Monday 9 July 2012

Kentwell Hall -- Tudor fair part one

On Friday my husband took the day off and the family went to Kentwell Hall where every summer they hold Tudor Days on the weekends.   If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that my Husband is a huge history fan and loves the Viking period and has even gotten the family involved in Viking reenactment:).  However if I was to chose a period to become interested in it would be the Tudor period as I am fascinated with the history of Reformation, Henry Tudor and his successors, Queen Mary and Elizabeth.

Kentwell Hall, when we arrived it was raining.  The buildings that we see today are from the 1600's but there are references to this home in the Doomsday book of 1066.

Back of the home

A moat still surrounds the home


Some of the desserts we saw in the Kitchen for the mid day meal

Princess fell in love with the Dragon design

Tudor style kitchen

Fireplace

Drawing room

child's cradle and tapestry wall hanging
embroidered wall hanging of Noah's ark

Lord's family eating their mid day meal in the b ig hall
Their mid day meal.  Common people rarely ate meat only those very rich could afford fish or meat
All re en actors played in first person so everyone had a specific role including servants
Painted wall panel in one of the rooms
Better view of dining room
Fireplace

Armour and portrait of King Henry, however the time period for this day was 1556 and Queen Mary (Henry's daughter) was on the Throne

The reliquary that the house hid during the Reformation, inside supposedly holds the head of a saint.  Not sure if this story is true or just part of the re enactment story:)

Another room in the house with a painted ceiling

Peacocks roamed the grounds

House gardens

Ice house

Tudor wealthy family enjoying the Tudor fair outside the grand house
Next post will include more about the common people of Tudor times and the types of amusements and work they performed.

18 comments:

  1. What did common people eat for protein, if they didn't eat meat? I know of a lot of alternative protein sources, but am thinking they wouldn't have bee available then. The Tudor time period is absolutely fascinating, though I'm glad I didn't live in it! What was the dragon made from anyway?

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    1. Eggs and lots of beans and as SarahElisabeth mentioned poaching wasn't unheard of:)

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    2. Oh they also had some varieties of nuts available too:)

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    3. the Dragon is made of a type of marzipan paste that was used back then. Very sweet and supposedly Queen Elizabeth ate an entire chess set made from the stuff:)

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    4. Everyone ate huge amounts of cheese in those days too - it was a common staple like bread.

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  2. Sounds great-must go to some reenactments.
    Maureen, they may have had eggs, poaching wasn't unknown(!), pulses (remember the pease pudding rhyme) would be my guess.

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    1. I highly recommend it we had a great time:)

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  3. What an awesome way to spend the day. Was this a private party or could anyone go? I love the photo of the house gardens.

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    1. This even was open to the public but because the day started out raining the crowds weren't very large at all. I would love to go back

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  4. I love living my life adventures through your life adventures. I always learn so much and this was awesome. Loved the pictures and the explanations. What a fun place to visit and learn about.
    Blessings and hugs!

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  5. Hopping over from Hip Homeschool Hop - FASCINATING!!!! I am so fascinated by this era of history and I thoroughly enjoyed looking at your pictures. Blessings from Zagreb: A Little R & R (www.littlerandr.org)

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  6. It is so fun to see all your pictures. Thank you for sharing all your adventures. I live vicariously through you, lol!

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  7. Like Lynda, I learn and live history through your adventures. I just sit in amazement at some of the structures that have withstood hundreds of centuries. Wow. What an interesting place to visit. Thanks for taking us along!

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  8. Before I married I made a trip to England and just barely got a nibble of the beautiful architecture and history of York, and Staford Upon Avon, Edinburgh, and other beautiful places. Someday I would love to go back and take my time.

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  9. Oh, how I would love this! Why, why, why don't they do things like this in Canada? Oh, yes. Because we don't have anything that dates back that far!!! :)

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  10. Wow! What an amazing trip!! I like the linen window coverings, a good idea, and very pretty.

    Hopping by from NOBH :-)

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  11. Hi - I was the assistant housekeeper at Kentwell Hall in the year 1600 and had probably the best two weeks of my life! I am just about to blog some of my memories of this time and was looking around to see if I could find any good photos as mine from the period are pretty rubbish (it was 1981 in reality). Hope it's OK for me to use a link to your page to show my readers what it was like.
    Glad you enjoyed it - I still feel like part of the house when I look back.
    Axxx

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