Issue 19

Henry VIII’s gardens at Hampton Court have long since disappeared, but they were considered one of the most magnificent gardens of the sixteenth century in England and rivalled some of the best of Europe. Alexandra Stevenson guides us through the glittering, dazzling, fantastical buildings created for Henry VIII’s gardens at Hampton Court.

The monasteries in the north of England strenuously resisted state efforts to close them but ultimately it was to no avail. Dr Emma J Wells looks at the fall of the mighty northern monasteries – Furness, Rievaulx, Fountains – providing a glimpse of the scale of the destruction wrought on these buildings and communities.

During the early 1540s, Henry VIII ordered the construction of a lengthy chain of coastal forts in response to a serious threat of invasion from England’s Catholic neighbours. The Solent was of particular importance and Julian Humphrys looks at the history of three major fortifications that were built to defend this strategically vital stretch of water.

The medieval origins of Penshurst Place in Kent, and its long-standing connection to the Sidney family, are well-known, but its royal associations less so. Dr Elizabeth Norton examines the Tudor history and royal ownership of one of England’s finest medieval great houses.

Dr William Wyeth is one of English Heritage’s experts in medieval castles and landscapes. He talks to us about his role as Curator of History, the many wonderful castles with which he works and how he brings history alive, telling the stories of people and places across all levels of society.

At Old Hall, Brigitte Webster marks a milestone birthday in the most fabulous of ways, with the creation of a Tudor-style frieze mural. Designed and painted by her friend, architectural historian Dr Jonathan Foyle, it celebrates Brigitte and her love of all things Tudor.