Henry VIII’s Forgotten Palace
Henry VIII’s Forgotten Palace
Step back in time and experience Surrey’s Tudor past
This summer West Horsley Place will transport you back to Tudor times. Hosting Henry VIII, a festival of authentic Tudor merry-making, will recall the moment 500 years ago when this Surrey country house entertained the legendary king and his court. The Stone Hall will be set for a royal banquet and the dishes can be tasted while enjoying period music and dancing. Like King Henry and his honoured guests, visitors will enjoy a host of outdoor recreations including archery, falconry and a spectacular joust.
This year West Horsley Place Trust, a small charity established only in 2015, joined forces with researchers at Exeter University and Historic Royal Palaces to uncover the early history of the house.
New findings have revealed that West Horsley Place was an out-of-town palace for the Tudor royal family. Perfect for parties! The researchers have recovered vivid snapshots of West Horsley’s colourful Tudor history, including the menu of a banquet served to Henry VIII, details of the hunting he enjoyed in the area, a list of the servants that attended him and names of the high-profile courtiers that accompanied him. They paint the picture of a lavish palace full of the very best entertainments and food.
This summer’s festival will capture the sights, sounds and tastes of this remarkable Tudor country house-party. Visitors will be able to reach-out-and-touch living history with specialists on site to conjure up Tudor food, clothing, jewellery and weaponry. There will be entertainments including music, jousting, dancing and hawking as well as fun for children such as shield making and face painting.
Hosting Henry VIII will be a Tudor festival like no other, full of history and fun for the whole family. Join them on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28. Adults are £25 and children (ages 3 – 16 years) only £10. All proceeds from ticket sales support the mission to repair and conserve West Horsley Place, which is currently on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register.
To purchase your tickets now and join them to travel back in time, CLICK HERE.
