chancellor? As Joanne explains, “he’s […] almost appointed to the Chancellorship by mistake. I think Henry assumes that More agrees with him.” He had appointed Thomas More thinking he had a pliable and agreeable man in the position but, when he realised he didn’t, Joanne points out, “[…]the role of Lord Chancellor never gets to the level of power and influence that it had before.” In other words, More, in his role as Chancellor, was not helping Henry and so the role itself became less important.

Henry VIII, despite his fearsome reputation, also carried with him a deep paranoia; as Joanne puts it, “Henry is someone who requires absolute, not just obedience, but agreement to his will.” Far from being self assured, it was important to Henry that everyone agreed that he was ‘right’ in his decisions. If he had made up his mind then that was final, and frustration and anger would follow from him for anyone who disagreed. More found himself the target of such frustration. Henry VIII’s attempts to find a way to divorce his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, had eventually led to the decision to break from Rome, and the Pope. This meant that the Church in England would need a leader, a head, and Henry VIII saw himself as the man for the job. Joanne explains More’s opposition to this, “Henry VIII is not a priest. He’s not a bishop. He’s not a Cardinal. And all of a sudden he’s taking a position that by all rights should be held by a clergyman” and further to that, “More is very against the bringing together of what he sees as two very different spheres, the spiritual and the temporal.”

In November 1534 Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy and all subjects were required to swear the Oath of Supremacy, this not only included, but was more vigorously demanded from, high ranking subjects. More’s position remained the same, and he couldn’t agree to the contents of the new act so, refused to take the oath. The Act also incorporated the Act of Succession, which replaced the Princess Mary, Henry’s child by Katherine of Aragon, with those he would have by Anne Boleyn. It was proposed to Henry that More, now incarcerated in the Tower of London, could sign just to that part, which More was willing to do, but Joanne explains, this was not something the king was going to agree to, “he [Henry VIII] wants compliance, complete agreement […] complete submission and unless More is willing to do that, he will be punished.” There’s maybe something more dangerous than just defying the king’s will going on too, “he [Henry VIII] might be hearing whispers that there that there is some resistance building around More.” But, Joanne makes clear that More himself is very careful not to do anything which may seem like he is encouraging wider resistance, “there are other people in the Tower [of London] that More is in correspondence with. He’s very careful not to do anything like tell them not to take the oath or say why they shouldn’t take the oath or why he isn’t taking the oath.”

The passing of the Treason Act just a month after the Act of Supremacy, in December 1534, stated that to deny any of the king’s titles, which now included ‘Supreme Head of the Church,’ was ‘High Treason’ and punishable by death. The treatment of More now changed. According to Joanne, “More’s interviews […] become interrogations to try to get evidence, in particular, that might convict [Bishop] Fisher.” (Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, was also imprisoned in the Tower for not swearing the oath). Evidence, however, although desired, was not completely necessary in order to convict and condemn when Henry VIII had already dictated the outcome (as many more would discover during his reign)! Bishop Fisher was tried for treason, found guilty and condemned to death. A few days later Henry VIII issued a writ stating Fisher was a traitor but also included More in the writ naming him a traitor as well, despite the fact that More had not yet been to trial. He included in this writ, that anyone found to be actively supporting or defending More would also be punished, as Joanne points it, “which would mean the jury. So it’s a foregone conclusion. The jury takes 15 minutes, 15 minutes to deliberate!”

The story of Thomas More is much longer and richer than just his final 6 years where he is first a servant, and later a prisoner, of Henry VIII. He is more than just an appendage to the saga of Henry VIII, and Joanne’s book is an essential read for anyone who wants to know his full story.

Buy Joanne's biography of Thomas More

This article has been based on my recent interview with Dr Joanne Paul, who’s biography of Thomas More, ‘Thomas More. A Life and Death in Tudor England,’ is out now in paperback, as well as kindle, audible and hardback. You can find the links to watch the interview on YouTube or listen to it on the British History podcast, below, where we covered much more about More’s life and legacy.

I wish to extend my thanks to Joanne for a incredibly enjoyable interview and would like to encourage you all to buy her book, and follow her here, on Substack for regular and fascinating articles.

Watch my interview with Dr Joanne Paul on Youtube

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Listen on the Podcast

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https://shows.acast.com/british-history-podcast/episodes/the-man-who-defied-henry-viii-thomas-more

Before you go…

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(Please ensure you use the code at check out as mistakes can not be rectified.)

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Following on from my article about the difficult history of Rosslyn Chapel and its fight for survival, The ‘Rosslyn Miracle’, published on 21st August, I want to tell you about the legend of the Mason and the Apprentice, a murder story from Rosslyn Chapel.

Rosslyn Chapel, the official name of which, is the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair. Sir William wanted this chapel to be covered in Christian symbology and bible verses. His wish for elaborate ornamentation extended even to the pillars but he was left disappointed by what his master mason came up with. The pillar the master mason had carved was not ornate enough for Sir William so, seeking inspiration, the master mason headed off to Europe.

While the master mason was away the apprentice, a boy aged about 14, received a vision in a dream, a vision of an exquisite carving design. The young boy told Sir William of this vision who declared it as sent by God, and allowed the young apprentice to carve a second pillar.

The pillar that the apprentice carved was magnificent, everyone who viewed it thought it incredibly beautiful in design and execution. Everyone, that is, except the master mason. On returning to Rosslyn he discovered that the apprentice had completed a pillar without his permission, and to such a standard that he felt completely undermined. Far from feeling proud of his protégé, the master mason flew into a rage and hit the boy over the head with one of his tools, killing him outright there, in the chapel.

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Despite being found guilty of murder and hung for the crime, that was not the end of the mason’s punishment. A likeness of him was carved into the West Wall, its eyes trained on the pillar carved by his apprentice and the chapel in which he murdered him, so that he is forced to look on the scene of his crime for eternity.

It is not known if this is a true story as apprentice death stories, either by murder or accident, are common in church and cathedral origin stories. It also echoes the foundation allegory of Freemasonry where a master mason working on King Soloman’s Temple is murdered by being hit over the head with masonry tools, by 3 other masons when he refuses to reveal the secret master mason passwords before the tomb is completed. Either way, it has given rise to the two columns in Rosslyn being named ‘The Mason’s Pillar’, and ‘The Apprentice Pillar.”

I hope you have enjoyed this article. If you haven’t already read “The ‘Rosslyn Miracle’” article, you can do so by clicking here.

Thank you to Rosslyn Chapel for inviting me to visit and for images of the chapel.

I hope you enjoyed this. Please scroll down for information about visiting Rosslyn Chapel, and for a special reader offer for an exclusive talk from Dr Elizabeth Norton on Queen Jane Seymour.

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Visiting Rosslyn Chapel today

Rosslyn Chapel is open daily throughout the year, except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.

Opening Hours are: Monday to Saturday 9.00am - 5.00pm, and Sunday 12.00pm - 5.00pm

It is advisable to book in advance. To prevent overcrowding in this small space, and so everyone can enjoy the chapel, admission times are divided into 90-minute time slots starting at 9.00am Monday to Saturday, and 12.00pm on Sunday.

Please visit the Rosslyn Chapel website for up to date information about visiting.

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The pair are looking for a blade and a chalice, as indicated in the next line of the poem:

The interior of the chapel is a feast of symbology and christian code but Langdon (always referred to by his surname in the Dan Brown books) eventually works out that the symbols they are looking for; the blade ▵ and the chalice ▿ are not separate symbols at all, but one which combines these symbols of the feminine and the masculine together; the Star of David, or Solomon’s Star ✡.

(I have recorded a voiceover of this article, available for paid subscribers, please scroll to the bottom of the article)

Unfortunately, Rosslyn Chapel doesn’t actually have a 6-sided Solomon's Star and so, when Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon) and Audrey Tautou (Sophie Neveu) came to film here for the 2006 film (of the same name as the book), one was made from wood, and removed after filming.

In the story, Langdon and Sophie may enter “the famous sanctuary” but in fact until they did, it was not particularly famous. Due to the book and film, the annual visitor numbers to Rosslyn Chapel exploded from around 40,000 visitors a year to 180,000. With no car park, visitor centre and only one toilet, that was a problem which had to be quickly addressed.

A visitor centre, shop, cafe, toilets, and a large car park were built to accommodate the greater number of visitors. This was all in very good time because the chapel was, in fact, crumbling from the inside out. Heritage and Lottery funding had been granted to the newly created Rosslyn Chapel Trust and a 14 year project of conservation had already started but it would be hugely expensive, and required the entire chapel to be covered by a huge tent. During filming, false walls were created to cover up scaffolding, and overhead outdoor shots were taken using a scaled model of the chapel.

What were they conserving? Well, it is more that just a movie set, that’s for certain!

The chapel was founded as a private place of worship for the St Clair family by Sir William St Clair, in 1446. It may have been intended as a private chapel, but a small chapel was not what Sir William had in mind! What we see today is only a small part of his grander plan for a much larger church built in the shape of a cross with a large, central, tower. Sir William died in 1484, leaving between 14 and 18 children, from 3 marriages. His heir, Oliver St Clair, made the chapel good, and usable, but did not carry on with his father’s scheme.

Sir William had left a generous endowment on the chapel allowing for a permanent Provost and a number of Prebendaries, and these endowments were further augmented later on by his grandson, another William. When the Scottish Reformation came in 1571 this chapel was an obvious target, ‘the ultimate house of idolatry’ with every carving in it a representation of a bible story. The endowments were “taken by force and violence”, and the Provost and Prebendaries were forced to leave.

In 1592, after more pressure, the altars were removed, as was the glass in the windows. The sandstone chapel was now open to the elements, and it would not fair well. It was abandoned for the next 270 years except for an unwelcome interlude in 1650 when the Parliamentarian army under General Monck, stabled their horses inside it during the 3 month siege of Rosslyn Castle.

If you are enjoying this, why not become a free subscriber, I’d love to see you here? I aim to send out a new article at least once per week but certainly never bombard you. I will also share links to new episodes on the British History youtube channel and podcast.

The Chapel was abused once again when a mob from Edinburgh and some villagers from Roslin, feeling empowered by the overthrow of the Catholic James II in favour of his Protestant daughter and son-in-law (also nephew), set upon it, considering its elaborate decoration idolatrous and Popish.

Stability returned within the British Isles and during the Romantic era of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Rosslyn began to attract writers, poets and painters. When Queen Victoria visited here, in 1842, she was so taken with it that she instructed the Earl of the time to return it to a place of worship. Stained glass was put in the windows, altars were added and the Baptistry (where the door through which visitors now enter) was built on the west side. On 22nd April 1862 the chapel was reconsecrated but now under the Scottish Episcopalian church, as it remains today.

This was not enough to save the building though. Still cold and damp, by the early 1950’s the walls were black with mildew, and moss and algae was everywhere inside the chapel. A well meaning, but ultimately destructive, clean up was instigated by The Ministry of Works and the inside of the chapel was scrubbed clean with wire brushes and ammonia solution. A cement paint was then applied which gives the inside of the chapel a white colour instead of the natural reds, golds and oranges of the natural sandstone (which can be seen on the outside). Not only that, but the paint sealed the surfaces, trapping in moisture and not allowing the building to breath, and by the 1990’s the chapel was crumbling.

The Rosslyn Chapel Trust was set up as a charity and funding applied for to begin the 14 year project to conserve the chapel and that is when what they affectionately refer to there as ‘The Rosslyn Miracle’ occurred with the success of Dan Brown’s ‘The Davinci Code.’ The Rosslyn Chapel Trust is still run is to this charity that all admissions, and profits from the shop and cafe, go directly into the upkeep of the chapel.

By people choosing to become paid subscribers, British History can continue to tell stories and share information for the history lover. So, if you can afford it, please support my work and I will say thank you by sharing exclusive content with you.

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Thank you to Rosslyn Chapel for inviting me to visit and for images of the chapel.

Visiting Rosslyn Chapel today

Rosslyn Chapel is open daily throughout the year, except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.

Opening Hours are: Monday to Saturday 9.00am - 5.00pm, and Sunday 12.00pm - 5.00pm

It is advisable to book in advance. To prevent overcrowding in this small space, and so everyone can enjoy the chapel, admission times are divided into 90-minute time slots starting at 9.00am Monday to Saturday, and 12.00pm on Sunday.

Please visit the Rosslyn Chapel website for up to date information about visiting.

I hope you have enjoyed this article. Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Coming soon: Murder in Rosslyn Chapel - The Legend of the Mason and the Apprentice.

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Step back into the golden age of Cambridge University, and explore this magical city with Tudor Places’ special issue — Cambridge: A Treasure House of Tudor History.

Written by Julian Humphrys, historian, author and tour leader, who explores Cambridge University and each of the eight colleges founded during the Tudor period, along with Great St Mary’s Church. Gain insights into the colleges’ royal patronage, key Tudor figures connected to the University and two remarkable women who founded colleges.

Print and digital formats are available here: Cambridge: A Treasure House of Tudor History - Tudor Places Magazine

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I have got an absolutely fantastic interview for you this weekend! It combines legend, history and drama. Mat Braddy and Darren Rapier, co-writers of a gripping new audio production, Turpin, which re-examines the life of the legendary highwayman Dick Turpin, joined me to talk about the true, much darker, story of the man who became a myth within his own lifetime. His relatively short life was full of fact-is-stranger-than-fiction type events; part comical, part disturbing, the real life story of Dick Turpin is arguably more full of drama than the myth ever was.

We discussed the research behind the production, the challenges of separating fact from fiction, the challenges of audio storytelling, and how they have managed bring historical figures vividly—and authentically—to life with an incredibly talented cast!

Thank you for checking out this post. Please subscribe to the free tier and share this post with a history loving friend, and you could earn membership of the free tier, completely free.

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Watch on Youtube

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The production was produced by Big Finish and is available via their website (click here) and will be coming to Spotify and Audible this Autumn.

You can follow the production on social media by looking for the handle ‘TurpinHQ’

Coming Up

I’m very happy to announce that for the second year running, I will be attending the Harvington History Festival as their official podcast partner. The festival is set in the incredible surrounding on Harvington Hall, an Elizabethan moated manor house famous for its collection of Priest Hides. The festival does not stream their talks and so my podcast is a great way to hear from some of the speakers if you can’t be there in person.

Until next time. Take care, and have fun!

Philippa 💜

The decline of Raglan Castle, in South Wales, began in the death throws of the British Civil Wars. A Royalist stronghold, it was bombarded with canon fire from ‘Roaring Meg,’ a specially forged mortar which fired 200lb (90kg) gunpowder-filled shells, used by the Parliamentarians. Like many castles which had held for the monarchy, it was purposely destroyed, ‘slighted’ after its surrender in August 1646, to prevent it being used again (and surely, as punitive punishment). Although the family regained possession following the restoration of the monarchy, it was never repaired, or lived in again. For centuries it was pilfered for building materials and otherwise left to its certain demise. (Read more about that in my article ‘The weary and defeated marquis awaited his unwanted visitors...How Raglan Castle fell’)

Read 'How Raglan Fell'

You could be forgiven for thinking that Raglan Castle would have little left to see or interest the visitor. Thankfully this is not the case. A 50-minute drive north-east of Cardiff, Raglan sits in the picturesque rolling Welsh countryside, rising up with as much grandeur as it can muster.

At the end, for paid subscribers*, I have extra photos from inside the castle an also of the undermined keep. In a separate, follow-up post I will be sending a suggested history trail itinerary for this part of the country.

In this article we will explore my highlights of the castle, still available for the visitor to see.

Sir William Herbert’s Great Gatehouse (1460s)

Probably the most recognisable part of the castle, William Herbert’s Gatehouse is imposing, impressive and beautiful. Originally accessed via a drawbridge, visitors now approach the gatehouse with its two, half octagonal, 4-storey towers, over a solid two-arched bridge. The constable of the castle would have occupied the rooms on the upper floor. The castle was built for defence, with a ditch and canon holes, its design possibly influenced by William Herbert’s time serving in France. Along the top of the towers are arched openings called machicolations from which projectiles could be dropped on invaders. These were both practical and in keeping with what would be expected on a castle, although they were different to the crenellations more usually found on castles in England and Wales.

The Pitched Stone Courtyard

On passing through the Gateway the visitor enters what is known as ‘The Pitched Stone Courtyard.’ This was largely where the service areas for the castle would have been found; the kitchens, pantry, cellars, brewhouse and alike. The cobblestones here date to the Tudor period. There is a large range of spaces to explore where ovens, stairwells and ornate fireplaces can still be seen. This service wing is divided from the rest of the castle by the Great Hall, seen on the right of the image below.

The Great Hall

The Great Hall may look unremarkable to today’s visitors, although its size, number of windows and great fireplace do give a nod to its one-time grandeur, but there is a wonderful surviving feature in here. Above the dais, once lit by a large oriel window, are the weathered remains of the coat of arms of the third Earl of Worcester, William Somerset (d. 1598), a knight of the Garter.

Fountain Court

Beyond the Great Hall is Fountain Court, so named because of a marble fountain in the centre, called the White Horse, which continually ran with clean water. Unfortunately only the base of the fountain has survived to today.

This was the domestic wing of the castle, with four grand, impressive and very comfortable suites of living accommodation. The Grand Staircase, the porch entrance to which can be seen in the centre of the image below, led to two of these. It is also from Fountain Court that a bridge leads to the Great Tower, the self-contained keep with its own moat and, once-upon-a-time, double drawbridge. In here there is all a family may need to hold out during an attack; sleeping spaces warmed by fires, a latrine on each level, a kitchen in the basement which also contained a well.

The Great Tower

This hexagonal keep was not just built as a stronghold in case of attack, it was the ultimate status symbol, a visible sign to everyone in the surrounding area of the power and status of the family who lived here. After the siege of 1646, during the brutally destructive English Civil Wars, and the castle’s surrender to the Parliamentary forces the tower was reduced in height by 1-storey, from 5 to 4. The tedious manual work this required was abandoned and the tower was undermined to cause further ruin and impotence as a defensive structure. The east side collapsed, creating a cut-through view of the internal structure.

From the Great Tower, wonderful views of the State Apartments, those probably used by the family, are available. There is a fabulous view from this vantage point of the badges and shields carved into the masonry above one of the state apartment windows, giving a glimpse of the splendour and quality of decoration that this castle would have enjoyed. The badge depicts a Bascule Bridge, a badge used by the Herbert family, and the shield, now colourless, likely had the family’s coat of arms painted onto it. There are 4 panels, the badge and shield pairing being depicted twice.

This is by no means and exhaustive list of the features of Raglan Castle available to the visitor today but it is enough for you to see just how much there is and how worthwhile a visit here would be.

Thank you for reading! Please share with a history loving friend or onto your social media and tag @BritishHistoryTours for a mention back.

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

P.S.

For further photographs (below) and a suggested itinerary of the area (coming out in a separate post), become a paid subscriber*. By people choosing to become paid subscribers, British History can continue to tell stories and share information for the history lover. So, if you can afford it, please support my work and I will say thank you by sharing exclusive content with you.

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*(if you are a member of my Patreon your upgrade Substack is included as part of your membership - please message me there if yours has not yet been set up).

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Scotland reconnaissance trip, awards, speaker line ups, interviews, judging book awards, heritage destination meetings, and more. This has been the past couple of months, time has ticked on, and I realise I have been woeful at writing here, on Substack, with anything like consistency. The cause? Being so busy doing things that I’d love to tell you about that I haven’t had much time to tell you about them and, frankly, I’m not sure where to start!

I hope though, that during my written article drought, you have enjoyed the interviews I have released with Matt Lewis, Nathen Amin, Lara Maiklem and Nicola Tallis.

Here are the links to the interviews on Youtube.

Nicola Tallis - Reassessing Jane Grey

Lara Maiklem - Unlocking London's History

Nathen Amin - 1483, the Year of the 3 kings

Matt Lewis - The Peasants' Revolt, 1381

What’s Coming Up

Articles from Scotland

My week long Scottish reconnaissance mission in early June took me right back to how I started in history travel; visiting places and absorbing the history, the stories, and trying to imagine them as they were, busy with people. I covered over 1000 miles and loved every moment. So you can expect many articles on my Scottish adventures along with travel tips, in case you would like to visit.

Visiting Raglan Castle

I recently publsihed an article about Raglan Castle, one-time home to a young Henry Tudor, and the story of its fall. You can read it my clicking on the image below.

I will be publishing a follow up article soon, this time about what to see when you visit there today, along with a suggested 2-day itinerary in the area for paid subscribers.

Harvington History Festival

I will be attending the Harvington History Festival next month at Harvington Hall, Worcestershire. I love this festival, it is expertly planned and organised by Hall Manager, Phil Downing, and features a line up of speakers which you won’t find at other festivals because the programme is not only historians with books out, it focusses on topics which will be of interest to the audience.

The festival is not streamed online but you will be able to see my interviews with many of the speakers on my Youtube channel and podcast - I will post links to both of those here in my Substack.

Tables Turned

I was on the receiving end of the questions when I picked up ‘Historical Tour Operator of the Year’ for the 2nd year running, at the Prestige Awards. It’s just a short interview about our tours, why they’re different, what they mean to people, and our plans for the future.

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

The 1381 Peasant's Revolt has gone down in history as the first popular uprising in England, a violent reaction to a new tax, but that is no where near the full story.
Historian, author and presenter Matt Lewis (History Hit, the Gone Medieval podcast) joined me at Warwick Words history Festival ahead of his talk about this pivotal moment in history.

You can watch this interview on Youtube, or listen on the podcast.

Watch on the British History Youtube Channel

Watch on Youtube

📚Rebellion in the Middle Ages

Buy Matt's Book

(This link takes you to Blackwells who ship worldwide for free. This is an affiliate link)

Listen on the Podcast

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Listen on the Podcast

The website Matt mentioned is https://www.1381.online

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Historian Nathen Amin sat down with me at Warwick Words History Festival before his talk on "The year of the 3 kings, 1483" to discuss Edward IV's lack of forward planning, the course of events which brought Edward V to London and into the Tower, and when Nathen thinks Richard, then Duke of Gloucester, decided he should not just act as Regent for his nephew, but take his crown and become king.

You can watch this interview on Youtube, or listen on the podcast.

Watch on the British History Youtube Channel

📚Son of Prophecy

Buy Nathen's Book

(This link takes you to Blackwells who ship worldwide for free. This is an affiliate link)

Listen on the Podcast

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Listen on the Podcast

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

This is a Patreon/Substack paid subscriber exclusive! 1, because I promise you exclusive content and 2, because I definitely shouldn’t say in public whether I got to explore these Rock Houses.

I have recently started walking as a hobby - and I fell over history as soon as I started! I now look for routes which include historical points of interest, and I am spoilt for choice. This week’s walk started at Redstone Rock Caves, a one-time hermitage with a series of rooms, carved into the cliff. I spotted these in a book which I inherited from my grandparents, ‘The River Severn A Pictorial History’ (a book I will be returning to for more ideas).

In the 16th century, Bishop Latimer of Worcester mentioned them. He was not impressed, saying that the caves could lodge 500 men but he suspected they would more likely thieves than honest men! When it was a hermitage, there was supposedly a ferry service, operated by the hermits, to take passengers over the river. Sometimes the water would be low enough for the ford below the caves to be passable, and tradition has it that Prince Arthur’s body was carried through this ford on its way to Worcester Cathedral following his death at Ludlow Castle in 1502 (I have questions about the likelihood of this).

Back to the caves. Following the dissolution of all religious institutions, the caves were used for a variety of other purposes including a school, an alehouse and dwellings. By the late 1800s the caves had been abandoned and were not considered suitable for any human use.

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Over the past few years Mudlarking, the pastime of scouring river banks for archeology, has become incredibly popular both with those who do it, and those who like to watch videos of, of hear about, new finds.
Expert Mudlarker, Lara Maiklem joined me at Harvington History Festival where we talked about how tidal rivers become archaeological treasure troves, the challenges mudlarks face, and what incredible relics she has uncovered.

You can watch this interview on Youtube, or listen on the podcast. All the links you need are below 💜

📚A Mudlarking Year

Buy Lara's Book

(This link takes you to Blackwells who ship worldwide for free. This is an affiliate link)

Listen on the Podcast instead

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Listen on the Podcast

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Nicola Tallis joined me at the Harvington History Festival where she was talking about Queen Jane Grey, bettwe known as Lady Jane Grey or the 9-days Queen. We talked about the common misconception of Jane as a meak and mild girl who was merely a pawn in others’ games and that she was, in fact, fiercely intelligent and would have made a strong queen who may well have earned an epithet similar to the woman who’s throne she almost took, Mary I.

You can watch this interview on Youtube, or listen on the podcast. All the links you need are below 💜

📚Crown of Blood

Buy Nicola's book on Jane Grey

(Link takes you to Blackwells who ship worldwide for free. This is an affiliate link)

Listen on the Podcast instead

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Listen on the Podcast

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Ruth Goodman is the OG queen of what some call practical history, others call living history - in fact my first question to her when I met her at Harvington Hall during their history festival was “how do you describe what you do?”

📚How to be a Tudor

Get Ruth's Book

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Listen on the Podcast instead

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Listen on the Podcast

As you read this I am on my way through France in our little sports car, Monaco bound, for the Classic Grand Prix! Follow along at Patreon - click here.

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Ahead of the publication of her latest novel, The House of Boleyn, Dr Tracy Borman OBE joined me to talk about the real stories and people in this exploration of the Boleyn family story. We talked about how she tackled the challenge of blending history and fiction, and the inspiration for setting her novel The House of Boleyn at Hever Castle and how it offers a fresh perspective on Tudor family life. We also talked about how she explores the human side of the historical figures, especially Thomas Boleyn and Anne Boleyn, challenging outdated stereotypes.
Important to Tracy, and indeed her book, is the role of the servants at Hever Castle and she tells us how she used everyday household details to create authenticity—fireplaces, relationships with servants, and the sensory experience of Tudor life.

Publication Dates:

Interview with Tracy:

16th April - set a reminder by clicking here - out on YouTube and the Podcast

12th April - early access with bonus content and ad-free viewing, on Patreon - watch now

📚The House of Boleyn is out on 23rd April

Pre Order The House of Boleyn

(Link takes you to Blackwells who ship worldwide for free. This is an affiliate link)

Listen on the Podcast instead

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Listen on the Podcast

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Any appreciator of history revels in the news of a newly discovered artefact, even better if it is a hoard! We then look forward to perhaps seeing it all cleaned up and displayed in a museum. But what is it like to be the people looking for this buried treasure - and indeed, what is treasure?

I was joined by Ellie and Lucie, collectively known as ‘Roman Found’ to talk about a hobby for which they have now become famous, metal detecting! Their book ‘Things We Found in the Ground’ is released today and is a wonderfully uplifting and interesting read. I was able to ask them how they got into metal detecting, what it entails, and what they have found in the ground, plus we talked about how they have coped with sudden fame, and what’s next for the girls.

Get bonus content, as well as watch ad-free for uninterrupted viewing at my Patreon - click here.

Buy 'Things We Found in the Ground'

(Link takes you to Blackwells who ship worldwide for free. This is an affiliate link)

Listen on the Podcast instead

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Choose how to Listen - Here

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

Belfast is a fascinating city, whose history permeates the physical environment, and the people who live there. I was enthralled by my recent conversation with Belfast-born historian Jason Burke about the, often surprising, details of its history.

Jason is a top-class historian, well known for his in-depth research and engaging story telling. The history of Belfast, a divided city, can be a challenge for those outside of it to truly understand but Jason will bring you in with fascinating stories.

Jason told me about his journey from his working-class background to becoming a celebrated Belfast historian, and some surprising stories like the Belfast city cemetery's underground wall and Charlie Chaplin’s Belfast connection. We talked about the challenges and rewards of being a public historian and content creator, and his upcoming books on Belfast’s streets and the Irish revolutionary period from a Belfast perspective. We also got onto what it was like to work in the history sector and how both of us created the jobs we have in it!

Listen on the Podcast instead

You can also listen to this episode on the British History Podcast.

Choose how to listen here

Until next time, take care and have fun!

Philippa 💜

In the main, societies change incrementally over time but occasionally something so significant happens, that it causes a seismic shift. Some are obvious immediately, the invasion of William of Normandy in 1066, others less so but equally as significant, the Magna Carta. Then there are the subsequent consequences, the Black Death leading to the Peasants Revolt, or the Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights. There are those of which the ripple effects are felt in our every day lives today; the Civil Wars and the Reformation.

Top Historians are coming together this weekend to give exclusive talks on these defining moments in British History!

In 2022 we were still very much in the pandemic era but, in-person history festivals were beginning to start again in the UK. Fortunate enough to live here and be able to attend and listen to top historians, I was inspired to bring something similar to people across the world who were not necessarily allowed to travel yet. The British History Events Online History Festival was born! 2026 sees our 6th festival (the previous 5 are available as bundles, which can be added on to a ticket and viewed immediately at a heavily discounted rate).

Not only did I want to create an opportunity for people who couldn’t travel to listen to lectures from top historians, but it was important to keep the ticket price low, so that price would not be a barrier to access.

Each and every talk is exclusive to this event and is worth the £22 ticket price alone!

BUT, you will get 6 talks plus the change to attend a LIVE Q&A session with all the speakers, this Sunday evening, followed by the closing event, a just-for-fun quiz.

Buy Tickets

The Line Up

Each of these six eminent historians, will unpack a pivotal turning point in the nation’s past.

• Julian Humphrys explores The Battle of Hastings: what happened and what followed.

• Sharon Bennett Connolly traces Magna Carta: From Inception to Legacy.

• Matthew Lewis examines How the Black Death Changed England Forever.

• Gareth Russell tackles Crisis of Faith: The Reformation in British History.

• Jonathan Healey delves into The British Civil Wars: How they Happened, and Why they Matter.

• Gareth Streeter looks at The birth of Britain: how the Glorious Revolution and the Act of Union forged a modern nation.

Tickets for the event cost just £22 (around €25 or $29USD) and included all of the talks, the live events, entry into the free prize draw and unlimited viewings of the talks until 31st May 2026.

Get Discounted Tickets

Patreon Members Discount

Members of my British History Patreon can buy their tickets, at any time, for 2024 prices! Go to Patreon and look for the post announcing the event to find the special link which gives Patrons tickets for just £18! (The link will also be in the pinned ‘Welcome’ post).

Go to Philippa's Patreon

Ticket Sales end soon!

As with the previous 5 festivals, this festival will be available to purchase in its entirety following the event, for £35 from buymeacoffee.com/philippa

Or, pay £22 now!

I should also mention that you can add the talk bundles from any of the previous festivals to your ticket, for just £22 whilst the tickets for the current festival are on sale.

We hope to see you there!

Philippa 💜

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You’ll no doubt have heard of Holbein or a least be familiar with some of his work, Henry VIII for example. It is due to Holbein that we are so familiar with Henry VIII (and his codpiece) facing us down with shoulders wide enough to make Alexis Colby look like she’s never seen a shoulder pad.

But what about the man himself?

Did you know, he saw much of his works destroyed in one day, or that he had 2 families?

Do you know he is likely responsible for the beginnings of art collection as a thing in-and-of itself?

I am joined by Prof Elizabeth Goldring in my latest historian interview in which we discuss these elements of Holbein’s life and legacy as well as much more, including whether or not the Tudors would have enjoyed so much fame if it weren’t for the visual representations of them left by Holbein.

Watch the interview

Elizabeth also answered: is the Holbein sketch, below, held in the Royal Collection, Anne Boleyn? (but you’ll have to watch the interview in my Patreon to find out her answer, where you will also enjoy an extra 20-minutes of bonus content, and an ad-free watch of this interview, please visit PATREON.COM/BRITISHHISTORY and join for just £5 per month)

Listen on the Podcast

Listen for free on the British History podcast

Listen on the Podcast

Coming up soon!

Don’t miss out on 6 top-quality history talks, all from experts in their field, at the Defining Moments in British History Spring Online History Festival, from 20-22 March. Join Gareth Russell, Matthew Lewis, Jonathan Healey, Julian Humphrys, Sharon Bennett Connolly and Gareth Streeter for their talks, plus a live Q&A session on Sunday 22nd March. All talks, plus recordings of the live events, will be available for unlimited rewatch, until 31st May this year.

EVENT DETAILS

🗓️ 20th - 22nd March 2026

🖥️ Online

💰 £22 per ticket for the WHOLE EVENT (discounts for members of my Patreon)

Get your ticket

Until next time - have fun!

Philippa 💜

By people choosing to become paid subscribers, British History can continue to tell stories and share information for the history lover. So, if you can afford it, please support my work and I will say thank you by sharing exclusive content with you.

Despite the Royalist defeat at the Battle of Naseby in June the previous year, effectively destroying the king’s main army, and with it realistic hopes of a Royalist victory, some Royalist strongholds still resisted. But, as the summer of 1646 went on, they fell one-by-one; Oxford in June, followed by Worcester and Goodrich Castle in July and Pendennis Castle in Cornwall had surrendered just 2 days before Raglan. The marquis had correctly assessed their position as hopeless, a metaphor for the entire cause. Under the articles of the official surrender agreement, the garrison were allowed to march out, unhindered and in safety, but the marquis, as a chief supporter and financier of the royalist cause, was not. He was arrested and taken to London, kept under arrest (it’s not clear where) but died still in custody in December of the same year.

The damage sustained to Raglan Castle from the enemy’s guns was now purposely exacerbated as further deliberate destruction was inflicted on the palace-fortress by the Parliamentarians. Not only was the building shattered but its contents, including its library with collections of books and manuscripts, including much Welsh literature, dating back to the 14th century, were lost, destroyed or redistributed.

The romantic ruins rising gently above the surrounding Welsh countryside do, at least, still speak to its time as one of the grandest castles of the late Middle Ages. The exact date of its origins are not known for certain, but its strategic placement suggests there is a high likelihood that an early, wooden, motte-and-bailey, Norman, castle could have stood here to help guard the border region. Raglan Castle, as we would recognise it, was started in the 1430s by Sir William ap Thomas, a Welsh Gentleman knighted by Henry VI in 1426 and who became chief steward for the Welsh lands of Richard, duke of York. This association between the family and the Yorkists continued with Sir William’s son, William Herbert becoming a loyal supported of the duke’s son, Edward, later Edward IV.

It is this association that brings the future king Henry VII, to Raglan. In 1461, when Jasper Tudor, the young boy’s uncle and guardian, had left the 4-year-old Henry at his castle at Pembroke while he went to raise rebels in north Wales, Sir William Herbert stormed the castle, taking it, and Henry Tudor, into his custody. On 12th February 1462, for the incredible sum of £1000, Edward IV granted wardship of Henry to William Herbert, which included the future marital rights of the boy. Presumably then, although the boy’s lordship of Richmond was granted to the king’s brother’s in turn, there was still some monetary value to Herbert. Certainly he intended to marry him to his daughter, Maud, as stated in instructions to his wife in his will, prepared shortly before his death.

Even as a small boy, Henry Tudor’s position as a potential threat was recognised by the Yorkist regime. As a descendent of the Beaufort line via his mother, Margaret, herself a descendant of John of Gaunt, son of Edward III, and of the French royal family via his paternal-grandmother, Catherine de Valois, he did have royal blood. Although any claim to the throne would be distant, if he could be brought up loyal to the Yorkists regime, any concern could be managed.

Despite the violent and transactional start to the relationship, Henry appears to have had a good upbringing with the Herbert’s. He was not short of company, William and his wife, Anne, having 10 children; 4 boys and 6 girls plus another ward, Henry Percy, the disinherited, would-have-been earl of Northumberland. Anne took a direct interest in Henry’s education, and he proved both keen and capable at his studies. When his mother, and her husband Sir Henry Stafford, visited for 5 days, in September 1467, they found a clever, well-educated young boy.

Any illusion of permanency the young Henry may have felt in the beautiful Monmouthshire castle, was swiftly dispelled with the outbreak of further unrest. After the Battle of Edgecote in July 1469, where Herbert (now earl of Pembroke after his elevation in 1468) had led an army for Edward IV, but lost, he was captured along with his brother. Both were executed on the orders of the turncoat Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, aka ‘The Kingmaker,’ who had defected to the Lancastrian cause.

The new earl of Pembroke, another William, was just 14-years old when his father was executed and despite being married to the queen’s sister, Mary Woodville, in 1479 he was forced by Edward IV to exchange his earldom of Pembroke for that of Huntingdon, so that the king could bestow Pembroke on his eldest son. When William died without male heirs, in 1491, the barony passed to his daughter Elizabeth but Raglan passed to his brother, Walter Herbert. Walter had been a Yorkist supporter but chose to side with Henry Tudor in 1485, and in 1502 hosted queen Elizabeth at Raglan. When Walter died in 1507, Raglan was granted to his widow, but when she remarried the following year Raglan came back to William’s daughter Elizabeth, who was now married to Sir Charles Somerset.

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It was Charles’ great-great Grandson who sat awaiting his fate in the Great Hall of Raglan Castle, in August 1646. Despite valiant efforts from the Royalists, momentum was on the side of the Parliamentarians; momentum and “Roaring Meg,” a mortar designed to fire 200lb (90kg) gunpowder-filled shells which would explode on impact causing devastating damage. This, weapon of castle destruction, had been cast specifically for forcing the surrender of nearby Goodrich Castle and it had been successful in its task, Goodrich surrendering on the 31st July. Roaring Meg was now trundled the 15, or so, miles to Raglan and pointed directly at its walls.

Following Raglan’s surrender it suffered the same fate as many of England and Wales’s great castles, it was “slighted” to put it beyond any future military use. Materials were carted off, lead and timber were taken to Bristol to rebuild the bridge there, more timber was burnt so it fell down, and the locals came and searched the moat for treasure. The Great Tower and North East range show clear signs of deliberate destruction, with huge tears in the walls.

Despite the castle being eventually restored to the family, along with other properties, it was never rebuilt, the family choosing to base themselves elsewhere. In the early 19th century the ivy-clad ruins were something of a tourist attraction, and even had its own guidebook. In 1938 the castle was given over to the Commissioners of HM Works and, following the end of World War II, an extensive programme of conservation works was carried out.

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Bibliography

Raglan Castle. Cadw. 2003

Johnson, Lauren, Margaret Beaufort. Survivor, Rebel. Kingmaker. (London, 2025).

Amin, Nathen, Son of Prophecy. The Rise of Henry Tudor. (Stroud, 2024).The site is now maintained by Cadw and can be visited by the public.

Castle is not to be missed, and can be incorporated into an itinerary of the area which could also include Monmouth Castle, birthplace of Henry V, Tintern Abbey, the ruined Cistercian abbey where the 1st and 2nd Marquis’ were buried, and Chepstow Castle which once belonged to ‘The Greatest Knight’, William Marshall.

To follow in the footsteps of the Tudors in Wales, consider a longer trip and also take in Pembroke Castle, birthplace of Henry VII, nearby Carew Castle, and St David’s Cathedral, for Edmund Tudor’s tomb.

In my next travel blog we’ll take a look at what is left at Raglan Castle to see (hint: there’s lots).

For paid substack subscribers there are further photographs. By people choosing to become paid subscribers, British History can continue to tell stories and share information for the history lover. So, if you can afford it, please support my work and I will say thank you by sharing exclusive content with you.

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