Hi, I'm historian Claire Ridgway
I'm the best-selling author of 15 history books and the founder of the TheAnneBoleynFiles.com, Elizabethfiles.com and The Tudor Society.
I help Tudor history lovers worldwide to gain access to experts and resources to discover the real stories behind myths and fiction, so that they grow in knowledge while connecting with like-minded people and indulging their passion for history.
How I can help you...
My latest youtube video
The Carpenter Who Built Henry VIII’s World
Ever looked up at Hampton Court’s Great Hall and wondered who made that jaw-dropping roof?
On this day in Tudor history, 22 September 1544, James Nedeham, master carpenter, architect and Surveyor ...of the King’s Works, died while on campaign with Henry VIII at Boulogne. You may not know his name, but you know his work: Hampton Court’s Great Hall roof, Traitors’ Gate timbering at the Tower of London, and key projects at Whitehall and beyond.
What you’ll learn:
-How a London guildsman rose to Master Carpenter & Surveyor of the King’s Works
-The story behind Hampton Court’s hammer-beam masterpiece
-Nedeham at the Tower of London: Jewel House & Traitors’ Gate (1532)
-Whitehall, Canterbury, and reusing monastic sites after the Dissolution
-His final campaign with Henry VIII and memorial at Little Wymondley
Question for you: If you could time-travel through one Tudor space, which would it be—Hampton Court, Whitehall, or the Tower—and why?
If you enjoy the “hidden makers” of Tudor England, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for daily On This Day history.
Hashtags: #TudorHistory #HamptonCourt #HenryVIII #TowerOfLondon #Whitehall #OnThisDay #ArchitecturalHistory #GreatHall #TraitorsGate
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The Carpenter Who Built Henry VIII’s World
Ever looked up at Hampton Court’s Great Hall and wondered who made ...
Ever looked up at Hampton Court’s Great Hall and wondered who made that jaw-dropping roof?
On this day in Tudor history, 22 September 1544, James Nedeham, master carpenter, architect and Surveyor ...of the King’s Works, died while on campaign with Henry VIII at Boulogne. You may not know his name, but you know his work: Hampton Court’s Great Hall roof, Traitors’ Gate timbering at the Tower of London, and key projects at Whitehall and beyond.
What you’ll learn:
-How a London guildsman rose to Master Carpenter & Surveyor of the King’s Works
-The story behind Hampton Court’s hammer-beam masterpiece
-Nedeham at the Tower of London: Jewel House & Traitors’ Gate (1532)
-Whitehall, Canterbury, and reusing monastic sites after the Dissolution
-His final campaign with Henry VIII and memorial at Little Wymondley
Question for you: If you could time-travel through one Tudor space, which would it be—Hampton Court, Whitehall, or the Tower—and why?
If you enjoy the “hidden makers” of Tudor England, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for daily On This Day history.
Hashtags: #TudorHistory #HamptonCourt #HenryVIII #TowerOfLondon #Whitehall #OnThisDay #ArchitecturalHistory #GreatHall #TraitorsGate
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCioSUqeGrdFq6DEVK3-DXGQ/join
Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/@anneboleynfiles?sub_confirmation=1 so you don't miss my latest videos!
Visit linktr.ee/claireridgway to find resources, events, social media links and more.
You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
A Duchess’s Cry for Help
Content note: This video discusses historical allegations of domestic ...
Content note: This video discusses historical allegations of domestic abuse.
Imagine being one of the highest-ranking women in England, then writing that you were locked away, stripped of your jewels, pinned ...until you spat blood, and dragged from bed by your hair.
Those are the claims of Elizabeth Howard, Duchess of Norfolk, set down in letters to Thomas Cromwell, and answered by her husband, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk.
I’m Claire Ridgway. Today we examine Elizabeth’s marriage, her letters, Norfolk’s rebuttal, and what this case shows about coercive control and power at the Tudor court.
In this episode:
Elizabeth Howard’s background & marriage to Thomas Howard
Bess Holland, household tensions, and banishment from court
The letters to Cromwell: isolation at Redbourne, financial control, intimidation, and alleged assaults
Norfolk’s defence—and why children and kin sided against Elizabeth
How historians read these sources today: myth, motive, and patterns of abuse
Read the letters (primary sources):
- Letters of Royal and Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain, Vol. II, pp. 218–225; p. 358 onwards:
https://archive.org/details/lettersroyaland00greegoog/page/n242/mode/2up
- Letters of Royal and Illustrious Ladies, Vol. VI, pp. 96–100:
https://archive.org/details/lettersroyaland06greegoog/page/n116/mode/2up
If this topic interests you, please like, subscribe, and share your thoughts: Do you find Elizabeth’s testimony or Norfolk’s defence more convincing, and why?
#TudorHistory #TrueCrime #ElizabethHoward #DukeOfNorfolk #ThomasCromwell #DomesticAbuseHistory #AnneBoleyn #HistoryDocumentary
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You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
From “Looking for Richard” to Writing Richard III — Wendy Johnson Interview
Villain or maligned? In this interview, historical novelist Wendy ...
Villain or maligned? In this interview, historical novelist Wendy Johnson—a founding member of Philippa Langley’s “Looking for Richard” project—joins me to discuss her debut novel, The Traitor’s Son, which traces ...Richard III’s formative decade (1461–1471).
We explore:
What being close to the 2012 discovery in Leicester changed for her as a writer and Ricardian
Why start with boyhood—and what newcomers should unlearn about Richard
Fact vs fiction: where the record ends and imagination begins
Favourite sources for Edward, George, and Richard
Places that shaped the story: Ludlow, Middleham, London
Teasers for Books 2 & 3 in the trilogy
Plus: Wendy’s top Ricardian must-visit sites, the scene she’d film first, and one non-fiction pick to read next.
I’m Claire Ridgway. Thanks for watching. Please like, subscribe, and share your thoughts below!
#RichardIII #WarsOfTheRoses #HistoricalFiction #LookingForRichard #Plantagenets #MedievalHistory
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Katherine Willoughby Duchess, Exile, Survivor
On this day in Tudor history, 19 September 1580, Katherine Willoughby ...
On this day in Tudor history, 19 September 1580, Katherine Willoughby (Katherine Brandon, later Katherine Bertie), Duchess of Suffolk, died after a long illness and was laid to rest at ...Spilsby, Lincolnshire.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today I’m telling the story of one of my favourite Tudor women, a brilliant, resilient figure who moved from court glitter to deepest grief, from duchess to exile and back again, guided by a sharp mind and a fiercer faith.
In this episode:
Heiress & child-bride: ward of Charles Brandon and Duchess at 14
Court & conscience: official mourner at Catherine of Aragon’s funeral; hiring Hugh Latimer to preach
Tragedy in 1551: losing both sons to the sweating sickness the same day
Love & exile: marriage to Richard Bertie, flight under Mary I, return under Elizabeth I
Legacy: patronage of reform, Miles Coverdale in her household, and that famous little dog named “Gardiner”
If you enjoy deep dives into remarkable Tudor women, please like, subscribe, and share your thoughts below.
#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #KatherineWilloughby #DuchessOfSuffolk #CharlesBrandon #Reformation #SweatingSickness #ElizabethIJoin
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Heir, Hostage, Court Favourite… Dead at 15
On this day in Tudor history, 18 September 1535, Henry Brandon, 2nd ...
On this day in Tudor history, 18 September 1535, Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, was born at Chartley in Staffordshire. The eldest son of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, ...and Catherine Willoughby, Henry’s life was full of promise, until it was heartbreakingly cut short.
Educated alongside Prince Edward (the future Edward VI), Henry thrived at court: he carried the orb at Edward’s coronation, ran at the ring, and studied at Cambridge under some of the greatest humanist tutors of the day. He was a young noble who seemed destined for greatness.
But in the summer of 1551, the dreaded sweating sickness struck. Within hours, Henry and his younger brother Charles were dead, snuffing out the Brandon male line in one cruel blow.
In this video, I share Henry’s brief but brilliant story, his education, his role at court, and the tragedy that ended his family’s hopes.
If you enjoy daily Tudor stories, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. And let me know in the comments: which Tudor “might-have-been” do you wish had lived to fulfil their promise?
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #HenryBrandon #EdwardVI #TudorTragedy #ClaireRidgway
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The Quiet Power Behind the Reformation: Bullinger
On 17 September 1575, Zurich lost one of its great reformers: Heinrich ...
On 17 September 1575, Zurich lost one of its great reformers: Heinrich (Henry) Bullinger.
While Luther thundered, Calvin systematised, and Zwingli fought and died, Bullinger quietly anchored the Swiss Reformation, and ...his writings reached far beyond Switzerland, shaping the faith of Tudor England.
In this episode, I explore:
Bullinger’s rise from Bremgarten priest’s son to Zurich’s leading pastor
His household with Anna Adlischweiler—marriage, 11 children, orphans, and refugees
His leadership after Zwingli’s death in 1531, keeping Zurich’s church steady
The Decades - sermons that became required reading in Elizabethan England
His covenant theology - grace freely offered, faith shown through conduct
His role as a bridge-builder: the First and Second Helvetic Confessions, and a vast correspondence that reached Edward VI and Elizabeth I
Bullinger’s death on this day in 1575 marked the end of an era, but his influence endured - quiet, steady, and lasting.
Had you heard of Bullinger before today? And which Reformation voice - Luther, Zwingli, Bullinger, or Calvin - do you find most compelling? Tell me in the comments.
If you enjoy these daily glimpses into Tudor history, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. For exclusive extras—zoom calls, behind-the-scenes content, and my monthly magazine—consider joining my channel membership.
\#OnThisDay #TudorHistory #Reformation #Bullinger #ChurchHistory #ProtestantReformers #ClaireRidgway #ElizabethanEngland
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What did the young Henry VIII look like?
We all picture Henry VIII as Holbein’s giant in furs & jewels… but the ...
We all picture Henry VIII as Holbein’s giant in furs & jewels… but the young king of 1509 was lean, golden-haired & athletic. Not the tyrant we imagine!
Who would you ...cast as young Henry?
#TudorTok #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #ClaireRidgway #HistoryTok #AnneBoleynFilesShow More
Walter Devereux: Poison Plot or Tragic Misfortune
On 16 September 1539, Walter Devereux was born at Chartley in ...
On 16 September 1539, Walter Devereux was born at Chartley in Staffordshire. Nobleman, soldier, coloniser—and father to Robert Devereux, Elizabeth I’s brilliant but doomed favourite—Walter’s life was full of ambition, ...controversy, and whispers that outlived him.
From his meteoric rise at Elizabeth’s court to his brutal and ill-fated campaign in Ireland, Walter seemed destined for greatness. But at just 37, he died suddenly in Dublin in 1576. Official cause? Dysentery. The rumours? Poison… perhaps even at the hands of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester—who later married Walter’s widow, Lettice Knollys.
In this episode, I trace Walter’s journey from Chartley heir to Irish commander, explore his marriage into the Boleyn-Knollys family, and ask:
Why did his Irish venture turn so grim?
Was his death really natural—or the result of a Tudor plot?
How did his early end shape the fate of his son, the tragic Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex?
Poison or misfortune? You decide in the comments.
If you enjoyed this Tudor true-crime style tale, please like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don’t miss tomorrow’s story from Tudor history.
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #ElizabethI #Essex #WalterDevereux #HistoryTok #ClaireRidgway
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What did Henry VIII REALLY look like?
When you picture Henry VIII, do you see Holbein’s towering figure in ...
When you picture Henry VIII, do you see Holbein’s towering figure in furs and jewels—broad, bearded, and imposing?
That image is iconic... but it’s not the full story.
In this video, I’m ...going back to the start of Henry’s reign to ask:
What did Henry VIII really look like when he took the throne in 1509?
Before the tyranny, before the weight gain, before the codpieces and propaganda, Henry was something else entirely.
Discover how contemporary eyewitnesses described him
What portraits and armour tell us about his build and features
And why our mental image of Henry is shaped more by politics than portraits
Who would you cast as young Henry in a film or series? Let me know in the comments!
Watch next: Tracking Henry VIII’s Weight Gain… Through His Armour - https://youtu.be/sesuSTxpXMs?si=rZ1_jWVl1l-jQ8FZ
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tap the bell for more myth-busting Tudor history from The Anne Boleyn Files.
#HenryVIII #TudorHistory #YoungHenryVIII #TudorTok #AnneBoleynFiles #HistoryTok #TudorMonarchy #HolbeinMyth #TudorPortraits #EarlyModernHistory
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Tudor Quiz - 75 THOUSAND Youtube Subscribers - Play Along!
I can't believe that I've got over 75,000 subscribers on my YouTube ...
I can't believe that I've got over 75,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel, and to celebrate it, my lovely husband, Tim, put together a "mastermind" style expert round quiz to ...test my knowledge on the the Boleyn family.
There's a quick-fire round of two minutes where I have to answer as many questions correctly as I can, and then a slightly more leisurely round where I get some bonus questions.
Let me know how many questions you got right by playing along now...
THANK YOU to every single one of my subscribers, I really appreciate your support and I read every comment you leave.
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Was Henry VIII Really Protestant?
The Truth About His Faith and the English Reformation He broke from ...
The Truth About His Faith and the English Reformation
He broke from Rome. He dissolved the monasteries. He declared himself Supreme Head of the Church in England…
So that makes Henry VIII ...Protestant, right?
Not quite.
In this video, we explore:
Why Henry VIII broke with the Pope (spoiler: it wasn’t about theology)
His 1521 book defending the Catholic sacraments against Martin Luther
The Act of Supremacy and what it really meant
The Six Articles and the continued persecution of Protestants
What changed under Henry—and what stayed Catholic
The king’s final days and the beliefs he clung to on his deathbed
Tell me in the comments:
Do you think Henry ever intended to spark a Reformation?
Or was it all about control?
Like, subscribe, and tap the bell for more daily Tudor history from the Anne Boleyn Files.
Watch next:
July 30 - Reformers and Catholics executed on the same day - https://youtu.be/ZUvIWF51n_Q
#HenryVIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #EnglishReformation #WasHenryVIIIProtestant #ClaireRidgway #OnThisDay #TudorChurch #CatholicWithoutThePope #HistoryDebunked
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Who was Marten Micron?
We rarely hear about Marten Micron, a young Dutch pastor who came to ...
We rarely hear about Marten Micron, a young Dutch pastor who came to London as a refugee, and helped organise one of the most radical experiments of Edward VI’s reign: ...the Stranger Church at Austin Friars.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s video I’ll be sharing the remarkable story of Marten Micron: his ministry among London’s refugees, his influential writings on church order and catechism, his exile under Mary I, and his enduring legacy in the Reformation.
In this episode:
- Who Marten Micron was and how he came to London.
- Why the Stranger Churches were so significant in Edward VI’s England.
- Micron’s role in shaping worship, discipline, and teaching.
- His exile, death, and why his writings still mattered across Europe.
Join me as we uncover the story of a reformer too often forgotten, yet whose influence rippled far beyond Tudor England.
What do you think—should Marten Micron be remembered alongside figures like Cranmer and Calvin? Tell me in the comments!
Like, subscribe, and tap the bell so you don’t miss more daily deep dives into Tudor and Reformation history.
And if you’d like even more Tudor content—including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle—consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!
#TudorHistory #Reformation #MartenMicron #StrangerChurch #ClaireRidgway
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Online Events
I regularly host online Tudor history conferences to connect Tudor history lovers with Tudor historians all from the comfort of their own homes. They comprise talks, live events, live Q&A sessions and resources, and are educational and fun.
Check out the Events tab to find out about my latest event.
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As featured in...
I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. I was a contributor for the BBC docudrama The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, and have been featured in BBC History Extra, USA Today, History of Royals Magazine, the Express, and Refinery 29, as well as on podcasts including Suzannah Lipscomb's Not Just the Tudors, Gareth Russell's Single Malt History, Natalie Grueninger's Talking Tudors, Hever Castle's Inside Hever, James Boulton's Queens of England, and many more.
Praise for Claire's work
"Claire's blog - recently made available in book form - is more rigorous than that of many professional historians." Susan Bordo, author of The Creation of Anne Boleyn: A New Look at England's Most Notorious Queen
"A sumptuously illustrated and impeccably researched history about the domestic life of a family that shaped British history. This is a fascinating window into both the Boleyns' lives at Hever and upper-class life on the eve of the Reformation." - Gareth Russell, Author of Young and Damned and Fair, on The Boleyns of Hever Castle.
"I've been a history buff all my life, both as a reader and as a writer. I thought I knew about Anne and her Boleyn family, Henry VIII and his court, but this book [The Anne Boleyn Collection] fills in so many blanks for me that I will read it more than once...This is a book for the legion of Tudor fiction readers, who want to know the stories behind the myths, the truth behind the legend...Absolutely fascinating read. " - Jeane Westin, Author of His Last Letter
"Claire has produced another must read for Anne Bolyen fans." Leanda de Lisle, author of Tudor: The Family Story, writing about "The Anne Boleyn Collection II.
More about me
I founded the Anne Boleyn Files in 2009, the Tudor Society in 2014 and I have a popular YouTube channel.
I help Tudor history lovers all over the world learn more about history, connect with experts and like-minded people, and uncover the facts behind the fiction, all from the comfort of their own homes.
I'm a former teacher and a recognised expert in Tudor history, and, as the founder of The Tudor Society, I've built a community of history lovers and experts where members can share their passion for history and receive accurate resources and information.
Claire Ridgway's Books
