From awe-inspiring Norman castles, to the homes we live in, Simon Thurley explores how the architecture of this small island influenced the world.The Building of England puts into context the significance of a country’s architectural history and unearths how it is inextricably linked to the cultural past – and present.From humble Saxon huts, to soaring gothic cathedrals, through feats of Victorian engineering to the homes we live in today, Simon Th...

From awe-inspiring Norman castles, to the skyscrapers of today, Simon Thurley explores how the architecture of this small island influenced the world.The Building of England puts into context the significance of a country’s architectural history and unearths how it is inextricably linked to the cultural past – and present.Saxon, Tudor, Georgian, Regency, even Victorian and Edwardian are all well-recognised architectural styles, displaying the influence of the events that ma...

'Excellent . . . Fresh, learned, readable and full of life' Dan Jones, Mail on SundayHouses of Power is the result of Simon Thurley's thirty years of research, picking through architectural digs, and examining financial accounts, original plans and drawings to reconstruct the great Tudor houses and understand how these monarchs shaped their lives.________What was it like to live as a royal Tudor?

The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland and Spain to England.Life in the court of the House of Stuart has been shrouded in mystery: the first half of the century overshadowed by the fall and execution of Charles I, the second half in the complete collapse of the House itself. Lost to time is the extraordinary contribution the Stuarts made to the fabric...

The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland and Spain to England.Life in the court of the House of Stuart has been shrouded in mystery: the first half of the century overshadowed by the fall and execution of Charles I, the second half in the complete collapse of the House itself. Lost to time is the extraordinary contribution the Stuarts made to the fabric...

**Winner of THE HW FISHER BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZESPECTATOR,** **SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, TLS, FINANCIAL TIMES, GUARDIAN, DAILY MAIL and SUNDAY TELEGRAPH BOOKS OF THE YEAR'Imagine Wolf Hall rewritten by John le Carré ... gripping ... a rare achievement' Tom Holland, Guardian**It is 1501. Henry VII has won the throne of England through luck, guile and ruthlessness. But for many he remains a usurper. Now, his elder son is to marry, in a weddi...

Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power and celebrated for his intellect, presided over one of the most magnificent-and dangerous-courts in Renaissance Europe.Never before has a detailed, personal biography of this charismatic monarch been set against the cultural, social, and political background of his glittering court. Now Alison Weir brings to vibrant life the turbulent, complex figure of the King. Packed with colourful description, meticulous in historic...

Told for the very first time, this is the shocking and extraordinary story of the most-conniving and manipulative Tudor family you've never heard of . . .'A tour-de-force of Tudor history. Remarkable' DAN JONES'Exciting and immersive. An immensely entertaining history' SUNDAY TIMES'This is riveting stuff: death, desire, power and scandal'SPECTATOR'A twist on the Tudors . . . E...

Which 'ill-prepared' monarch was on the English throne at the turn of the last millenium? How many English monarchs have been crowned on St George's Day? When, how and why did England 'lose' eleven days? Monarchs, Murders & Mistresses answers these questions and many more, presenting a royal event for each day of the calendar year in vivid detail with close-ups of the personalities involved. The book reveals the recurring occupational difficulties faced by the roy...

For the armchair traveller or those looking for inspiration for a day out, The Visitor's Companion to Tudor England takes you to palaces, castles, theatres and abbeys to uncover the stories behind Tudor England. Susannah Lipscomb visits over fifty historic Tudor sights, from the famous palace at Hampton Court where dangerous court intrigue was rife, to less well-known houses, such as Anne Boleyn's childhood home at Hever Castle or Tutbury Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was impri...

Bestselling royal historian David Starkey’s captivating biography is a radical re-evaluation of Henry VIII, the British monarchy’s most enduring icon.Larger than life in every sense, Henry VIII was Britain’s most absolute monarch – but he was not born to rule. In this brilliantly readable history, David Starkey follows the promising young prince – a Renaissance man of exceptional musical and athletic talent – as he is thrust into the limelight after the death of his elder brother. ...

How did the Tudors enjoy themselves? For the men and women of Tudor England there was, just as there is today, more to life than work. Four hundred years before the invention of television and radio, they did not lead boring or mundane lives. Indeed, in many ways the richness of Tudor entertainment shames us.While continuing the medieval tradition of tournament and pageantry, the Tudors also increasingly read and attended the theatre. Dancing and music were also po...