Step into the drama, intrigue and brilliance of the Tudor age at this immersive day of history. Four leading historians bring the period vividly to life, sharing fresh insights, untold stories and the personalities that shaped a dynasty. Between talks, take time to wander the historic manor house and gardens, and experience the atmosphere of a place steeped in the very history you’re exploring.

Talks By

Antonia Senior- Stalin's Apostles
Drawing on recently declassified files, Stalin's Apostles uncovers the remarkable story of the Cambridge Five—British spies who passed vital intelligence to Stalin for more than two decades. Their betrayal shaped the course of the Second World War and the Cold War, with consequences that continue to resonate in modern Russia under Vladimir Putin.
Hugo Vickers- Queen Elizabeth II
In this major new biography marking the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II's birth, acclaimed royal historian Hugo Vickers draws on six decades of research, personal encounters and conversations with those who knew the Queen to offer a revealing portrait of Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Exploring her life from childhood to her final years, he sheds fresh light on the woman behind the Crown and her extraordinary legacy of service.
Kate Williams- Regina
In Regina, acclaimed historian Kate Williams explores the lives of queens, empresses and royal women across the centuries, from Hatshepsut and Boudica to Catherine of Aragon, Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Spanning continents and millennia, this captivating talk reveals how women have exercised, challenged and transformed power, and how their stories continue to shape our understanding of monarchy, politics and history today.
Alison Weir- Lancaster & York
The Wars of the Roses were a bitter struggle between the rival houses of Lancaster and York, marked by treachery, political intrigue and some of England's bloodiest battles. The conflict brought down the Plantagenet dynasty and paved the way for the Tudors.
In this fascinating talk, bestselling historian Alison Weir explores the people behind the conflict, from the troubled Henry VI and the formidable Margaret of Anjou to the victorious Edward IV and the controversial Richard III, revealing the personalities, ambitions and rivalries that shaped one of the most dramatic periods in English history.

Historians

Antonia Senior

Antonia Senior studied the history of the intelligence services under Professor Christopher Andrew at Cambridge University. She was also taught the history of the Russian Revolution by Professor Orlando Figes. This led to a lifelong fascination with the impact of Marxism, the relationship bet ween the West and Russia, the Cold War and espionage. She spent thirteen years at The Times covering business and finance before she became one of the paper's leader writers. The author of three novels, Stalin's Apostles is her first work of non-fiction.

Hugo Vickers

Hugo Vickers is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and an acknowledged expert on the British Royal Family. He has written biographies of the Queen Mother, Cecil Beaton, Vivien Leigh, Princess Andrew of Greece and the Duchess of Windsor. His book The Kiss won the 1996 Stern Silver Pen Award for Non-Fiction. His recent bestsellers have included Malice in Wonderland and The Sphinx – the life of Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough. He collaborated with HRH The Duke of Kent on A Royal Life. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire.

Kate Williams

Professor Kate Williams is a historian and the New York Times bestselling author of over ten works of history and historical non-fiction which include Rival Queens, The Royal Palaces and Edge of the Fall. She has presented various TV shows on the BBC, Channel 5 and PBS, including Restoration Home, Young Victoria, Inside Versailles and Secrets of the Royal Palaces. She is CNN’s royal historian and covers all royal events for CNN (including the funeral of Elizabeth II) and also discusses royals on the BBC and Sky News. She studied for her BA and DPhil at Oxford and is Professor in Public Engagement with History at the University of Reading, and lectures all over the world. She has appeared on shows from the Great British Bake Off to Gardener’s World and has won UK quiz shows including Mastermind, Pointless and Antiques Road Trip. Her greatest love is a dusty document.

Alison Weir

Dr Alison Weir is the United Kingdom’s most popular and best-selling female historian, and has sold over 3 million books worldwide. Rich in detailed research, Alison’s engaging prose has captured the interest and imagination of countless people, instilling a love of history that has influenced the career paths of historians, historical novelists and teachers, while also greatly increasing knowledge of medieval and Tudor English history among people throughout the world. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces and an honorary Doctor of Bishop Grosseteste University.