Murder Behind Bars in Tudor England – A Shocking True Story
In 1590, Catholic gentleman John Hocknell — imprisoned in Chester Castle for his faith — didn’t die of plague, hunger, or age. He was murdered… by his own gaoler. The weapon? A pitchfork. The killer? ...
15 Aug 20258min
The Forgotten Genius Behind the Spanish Tragedy and Hamlet
Before Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there may have been another… Written by a man history almost erased. On this day in Tudor history—15th August 1594—playwright Thomas Kyd was buried in London, aged just 3...
14 Aug 20254min
The Princess Who Lived in the Shadows of Kings
Today I’m telling the often forgotten story of Katherine of York, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, sister to Elizabeth of York and the Princes in the Tower, and aunt to Henry VIII. Kath...
13 Aug 20255min
The Knight Who Wept for a Princess
He was knighted at Henry VIII’s third wedding, carried Queen Jane Seymour’s coffin, and greeted Anne of Cleves on her arrival in England. He fought in France, jousted at Edward VI’s coronation, serve...
12 Aug 20254min
The Sheep Farmer’s Son Who Helped Shape Tudor England
He reformed how we pronounce Greek, helped dissolve the old Church, negotiated for Elizabeth I… and somehow survived every Tudor monarch from Henry VIII’s reign onward. On this day in Tudor history, ...
11 Aug 20258min
From Cromwell’s Ally to Mary’s Pardon
On this day in Tudor history, 11th August 1556, Sir John Kingsmill died—quietly, naturally, and with his head still on his shoulders. That might not sound remarkable… but in the reigns of Henry VIII, ...
10 Aug 20256min
Richard III Like You’ve Never Seen Him – Behind the Scenes of "A Taste of Loyalty"
Was Richard III really the monster Shakespeare painted him to be? Or have centuries of myth and propaganda hidden the man he truly was? In this exclusive interview, I (Claire Ridgway, historian and a...
9 Aug 20251h 18min
Poisoned Cakes, Flea Traps… and Dead Hedgehogs?! Pest Control Tudor-style
Wormwood-strewn floors. Poisoned rat cakes. Bounties on hedgehogs. No, it’s not a dark fairy tale—it’s real Tudor pest control. In a world without bug spray or exterminators, how did the Tudors tackl...
8 Aug 20258min
