Daily Life Archives - Tudor Nation

What did King Henry VIII do all day? (1509)

January 29, 2021 by Heather Y Wheeler

Introduction Henry VIII became King on the death of his father, King Henry VII, on 21st April 1509. After the death of his elder brother, Arthur, in 1503 he was the sole heir to the throne. As such, he had been closely supervised and given little freedom. After his accession, he quickly surrounded himself with … Read more

A Tudor Christmas – How did they celebrate?

December 24, 2020 by Heather Y Wheeler

A Tudor Christmas was celebrated primarily as a religious festival and also as a time for families to come together and celebrate surviving through another year. The main period of festivities was the twelve days of Christmas beginning on Christmas Day (25th December) and ending on Epiphany (6th January). For most people this period was … Read more

Tudor Money and Finance

August 7, 2020May 30, 2020 by Heather Y Wheeler

Coinage Tudor money was in the form of coins and there were no paper notes. At the beginning of the Tudor period, the coins in existence were: a silver penny, a groat which was worth four pennies and an Angel which was worth 120 pennies or ten shillings. A pound was not a coin … Read more

Tudor Sports

August 7, 2020April 27, 2020 by Heather Y Wheeler

Tudor sports were not a regular feature of life for the ordinary people. They worked long hours, often from sun up to sun down, and went to bed when it got dark. In 1512 Henry VIII had a law passed that banned the common people from playing tennis, dice, cards, bowls and skittles. The … Read more

The First Lottery in Elizabethan England

August 7, 2020September 7, 2019 by Heather Y Wheeler

History Although raffles had been held previously this was the first official lottery chartered by Queen Elizabeth I. The lottery was being held to raise money for the improvement and defence of the country as well as to be put towards dealing with the poor. Money raised from the venture was used to improve … Read more

The Cloth Trade in Tudor England

August 7, 2020July 7, 2019 by Heather Y Wheeler

The cloth trade was extremely important in Tudor England. Merchants dealt in the import and export of raw materials and finished products. Cloth merchants were generally very wealthy men. Although linen was beginning to be produced, it was the production of woollen cloth that dominated the Tudor Period. The West Riding of Yorkshire, East … Read more

The Stews in Tudor England

August 7, 2020July 5, 2019 by Heather Y Wheeler

The Stews was the name given to the most notorious brothels in London. The Tudor ‘red light’ district was situated south of the river Thames in Southwark. Located between Maid Lane and Bankside, they were near to the arenas used for bear and bull-baiting. There were also many theatres and music halls in the … Read more

The Practice of Keeping Retainers

August 7, 2020September 4, 2017 by Heather Y Wheeler

Definition of Retainers In the Middle Ages the Feudal System established a link between the different classes. Under the system, land was provided in return for a fee or service. By the beginning of the Tudor period, the practice of keeping retainers had been adopted by noblemen to ensure a loyal workforce. Retainers were … Read more

What was England like in 1500?

September 23, 2020 by Heather Y Wheeler

Population In 1500 the population of England was about 3 million. Due to yearly outbreaks of plague and sickness the population stayed at about this number. There was a general shortage of labourers which meant wages were high and rents low. All classes therefore enjoyed a reasonable standard of living. London The city of London … Read more

Tudor Education, Art, Travel and Culture Chronology – Henry VIII

March 3, 2021February 17, 2021 by Heather Y Wheeler

A chronology of Tudor Culture, Education, Art and Travel in the reign of Henry VIII

Please Note: This timeline is a work in progress