History Hit digs deep into a fascinating new discovery that has grabbed the attention of historians across the world.
Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb explores what is being called the most exciting Tudor find ‘in a generation’ as curators at Hever Castle identify a bejewelled, gilded prayer book, tucked away in a Cambridge University library, as the very one portrayed in Holbein’s famous painting of Henry VIII’s ‘fixer in chief’, Thomas Cromwell.
It reveals that three key players in Henry VIII’s court, Anne Boleyn, Catherine of Aragon, AND Thomas Cromwell, all owned a copy of the same printed prayer book.
In this special film, Suzannah tracks the detailed historic detective work that has been carried out by Hever’s curators and Trinity College’s Wren Library, linking the prayer book through the generations from Thomas Cromwell himself to a gift to the library by Dame Anne Sadleir in 1660.
We are delighted to bring you this remarkable story that combines a modern day investigation with stunningly beautiful objects and the tangled web of shifting beliefs and personal connections at the heart of the Tudor world.
_____
After watching the film, you can find out more by visiting the following websites of Hever Castle and Trinity College:
https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/news/thomas-cromwell-book-on-display/
https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/news/thomas-cromwells-book-of-hours-in-trinity-college-library/
Up Next in Digging up History
-
Secrets of Hitler's Island Fortress
Guernsey and its neighbouring islands have a unique distinction which sets them apart from the rest of the British Isles. Together with the rest of the Channel Islands, they were the only part of the British Isles to fall to Nazi Germany in the Second World War. In this documentary Dan Snow disco...
-
Life on the Wall
In this episode, Tristan Hughes visits two key sites along Hadrian’s Wall that can tell us more about everyday life on this far flung frontier, with a particular focus on hygiene and worship. First on the list is Chesters Roman Fort. Described as one of the most complete cavalry forts that surviv...
-
Fortress Britain: Red Sands Forts
During the Second World War, the City of London was a major target for both naval and aerial bombardment. In 1943, numerous towers were built in the Thames Estuary as anti-aircraft defences to protect the capital. Known as the Red Sands Forts, these Star Wars Walker-like constructions were initia...
60 Comments