Issue 9

The astronomical clock at Hampton Court Palace is a marvel of sixteenth-century design and innovation, reflecting the interests of the age in astronomy and astrology. Tracy Borman explains the history and workings of this wonderful timepiece.

The magnificent King’s College Chapel, with its spectacular fan-vaulted ceiling and conspicuous display of Tudor heraldry, overshadows the college’s earlier, more subdued Lancastrian roots. Julian Humphrys explores the foundation and history of this world-renowned chapel.

At its height, sprawling Whitehall was the largest palace in Europe. It became the principal residence of Henry VIII and all subsequent Tudor monarchs, but its destruction by fire in 1698 was a relief for William III. Dr Elizabeth Norton explores the history of this fascinating, long-lost palace.

The construction of new churches almost came to a halt during Mary I’s brief reign. There was an understandable reluctance to commit beliefs to stone in a period of religious turmoil, as Mary I reversed the changes introduced by her father and brother. Dr Emma J. Wells explores some examples of the rare church building that did occur in the Marian period.

When Thetford Priory was surrendered in 1540, access to the centuries-old mausoleum of the earls and dukes of Norfolk was also lost, so Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, established a new family mausoleum near the ducal stronghold at Framlingham. Dr Kirsten Claiden-Yardley examines the tombs of the Norfolk family in the church of St Michael the Archangel, Framlingham.

Gareth Russell is an historian, broadcaster, and author. He studied at Oxford University and then Queen’s University, Belfast. Gareth’s widely-acclaimed biography of Catherine Howard, "Young & Damned & Fair", had its roots in his
masters research into her royal household. His latest book, "The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of Royal History at Hampton Court", was published in August 2023 and is already a best-seller.