Greensleeves, Henry VIII and his six wives, the English Reformation, the tragic tale of Lady Jane Grey and the fierce intelligence of Elizabeth I - the Tudor period is one of most famous in English history. Well known and loved with programmes like The Tudors, Blackadder and Horrible Histories all paying their own unique tributes.
An exciting new programme of events and activities will bring Southampton’s Tudor history to life starting last month. The Heritage Lottery-funded 'Tudor Revels' will showcase the fascinating heritage, archives and real lives of Southampton's Tudor period.
All of the Tudor monarchs visited Southampton which was, as it is today, an important port and thriving trading town at the heart of many pivotal events that took place in England during this turbulent and defining period of history.
The busiest weekend of the Southampton Tudor Revels calendar is set to take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 September as we celebrate Michaelmas Fair. Bugle Street and the surrounding area will be packed full of activities giving a glimpse into what the town was like at the time.
Throughout the weekend visitors can try music workshops in singing and lute playing, experience the fun and games of Tudor times, enjoy a Tudor concert and tour and explore St. Michael's Church and Bugle Street. Tudor House and Gardens will also host a number of events and Sarah Siddons Fan Club will perform three 20 minute productions based on true stories from the period, plus a procession and living Tudor Market, where you can meet costumed townsfolk.
Dr Cheryl Butler, Tudor Revels Organiser, said: ”Tudor Revels is inspired by the wealth of original documents in Southampton's archives. We wanted to bring those to life and shed light on a turbulent but largely unknown part of Southampton's history. It's a celebration of Southampton and our strong Tudor past.”
Most events are free and all are family friendly. For details on all the events taking place from now through to January 2013 visit www.tudorrevels.co.uk
Also on the website you can discover more about Southampton and the people living here in the Tudor period (1485-1603) through a growing collection of records, stories and maps.
More about Tudor Revels
The Tudor Revels is a major programme to raise the profile of the heritage, archives and history of Southampton in the Tudor Period [1485-1603]. All the Tudor monarchs visited Southampton which was, as today, an important port, a thriving trading town and at the heart of many of the pivotal events that took place in England in this turbulent and defining period of history.
The Tudor Revellers are all drawn from heritage, community and educational organisations that all have a love of history. The project is open to anyone who shares these aims, and dozens of volunteers have helped to put together the Revels programme. To find out more and to get involved visit the website or get in touch on Facebook (see the links at the bottom of this page).
The majority of events are free thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and the contributions made by our friends and partners.
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