A Journey Through Tudor England

Though the popular TV series The Tudors aired its fourth and final season three years ago, interest in the colorful dynasty that ruled England from 1485-1603 continues. Lipscomb, a British historian and former curator at Hampton Court Palace, adds something new and different to the growing list of books on Tudor England by writing a guidebook that introduces readers to the history of the period through 50 of “the best and most interesting” buildings associated with Tudor royalty. Each chapter tells the story of how a specific building served as the physical backdrop to the lives of those who inhabited it or to a particularly important visit from a famous personage. The sections, which are arranged geographically and radiate outward from London, include both well-known sites, such as the Tower of London, where two of Henry VIII’s wives and countless courtiers lost their heads, and more obscure places of interest, such as Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire, where Mary, Queen of Scots, spent some time during her 18-year imprisonment in England. For readers eager to visit the spots, a helpful appendix includes useful information like opening hours and directions. This is a breezy, easy read for armchair travelers, though Anglophile jetsetters will certainly get the most use out of Lipscomb’s Tudor travel guide. Agent: Andrew Lownie, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency (U.K.). (June)