Gaining inspiration from Tudor sites – Burton Agnes
A visit to Burton Agnes Hall in East Yorkshire inspired me to write the scene of a royal summer progress in “The Tudor Fool.” It is a well-preserved example of an Elizabethan house which was built between 1598 and 1610 by Sir Henry Griffith. It has a striking red-brick exterior with large windows and tall chimneys surrounded by extensive gardens. Inside it features an entrance hall adorned with intricate carvings, a splendid newel-post staircase and a long gallery on the top floor.
At the time of the “grass season” from July to October the nobles and gentry would take leave from court to visit their country estates and supervise the harvest. Henry VIII would leave his palaces in London to go on tours and visit the houses of favoured courtiers where he would be entertained and go hunting with the local gentry. It was an important way for the monarch to be more visible and promote bonds of loyalty with his subjects.
Some of the written instructions (giests) for the itineraries survive for the years 1511, 1519, 1526, 1528, 1535, 1541 and reveal the places where the king stayed and for how long. In 1541 Henry undertook his Great Northern Progress up to York with his fifth wife Catherine Howard. In the course of this long progress Henry VIII visited Sir John Raynesford at Bradfield Hall in Essex. This is a lost Tudor site which no longer exists so I drew upon my visit to Burton Agnes to add period colour and detail to the scene.
“One of our progresses took us to Bradfield Hall, the home of Sir John Raynesford. On our arrival I saw an impressive redbrick manor house with tall mullioned windows and ornate chimney stacks. “Stay close to me, Will,” said the king as we rode up the long drive lined with yew trees. “You shall lodge with me in the king’s apartments.”
As we approached the cawing of crows in the treetops heralded our arrival. On the front steps our host and his family were waiting to greet us. They were all dressed in their finest clothes. Henry dismounted with practiced ease and handed his reins to his Yeoman guard. He waited for Queen Catherine to emerge from her litter and join him. The swaying of the litter often caused her to feel faint, but she greeted Henry with indomitable good cheer. Then he turned to address Sir John with such graciousness that you would have thought that he was the host and they were all his guests.
“Your Majesties, it is a great honour for me to welcome you to our home. Let me present my wife Lady Elizabeth, my sons Thomas and Anthony and my daughter Jane.”
Henry knew just how to handle these occasions to make a lasting impression. He took care that each member of the family had their special moment with him that they could prize and recount later. Unhurriedly he made his way along the line, demonstrating his royal charm with a variety of complimentary remarks, and not seeming to notice the stammered replies of the overawed family. Then he directed his smile towards the lady of the house to draw the welcome to a close.
“Lady Elizabeth, we are delighted to meet your family at last. I wonder if you happen to have a tankard of ale in your kitchens? It has been a long journey and these horses kick up so much dust on the road that I have been left quite parched.”
“Yes, your Majesty, we have ale and wine in plenty. Please follow me up to your apartments and you shall have all the refreshment you desire.”
We entered through a sturdy oak-panelled door studded with hobnails into a splendid entrance hall. The handsome stone chimney-piece immediately drew the king’s attention. Its highly decorated frieze portrayed the three figures of Faith, Hope and Charity standing between the four virtues of Justice, Prudence, Fortitude and Temperance. Above it stood the coat of arms of the Raynesfords flanked by figures of Honour and Peace. His inspection was interrupted by a servant kneeling to present a bowl of water scented with roses to wash his hands. As Sir John deferentially handed the king a towel, he expressed his admiration. “Very fine, Sir John. It is of excellent craftsmanship.”
“We employed a mason from the Netherlands, your Majesty,” he replied. Another servant carefully brought a large silver tankard to Lady Elizabeth. She presented it to Henry with a deep reverence.
“We thank you, Lady Elizabeth,” he said as he took a draught and then set it down on the long oak table. “You shall show the queen and I to our chambers now. Later, I will have further talk with your husband about his designs. I find his taste is much to my liking.”
I hurried to match my steps to the king’s great strides as Lady Elizabeth led him up a massive oak staircase. It was supported by great newel posts elaborately carved with intertwining roses. The walls were hung with portraits of the Raynesford family past and present. At the top of the stairs, we were ushered into a splendid set of apartments. The centrepiece was the king’s state bedroom which was dominated by a magnificent poster bed hung with drapes of blue silk. The chimney-piece portrayed the three figures of Patience, Truth and Constancy.
“Please make yourself comfortable, your Majesty,” said Lady Elizabeth. “May I pour you some wine?”
“Later, I shall join you and your husband in a cup. But as soon as my men bring in my chest, I will change out of these riding clothes. I compliment you upon these pleasant apartments. I shall be most comfortable here.”
“As soon as your Majesty is ready, we will serve dinner. You are sure to be hungry after so long a ride.” “I would be pleased to join you, Lady Elizabeth.” I sat in the window seat that looked out over the formal gardens below. As the king’s attendants hurried to wash and dress the king in readiness for the evening’s entertainment, I ran my hand with wonder along the carved wooden boarder of the oak panelling. It was decorated with a design of intertwining vines hung with dangling bunches of grapes that were so realistic that you could almost pick them off the wall. A fine set of tapestries depicted images of the Five Senses and the Biblical story of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. The ladies of virtue were diligently spinning while those of idleness were dancing and had left their lamps overturned. The moulded plasterwork ceiling was decorated in a pattern of intertwining honeysuckle blossoms. It was truly an apartment fit for a king.”
Extract from “The Tudor Fool: My Life with Henry VIII.”
Elizabeth Kelly.
Book 3 in The Tudors Series
