• Henry VIII's Tudor Christmas

  • Dec 11 2024
  • Length: 33 mins
  • Podcast

Henry VIII's Tudor Christmas

  • Summary

  • Tudor Christmas was a time for revelry and fun. Henry VIII and his court celebrated the full 12 days of Christmas in excess, with tables ladened with roast swan, suckling pig and venison pasties, among other delights. It's believed one Christmas, the King spent the equivalent of £13 million on the celebrations. He loved to dress up and tease his wives as well as take part in festive games.


    Dan travels to what was once the heart of Henry's court, Hampton Court Palace, to meet with Historic Royal Palaces chief curator Tracy Borman and Richard Fitch, of the Historic Kitchens Team, to discover how the Tudors celebrated and what of their traditions we still have today.


    This is episode 2 of our 'Origins of Christmas' series. Every Wednesday in December, Dan explores the history behind our Christmas traditions—from extravagant Tudor feasts and carolling to midwinter Solstice celebrations, the bawdy entertainment of the Georgians, and the family-focused customs of the Victorians.


    Produced and edited by Mariana Des Forges


    Music by Epidemic Sounds & All3Media Music Library

    Dan Snow's History Hit is a History Hit podcast.


    Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

    Show More Show Less
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Henry VIII's Tudor Christmas

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.