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
What's Inside the Wonkiest Tudor House in England?
Imagine rounding a frosty corner and discovering a house that looks as if it’s stepped straight out of a Tudor fairytale or Harry Potter - crooked beams, bowing floors, glittering ...leaded windows, and a long gallery that seems to float above thin air.
In today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode, I take you on a winter wander through Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire, one of the most extraordinary, beautifully preserved, and delightfully wonky Tudor houses in England.
Built and expanded across the 1500s by the Moreton family, this timber-framed masterpiece has survived centuries of weather, war, and subsidence to offer us a rare glimpse into the world of Tudor gentry life:
- A Great Hall where winters were lit by fire and candlelight
- Intricate carved panelling and glowing 16th-century glass
- A famous Long Gallery perched improbably above the courtyard
- A recreated Tudor knot garden sleeping under its winter frost
- A private chapel that witnessed every shift of 16th-century religion
And thanks to musician and historian Jane Moulder, who works at Little Moreton Hall, we’ll enjoy her beautiful winter photographs of the house, capturing its magical atmosphere in the coldest season.
If you love Tudor architecture, Christmas ambience, or fairy-tale historic houses, you’re in for a treat.
Tell me in the comments:
Have you ever visited Little Moreton Hall?
If not, which Tudor house would you most love to see at Christmastime?
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell so you don’t miss the rest of my Tudor Christmas Advent series!
#LittleMoretonHall #TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #HistoricHouses #TheAnneBoleynFiles #TudorArchitecture #NationalTrust #WinterHistory #ChristmasAdvent #HistoryYouTube #BritishHistory #FairytaleHouses
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What's Inside the Wonkiest Tudor House in England?
Imagine rounding a frosty corner and discovering a house that looks as ...
Imagine rounding a frosty corner and discovering a house that looks as if it’s stepped straight out of a Tudor fairytale or Harry Potter - crooked beams, bowing floors, glittering ...leaded windows, and a long gallery that seems to float above thin air.
In today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode, I take you on a winter wander through Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire, one of the most extraordinary, beautifully preserved, and delightfully wonky Tudor houses in England.
Built and expanded across the 1500s by the Moreton family, this timber-framed masterpiece has survived centuries of weather, war, and subsidence to offer us a rare glimpse into the world of Tudor gentry life:
- A Great Hall where winters were lit by fire and candlelight
- Intricate carved panelling and glowing 16th-century glass
- A famous Long Gallery perched improbably above the courtyard
- A recreated Tudor knot garden sleeping under its winter frost
- A private chapel that witnessed every shift of 16th-century religion
And thanks to musician and historian Jane Moulder, who works at Little Moreton Hall, we’ll enjoy her beautiful winter photographs of the house, capturing its magical atmosphere in the coldest season.
If you love Tudor architecture, Christmas ambience, or fairy-tale historic houses, you’re in for a treat.
Tell me in the comments:
Have you ever visited Little Moreton Hall?
If not, which Tudor house would you most love to see at Christmastime?
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell so you don’t miss the rest of my Tudor Christmas Advent series!
#LittleMoretonHall #TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #HistoricHouses #TheAnneBoleynFiles #TudorArchitecture #NationalTrust #WinterHistory #ChristmasAdvent #HistoryYouTube #BritishHistory #FairytaleHouses
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You can find my books on Amazon at http://viewauthor.at/claireridgwayShow More
Did the Tudors Change Christmas More Than We Think?
Did you know the English Reformation didn’t just reshape churches and ...
Did you know the English Reformation didn’t just reshape churches and doctrine…
it quietly transformed Christmas itself?
In today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode, I explore how Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I ...and Elizabeth I each left their mark on the festive season - sometimes dramatically, sometimes subtly, and sometimes in ways we might not expect.
What happened to the old medieval traditions?
Why did some customs disappear while others survived untouched?
And how did the Tudors balance faith, festivity, and reform at the most important season of the year?
This is the story of a Christmas in transition, a holiday caught between devotion, celebration, and religious revolution.
Question for you:
If you’d lived in Tudor England, would you have kept the old customs, reformed them gently, or stripped them back entirely?
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell for more Tudor Christmas history every day this Advent!
#TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #Reformation #HenryVIII #ElizabethI #EdwardVI #MaryI #HistoryYouTube #AnneBoleynFiles #ChristmasHistory #EarlyModernHistory #12DaysOfChristmas
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When the Thames Froze Solid
What did winter really feel like in Tudor England? Spoiler: nothing ...
What did winter really feel like in Tudor England?
Spoiler: nothing like the winter we know today.
Hello, I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s Tudor Christmas Advent episode we’re ...stepping into a world of bone-deep cold, frozen rivers, and incredible resilience, the world of Tudor winter during the Little Ice Age.
Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Europe and North America endured some of the coldest winters in recorded history. And the Tudors? They lived right in the middle of it.
In this episode, discover:
- What Tudor winters were really like — without heating, forecasts, or modern comforts
- The astonishing times the River Thames froze solid
- How Henry VIII and Elizabeth I reacted to the deep freeze
- The extraordinary celebrations that took place on the ice
- Why London’s legendary frost fairs eventually disappeared
- At the end, I’d love to hear from you: What’s the coldest winter you remember, and how did you cope?
If you enjoy these festive Tudor deep dives, please like, subscribe, and click the bell so you don’t miss the next episode in the Advent series.
Keep warm!
#TudorHistory #LittleIceAge #FrostFairs #TudorChristmas #HistoryChannel #ClaireRidgway #TheAnneBoleynFiles #HistoryDocumentary #OnThisDayHistory #WinterHistory #BritishHistory
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The Moment That Changed Anne Boleyn’s Life
Step into the winter stillness of Hever Castle with me, the beloved ...
Step into the winter stillness of Hever Castle with me, the beloved home of the Boleyn family, and a place that witnessed far more than festive cheer.
In today’s Tudor Christmas ...Advent episode, I’m sharing Hever as you may never have seen it: dressed in its glowing Christmas finery and wrapped in the quiet magic of midwinter. But Hever is more than beautiful… it is the backdrop to a moment Dr Owen Emmerson and I believe changed the course of Tudor history.
During the Christmas season of 1526 into early 1527, something happened here, something that shifted Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s future, and with it, the future of England.
Anne was away from court, surrounded by family, and finally had the space to reflect on Henry’s increasingly urgent pursuit. What unfolded at Hever that Christmas would set the stage for everything that came next.
In this episode, I’ll take you through Hever’s festive rooms and frosted gardens, sharing photographs taken this December by Dr Owen Emmerson and some of my own from Christmases past… while we explore how one winter retreat became a turning point in Tudor history.
If you visit Hever at Christmastime, I invite you to imagine Anne here in 1526, facing a decision that would shape not only her destiny, but the destiny of a kingdom.
Let’s step into Hever Castle at Christmas…
And if you’d like to know even more about Anne’s family and their beloved home, do take a look at "The Boleyns of Hever Castle".
#HeverCastle #AnneBoleyn #TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #BoleynFamily #HeverAtChristmas #ChristmasHistory #HistoryYouTube #TudorTok #TheAnneBoleynFiles #BritishHistory #CastleHistory #LearnHistory #ChristmasAdventSeries
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Tudor Carols & Christmas Music
Today we’re stepping into one of the most joyful parts of a Tudor ...
Today we’re stepping into one of the most joyful parts of a Tudor Christmas - the music.
Whether your festive soundtrack is Michael Bublé or Bing Crosby, Tudor England had its ...own musical traditions… and many of their carols are far older than you might expect.
In this episode, we explore:
- How music shaped Tudor Christmas celebrations
- Which carols the Tudors actually knew
- Why carols were originally dances - songs performed in circles, homes, streets, and seasonal revelshe role of the waits
- Music in Tudor homes
- Carols in wassailing traditions
Thank you for joining me for this musical journey through Tudor Yuletide.
If you enjoyed it, please like, subscribe, and click the bell, and tell me in the comments:
Do you have a favourite Christmas carol? Or a Christmas soundtrack?
See you tomorrow for more Tudor Christmas delights!
#TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #ChristmasCarols #MedievalMusic #RenaissanceMusic
#ClaireRidgway #TheAnneBoleynFiles #HistoryYouTube #YuletideHistory
#HistoricalMusic #Waits #CoventryCarol #Gaudete #EarlyMusic
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Bells, Staves & Misrule
Today we’re stepping into one of the most colourful, energetic, and ...
Today we’re stepping into one of the most colourful, energetic, and wonderfully noisy traditions of the Tudor festive season, Morris dancing.
You might picture modern dancers with bells and handkerchiefs on ...a village green…
but in Tudor England, Morris dancing was bolder, brighter, and far more theatrical.
In this video, we’ll explore:
- What Morris dancing really looked like in the 15th and 16th centuries - bells, ribbons, masks, mock combat, clashing staves, blackened faces, and vibrant costumes
How it became part of court entertainment - including Henry VII’s Christmas revels and Henry VIII’s masques
- Its deep roots in English folk culture - from May Day to Whitsun ales, parish festivals to civic pageantry
- The unforgettable stock characters - Maid Marian (played by a man!), jesters, hobby-horses, Robin Hood, even dragons!
- Why it mattered at Christmas and Twelfth Night - joy, misrule, community, and celebration at the darkest time of year
- And how Morris dancing survives today - a living tradition linking us directly to the Tudor world
If you’ve ever seen Morris dancing and wondered where it came from, or if you simply love the colour, spectacle, and spirit of Tudor celebrations, this episode is for you.
Thank you so much for watching!
If you’re enjoying this festive journey through Tudor Christmas, please like, subscribe, and click the bell - there’s more Yuletide history coming your way tomorrow.
#TudorChristmas #MorrisDancing #TudorHistory #ClaireRidgway #ChristmasTraditions #HistoryYouTube #TwelfthNight #TudorCourt #EnglishFolkDance #YuletideHistory #TheAnneBoleynFiles #HistoryChannel #BritishHistory
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Tudor Yuletide Customs
Yule Logs, Twelfth Night Cakes & the Lord of Misrule Step into a Tudor ...
Yule Logs, Twelfth Night Cakes & the Lord of Misrule
Step into a Tudor Christmas with me!
I’m historian Claire Ridgway, and today’s Advent episode looks at the real Yuletide customs of ...Tudor England, from the dramatic arrival of the Yule log to the playful misrule of Twelfth Night.
Why did Tudor households bring home an enormous log on Christmas Eve?
What role did a humble bean play in choosing the “king” of the festivities?
And how did these rituals blend ancient midwinter beliefs with Christmas celebrations?
Discover the symbolism, the revelry, and the wonderful strangeness of a Tudor Yuletide, a world of firelight, games, and meaning woven into every tradition.
Join me for a journey into the customs that made Christmas magical for the Tudors.
If you’re enjoying this Advent series, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell — more Tudor Christmas delights are on the way!
#TudorChristmas
#YuleLogTraditions
#TwelfthNight
#TudorHistory
#LordOfMisrule
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The Festive Drinks That Kept Henry VIII’s Court Merry
Step into a warm Tudor hall, sit beside the glowing Yule log, and ...
Step into a warm Tudor hall, sit beside the glowing Yule log, and discover the festive drinks that kept Henry VIII’s England merry throughout the cold, dark days of winter.
I’m ...historian and author Claire Ridgway, and for today’s instalment of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we’re exploring the wonderful world of Tudor winter warmers, from hippocras to buttered beer, from wassail bowls to honey-rich mead.
Before the feasting and celebrations, everyday Tudor life ran on ale, safer than water, weak enough to drink by the pint, and brewed constantly by the women of the household.
But Christmas?
Christmas called for something special.
In this video, discover:
- Hippocras — the spiced Tudor mulled wine Henry VIII adored
- Lambswool — the frothy wassail drink of roasted apples and warm ale
- Mead, Metheglin & Melomel — honey wines sweetened with herbs or fruit
- Christmas Ale — brewed stronger for Yuletide feasts
- Posset — a creamy, curdled Tudor comfort drink
- Buttered Beer — yes, the real Tudor drink (long before Harry Potter!)
- Mulled wine & imported sweet wines enjoyed by the wealthy
These weren’t just beverages — they were hospitality, ritual, community, and the unmistakable flavour of Tudor Christmas.
Which Tudor drink would YOU try first?
Hippocras? Buttered beer? Lambswool?
Let me know in the comments!
Links to my videos on some of these Tudor drinks:
Tudor Buttered Beer - https://youtu.be/0HMxpWVzrvc
Tudor Hippocras - https://youtu.be/yabiVqlV4pw
Lambswool Wassail - https://youtu.be/9GDrnPesC2Y
If you enjoy this cosy dive into Tudor festive life, please like, subscribe, and click the bell to follow along with the rest of my Christmas Advent series.
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Dragons, Masques and Royal Revelry
Dragons that spat fire. Masked dancers sweeping through palace halls. ...
Dragons that spat fire.
Masked dancers sweeping through palace halls.
Henry VIII himself turning up in disguise…
Welcome to Tudor Twelfth Night, the most spectacular, theatrical, and joyfully chaotic night of the entire ...Christmas season.
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and for Day 8 of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we’re stepping into the dazzling world of masques, mumming, disguisings, pageantry and revelry at the Tudor court.
You’ll discover:
- What Tudor “disguisings” really were
- How mumming evolved into masked processions of luck and mischief
- Why the morris dance became a Tudor Christmas favourite
- The Italian-style masque Henry VIII introduced
- How Edward VI’s court staged elaborate moral allegories, mock battles, and a banquet of 120 dishes
- And how Twelfth Night became the grand, magnificent finale of Christmastide
From wild pageant carts to torchlit dances… from Robin Hood characters to allegorical triumphs… Twelfth Night was where Tudor magnificence reached its peak.
Thank you for joining me for today’s Advent instalment!
If you’re enjoying the series, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell so you don’t miss the next festive deep dive.
#TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #ClaireRidgway #TwelfthNight #Masques #Mumming
#HenryVIII #TudorCourt #ChristmasHistory #AdventSeries
#HistoricalRevels #MedievalChristmas #HistoryYouTube #TudorTraditions
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How the Tudors Decorated for Christmas
Forget fairy lights and tinsel, Tudor Christmas decorations were ...
Forget fairy lights and tinsel, Tudor Christmas decorations were deeply symbolic, richly traditional, and filled with myth and meaning.
Hello, I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and welcome to Day 7 ...of my Tudor Christmas Advent series!
Today, we’re stepping inside the Tudor home to discover how people really decorated for Christmas.
In Tudor England, there were no Christmas trees, no early December decorating…
In fact, a Tudor walking into your home right now would think you’d gone completely mad, because they only decorated on Christmas Eve.
Instead of baubles and glitter, their homes were filled with:
- Holly – symbol of Christ’s sacrifice & protection
- Ivy – representing fidelity and strength
- Laurel & rosemary – symbols of eternal life
- Evergreens everywhere, believed to bring luck and keep away evil
You’ll also discover:
- The origin of the kissing bough
- How mistletoe gained its romantic reputation — from Druids to Norse myth
- Why decorations stayed up until Candlemas Eve… but NEVER beyond (unless you wanted goblins!)
- And how London transformed into a city draped entirely in greenery
Plus, we’ll explore the medieval and Tudor tradition of the Christmas crib, from Pope Sixtus III to St Francis of Assisi, and how it lives on beautifully in Spain today.
Tudor Christmas décor wasn’t about sparkle…
It was about symbolism, faith, magic, and midwinter hope.
If you’re enjoying this Advent journey through Tudor traditions, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and ring the bell — many more festive videos are on the way!
#TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #ClaireRidgway #ChristmasHistory
#HistoryYouTube #MedievalChristmas #HollyAndIvy #MistletoeTraditions
#HistoryChannel #AdventSeries #BritishHistory #TwelveDaysOfChristmas
#ChristmasDecor #HistoricalTraditions
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From St Nicholas to Santa Claus
Welcome to Day 6 of my Tudor Christmas Advent series! Today we’re ...
Welcome to Day 6 of my Tudor Christmas Advent series!
Today we’re diving into one of the most enchanting feast days of the Tudor calendar, St Nicholas’s Day, and uncovering how ...this 4th-century bishop eventually became the Santa Claus we know today.
We’ll explore:
The real St Nicholas of Myra, miracle worker and protector of children
The extraordinary Boy Bishop tradition, where a child led church services from 6–28 December
How Henry VII supported the custom… and why Henry VIII banned it
How Hereford and Salisbury Cathedrals still keep the tradition alive today
Why St Nicholas didn’t bring gifts in Tudor England
The medieval legends, chimneys, stockings, secret gold, that shaped later folklore
How Dutch “Sinta Klaas” became Santa in America
Why Father Christmas in Tudor England wasn’t a gift-giver at all
So no, Tudor children didn’t hang stockings, but the stories surrounding St Nicholas created the foundation for Santa Claus, from night-time gift-giving to flying through the sky.
Join me tomorrow for Tudor Christmas Decorations!
And if you’re enjoying this series, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and ring the bell.
#StNicholas #BoyBishop #SantaClausHistory #TudorChristmas #ClaireRidgway #HistoryYouTube #MedievalTraditions #ChristmasOrigins #Sinterklaas #FatherChristmas #TudorHistory
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The REAL Twelve Days of Christmas
Did you know the Tudors didn’t end Christmas on 25th December… they ...
Did you know the Tudors didn’t end Christmas on 25th December… they started it?
I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we’re ...walking through the true Twelve Days of Christmas, a world of church services, feasts, fasting, wine, charity, misrule, and community traditions that modern Christmas barely resembles.
In this video, you’ll learn:
Why Christmas Day was all about worship — not feasting
Why no work (not even spinning!) was allowed throughout the 12 days
How St Stephen’s Day involved charity… AND horse-bleeding and hunting
Why 27 December was the Tudor excuse for endless wine
Why Childermas was the most solemn, and sometimes unsettling, day
Why New Year’s Day gift-giving was the most political moment of the season
How Twelfth Night was celebrated
Why the fun abruptly ended with Plough Monday and St Distaff’s Day
This is the Christmas season the Tudors actually lived — rich, ritual-filled, joyful, sometimes strange, and endlessly fascinating.
If you’re enjoying my Tudor Advent series, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell, there’s more Tudor Christmas magic every day until 24 December!
#TudorChristmas #12DaysOfChristmas #TudorHistory #ChristmasTraditions #ClaireRidgway #HistoryYouTube #MedievalChristmas #TwelfthNight #StStephensDay #Childermas #PloughMonday
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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.
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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
