Elizabethan History
Places To Visit
There are many places to visit in England, Scotland and Wales that have survived from the Tudor period. Many buildings even pre-date the Renaissance. Here I have listed the most famous places associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. They are all mainly located in or near London. More places to visit throughout Great Britain can be found in these sections:
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
Surrey, England
30-40 minutes by train from Waterloo Station, London
Built by Cardinal Wolsey and modified by Henry VIII, this magnificent Tudor palace is a must see for all Tudor history enthusiasts. It's
the only palace built during the Tudor period that survives today, and perhaps reflects more than any other royal residence the splendour
of the Tudor monarchs. Queen Elizabeth I and her court spent much time here during the early half of her reign. It was here
that Elizabeth fell seriously ill of small pox in 1562.
Website: Hampton Court Palace
HATFIELD HOUSE
Hertfordshire, England
20 minutes by train from King's Cross Station, London.
The gates to the house are opposite the Railway Station.
While most of the Old Palace was demolished in the early seventeenth century, the Great Hall where Elizabeth held her first
Council of State still survives. The Old Palace was also were Elizabeth spent much of her childhood. Elizabeth was reputedly sitting
beneath a tree in the grounds of the house when she received the news that she was Queen of England. The spot is marked by a tree that
was planted in memory of the occasion by Queen Elizabeth II. On display inside the Jacobean House are Elizabeth's hat, gloves, and
stockings. Also on display are the Rainbow and Ermine Portrait, as well as portraits of William Ceil, Lord Burghley,
and his son, Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, and the horse Elizabeth reputedly rode at Tilbury during the Spanish Armada.
Website: Hatfield House
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
London, England
20 minutes by train from King's Cross Station, London.
The gates to the house are opposite the Railway Station.
Has on display many Tudor portraits, including portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, Henry VII, Anne Boleyn, and other
significant Tudor men and women.
Website: National Portrait Gallery
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
London, England
30-40 minutes by train from Waterloo Station, London
Although officially a royal residence in the Tudor period, the Tower was used primarily as a prison. Traitors were usually kept here. Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth's mother, was executed on Tower Green in 1536, and Elizabeth herself was kept a prisoner within the Bell Tower for several weeks during the troubled reign of her sister. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was also imprisoned here at the same time for involvement in his father's scheme to make Lady Jane Grey queen.
Website: Tower of London
WINDSOR CASTLE
Berkshire, England
The gates to the house are opposite the Railway Station.
Windsor Castle has been a royal residence for a thousand years. This was one of Elizabeth's principal residences and she made additions to the castle in the 1580's (additions pictured)
Website: Windsor Castle
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
London, England
This magnificent abbey was where Elizabeth I was crowned in the cold January of 1559 and where she was buried in 1603.
Mary, Queen of Scots, is also buried here, as is Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty.
Website: Westminster Abbey
