I've been a Tudor fan since around the age of seven (yes I was a geeky kid) and it wasn't until last month that I made the long overdue trip into London to see the tomb of the dynasty's founders, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in Westminster Abbey.
On entering the abbey you shuffle along with tourists listening to audio guides, the route taking you to the tombs of Elizabeth I and her half sister Mary, along with Mary Queen of Scots' and Margaret Beaufort's. You'll pass the tombs of other historical greats like Henry V and eventually the tour will take you to the Lady Chapel, built by Henry VII.
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| Angels at the feet of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Jo Romero (c) |
The tomb of Tudor age's first royal power couple rests in a prominent position in the chapel surrounded by railings. Even when it was first commissioned, it was considered a masterpiece. The new techniques and ideas from the Renaissance had been settling in England since the fourteenth century, although flourished during the late fifteenth century, buoyed in part by Edward IV and Anthony Woodville's support of the printing press. Soon, with the spread of new information artists were employed to create grander and more lifelike works of art and sculpture with their new-found skills, built on the ancient learning of the Greeks and Romans.
The creator of the sculpture was the Italian Pietro Torrigiano, who began work on the monument in 1513, during the early reign of the couple's second son, Henry VIII. He was later also commissioned by the king to create the effigy of his grandmother Margaret Beaufort in a nearby part of the abbey.
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| Westminster Abbey, Photo by Marwan Muallemi on Unsplash |
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| Elizabeth of York. (c) Jo Romero |
I've seen the Victorian cast of Henry VII's effigy in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, but to see the original is completely breathtaking. There is also a lot of attention to detail in the symbols and carvings around the effigies, as well as the angels and the plumped up pillows that their heads rest on.
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| Henry VII. (c) Jo Romero |
Elizabeth of York died in 1503, after giving birth to a daughter named Katherine. Henry followed in 1509, his only surviving son Henry proclaimed king shortly afterwards, in his place.
In truth, visiting the tomb made me a bit emotional, and I stayed back a little while as the line of visitors continued on their shuffle to another part of the abbey, plugged into their audio guides. I've spent so much of my life studying Henry and Elizabeth, especially in recent years working on my second book, and to stand so close to the tomb that their son commissioned as a memorial, along with their earthly remains deposited nearby was just a really emotive moment. Together, Henry and Elizabeth began a dynasty of rulers that governed England for over one hundred years and largely put an end to the active, country-wide civil war that had tussled the realm for decades. Gazing through the railings and taking time to be present with them only made me respect their individual qualities as a couple and the challenges they faced even more. If you're interested in the Tudors and on the fence about visiting, just go. It'll be worth it. Just don't wait as long as I did.
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| Westminster Abbey. (c) Jo Romero |
Westminster Abbey is a short (approx 5-7 minute) walk from Westminster tube station. I took the Circle line from Paddington, and visited in October 2024. There's a Pret on the walk there that makes a nice bacon roll and a flat white coffee.
Enjoyed this? You might also like The Tomb of Arthur, Prince of Wales, The Kings - and Queens - of the Wars of the Roses, and the Lost Palaces of the Tudors.
Also, find out more about the civil war that Elizabeth and Henry ended with their marriage - The Wars of the Roses. My book explores the roles of women from all sectors of society and the impact they had on the conflict. Order your copy here.
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