Enjoy Britain
Portrait of Catherine by Michael Sittow (1502) Quest for a lost
Inspired by the hit TV drama Wolf Hall , Graham Sherwood goes in search of historical sites associated with Catherine of Aragon, QuHenery VIII’es ‘pomnegranate Que en’
ERTAIN BRITISH TV the TV drama, here are some of the places river. Sadly, nothing remains of Durham dramas have a big appeal where you can perhaps get a flavour of the House today although a short street, to audiences, especially ‘pomegranate Queen’. Durham House Street, runs overseas, due to their use of Following the untimely death of her approximately through the site of the old iconic filming locations first husband, Henry VIII’s older brother palace down to the riverside Adelphi that show off our country’s best assets Arthur, Prince of Wales, and widowed at buildings near the Thames. tCo the full. the tender age of 16, Catherine of Aragon Catherine did enjoy a few years of The BBC’s latest historical was placed in residence at Durham married happiness and Henry VIII heavyweight, Wolf Hall , the hugely House, London, until a decision could be showed himself to be an affectionate successful dramatisation of Hilary made about what was to become of her. husband. She was not without some Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning tome, For a time it looked as if her destiny would influence in state affairs and during could become the inspiration for a tour be a return to Spain, as unwanted Henry’s invasion of France in 1513 she just as Inspector Morse has done for merchandise. However, following a papal was made England’s regent. Catherine Oxford and Downton Abbey for many of agreement that her first marriage to showed great zeal and ardour in our stately homes, including the location Henry’s brother had not been the preparations for the war against the at Highclere Castle in Berkshire. Detailing the political machinations of “She is, my lords, as true, as obedient, as conformable a Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII, Wolf wife as I could in my phantasy wish or desire. She hath all Hall features the life, rise to power and eventual demise of both Catherine of the virtues and qualities that ought to be in a woman of her Aragon and subsequently Anne Boleyn. dignity or in any other of baser estate.” In addition to the well–known palaces King Henry VIII in and around London that have hosted our royalty throughout the ages, such as Hampton Court and Windsor Castle, consummated, she became Henry VIII’s Scots, and was riding towards the north Catherine of Aragon during her latter first queen in 1509. to put herself at the head of the troops years took a journey to some far less Bishop Thomas Hatfield built the before the victory of Flodden Field salubrious destinations before her early opulent town house Durham House ended the campaign. death in 1536. around 1345. It had a large chapel and a It is said that Catherine received the It’s a trail north from London through high-ceilinged Great Hall that was blood-soaked tunic of James IV of the home counties to her eventual resting supported by marble pillars. Opening on Scotland at Woburn Abbey in place in Peterborough Cathedral. Some to the highly fashionable Strand, its Bedfordshire, before sending it as a of the places she visited, first in triumph gatehouse led on to a large courtyard. The trophy to her husband who was still then in exile from the royal court, still hall and chapel faced the entrance, while fighting in France.
exist in part. If your interest was raised by the private apartments overlooked the However, as is well documented t
6 CHOICE MAY 2015 MAY 2015 CHOICE 7 Enjoy Britain
Peterborough Cathedral: Catherine’s final resting place
Below right: The Old Palace in the grounds of Hatfield House E S U O H
D L E I F T A H
© t Catherine, despite her best efforts, could The More (also known as the Manor of in the winter of 1531/32, but in May 1532 from the palace of the bishops of Ely that founded in 1132 by Henry I for the historical documentation from its earlier not deliver a viable male heir to the the More) was a 16th-century palace near she was forced to leave and travel to was built in the 12th century. Augustinian canons in Dunstable, years, in the 16th century the Priory was throne, suffering several unsuccessful Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, where Bishops Hatfield. The Old Hatfield House was built of Bedfordshire. St Peter’s today is a large and again connected with an important pregnancies that resulted in still-births and Catherine lived after the annulment of her The More site was partly excavated lovely red brick around 1485 by Bishop impressive building, but this is only the historical event, when on May 23, 1533, those that survived for merely days. marriage to Henry. It was previously between 1952 and 1955 and is currently Morton. In 1538, Thomas Goodrich, nave of what remains of an originally in the Lady Chapel of the conventual Catherine soon found herself falling out owned by Cardinal Wolsey, and was buried under a metre of topsoil placed to Bishop of Ely, gave the palace to Henry much larger Augustinian priory church. church at Dunstable, Archbishop of favour with Henry VIII and, while still located at the north-east corner of the later provide a playing field for Northwood VIII in exchange for other lands. As one of The monastic buildings consisted of a Cranmer together with the bishops of enjoying the goodwill of the population More Park estate on the edge of the River Preparatory School, which lies the King’s residences, it conveniently dormitory for the monks, an infirmary, Winchester, London, Bath and Lincoln who thought her to be a true and pious Colne flood plain. immediately to the east. The site was also became one of the many places where stables, workshops, bakehouse, pronounced the marriage between Henry queen, began to become increasingly The house came to Wolsey as a the subject of an episode of the popular Catherine of Aragon was incarcerated brewhouse and buttery. There was also a VIII and Catherine of Aragon null and isolated from the centre of court life. possession of the Abbey of St Albans in British archaeology programme, Time during the couple’s divorce proceedings. hostel for pilgrims and travellers, the void. The location arose as Catherine was While Henry sought every possible way 1515, and passed to Henry VIII in 1531. Team, in 2012. Much of the Old Palace still remains remains of which is known today as then residing at nearby Ampthill, some 12 to dissolve his unproductive marriage, By the mid-16th century, there was a The Old Palace at Hatfield House is within the grounds of Hatfield House and Priory House. Opposite the Priory was miles to the north. Catherine was forced to continually move timber-framed long gallery 15ft broad and located in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, 20 is used for events and functions today. one of the royal palaces belonging to The Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk were from place to place, with seemingly 253ft long. Most of the house was made of miles north of London. Hatfield’s full The Priory Church of St Peter with its Henry I, known as Kingsbury. sent to Ampthill Castle to tell Catherine
ever-decreasing levels of comfort. brick. Catherine came to live at The More name, Bishop’s Hatfield, derives its name monastery, Dunstable Priory, was Although there seems to be little that Henry and Anne Boleyn were now t
8 CHOICE MAY 2015 MAY 2015 CHOICE 9 Enjoy Britain
“Somewhat unusually, Peterborough holds an annual festival marking the anniversary of her death with a Catholic mass being celebrated, a rarity in an Anglican cathedral”
Main picture: The tranquil River Nene at Fotheringhay with the mound that was the castle behind the willows Top: Woburn Abbey, where Catherine enjoyed her better moments, looks significantly different than it would have in Catherine’s day as in 1747 the 4th Duke hired Henry Flitcroft to turn rebuild the house in the Palladian style Left: Buckden Towers, incorporating part of the old Bishop’s Palace Centre: Kit Williams hid the treasure promised by his book at Ampthill, near Catherine’s memorial cross t married; she was told that as she was now of Ampthill Castle, which was built in the although it is often stated as being built visible from the village High Street. would turn out to be the last 20 months of being the widow of his deceased brother. no longer queen she must use the title 15th century by Sir John Cornwall, Lord much later, in the 15th century. However, Catherine complained about the damp her life. It is now home to Kimbolton The Queen’s Room, where Catherine Princess Dowager of Wales. She would be Fanhope, from ransom proceeds following the first wooden palace was actually built and cold of Buckden and she was offered public school and, while some of the died in 1536, aged 50, most probably from S I H
F allowed to keep her property but her the battle of Agincourt. There is, however, in the late 12th century and records show a move to Fotheringhay Castle in castle remains as Catherine would have cancer of the heart, is now the school E O
H T N
O F
I servants and household expenses would a commemorative cross for Catherine of it as being an additional home to the Northamptonshire. This was thought to known it, most of the building has been headmaster’s study. After being embalmed O S
S S I E M
E now be her own responsibility. Aragon in the park at Ampthill, which was bishops of Lincoln. be worse, so she declined. It became heavily altered, including work by 18th by the local candle-maker she lay in the R T E S P
U However, she was also informed that if also chosen as the burial site for the The wooden structure was replaced by famous later as the site of the century luminaries like Vanbrugh, chapel for nearly three weeks before being D R T N
I E K
H
Y she submitted to the King’s will and ‘golden hare’ treasure that accompanied more substantial buildings, including a imprisonment and execution of Mary Hawksmoor and Robert Adam. taken on her final journey for burial at T
B
D D N E
A recognised her new situation, she would the children’s fantasy puzzle book, tall brick tower which was added in 1475, Queen of Scots. The castle mound is all Held effectively as a prisoner within what is now Peterborough Cathedral,
H D S I R L O B be more generously provided for with a Masquerade, written by author, artist and protected by walls, a moat, and that remains – a stark reminder of that modest quarters in the south-western resting at Sawtry Abbey en route. F U D P
E E B
handsome estate. Catherine declined and illustrator Kit Williams in 1979. surrounded by an outer bailey. Catherine bloody history. Visitors can walk up to corner of the castle and tended by a small Today few other than the local G F A O
M I E E Henry, furious with her continued Buckden Towers, formerly known as resided here in somewhat uncomfortable the mound close by the banks of the entourage of the faithful, Catherine still population are aware of Peterborough T K Y A E U T B D S
B E E obstinacy, ordered her to move to the Buckden Palace , is a 12th-century surroundings for almost a year between River Nene. regarded herself as Queen, even though Cathedral’s association with Henry’s
A
H D N T
R R E t O
U Bishop of Lincoln’s Palace at Buckden in fortified manor house, located on High July 1533 and May 1534. Catherine arrived at Kimbolton Castle Henry had given orders that she now be Spanish queen, who was buried at what C F B A D O R E t B G W Huntingdonshire. Nothing remains today Street, Buckden, in Cambridgeshire, The tower and some of the walls are still in May 1534 and stayed there for what addressed merely as Princess Dowager, was then known as Peterborough Abbey
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