Anne Boleyn: From Queen to History

Started the day off way to early – was awake at 6am and boy was my body protesting! Oh well, I needed to get up early so that I could get to Hampton Court before it opened. Got on the Bakerloo line to Waterloo and then jumped off and went upstarts to the National Rail. Waterloo station sucks! It’s just way to big to work out what the hell is going on! Don’t get me wrong everything is clearly labelled and such but it’s just SO much information! Anyway went to platform 2 and got on the Hampton Court Train. Oh by the way, the train was EIGHT CARRIAGES long! Like holy heck that’s long!

Got off at Hampton Court Station and found the palace quite easily. The moment that I rounded the corner and saw it my breath was taken away. I knew that it was going to be large but not THAT large! I’d already bought a ticket, so I bought a guide book and hurried to entrance. As I stood in front of the huge wooden gates waiting for the palace to open I started to get teary – I was standing possibly where Anne Boleyn stood, where she entered the palace. I know it’s crazy to most people, but to me it held huge significance. I saw many MANY Tudor Rose emblems and engravings and I couldn’t help but squee with excitement.

When the gates were entered I can proudly say that I was the FIRST VISITOR to enter Hampton Court on October 30th 2009. The moment I stepped inside my breath was taken away. I cannot even begin to think of the words to describe how awe-inspiring and breathtaking the palace was! It was just…….. God, AMAZING! I walked through the Base Court to the Clock Court and there it was… Anne Boleyn’s gate. That’s when I started to cry. I stepped inside the gate and looked up, seeing the Tudor Rose KNOWING for sure that Anne would have stood there. I wept and wept and wept, honoured, privileged, touched. Anne, my idol, my hero and hundreds of years later I stood where she had stood.

Stepping through the gateway I turned around and was instantly drawn to a window – I had no idea why. I asked the guide what that window was and he told me it was Anne Boleyn’s rooms. HER ROOMS! She drew me instantly to them. I don’t care what anyone says; I was drawn to that window only to discover it was one of the windows of Anne’s rooms. She held the entire second floor above her gate and I just happened to look up and be intrigued by that one window. I KNOW in my heart she stood by that one window – I felt it.

ANYWAYS after taking about a squillion photos of the outside of the Palace and then the courts I went inside to the dinning hall. OH MY FREAKING GOSH Henry never did anything small did he? Bloody hell it was AMAZING! I took a million more photos, but I don’t know how they will come as it was quite dark. And… being the nosey Anne Boleyn freak that I am I instantly set out to find the few reminding remnants of her memory. After she was executed Henry ordered that ALL signs or reminders of her be removed from Hampton Court. So all the engraved H and A’s were removed, all the Boleyn Falcon insignia’s were taken down. BUT there were a few that were forgotten and of course I found them! I found the falcon in the roof and the two H and A’s on the wooden wall. *G* I’m such a nerd. The room was HUGE and there were massive stained glass windows with images of Henry and his insignias, the Tudor Rose and the Fleur De Lis and Lions. The room was STUNNING!

We weren’t able to go to Anne Boleyn’s rooms, but we were able to see much of the court. It was breathtaking. We saw the Waiting Room where Henry and the members of the royal court ate. The hallways that lead to his Privy Council – onside the Privy Council. The wall in which Catherine Howard ran down screaming, begging Henry for mercy once she was arrested for treason. (I seriously got a shiver walking down that hall – legend says that she still haunts it to this day!) We saw the great chapel and so many other mind blowing rooms.

But what was the REAL spectacular of Hampton Court was the live show that was put on throughout the day. To commemorate 500 years since Henry VIII came to the thrown, Hampton Court puts on a show each day of Henry[‘s marriage to Catherine Parr. It was BRILLIANT! We were introduced to Catherine’s sister and Thomas Seymour and the Master of the Palace and of course Henry himself. They did 30 minutes shows which all lead into one another all across the palace. So basically we just followed the actors around from 11:30am to 3:30pm watching different performances. It was AMAZING! I even got my photo taken with Catherine Parr, Thomas Seymour, the Master of the Palace and of course with King Henry!

OMG the actor that played Henry was brilliant! I introduced myself to him saying that I had come from the far land Australia to wish him well on his marriage. He turned to me and grinned, saying that he had heard of Australasia and said that he would have to send men to go explore it further if there were more beautiful women like me there! I totally blushed! King Henry VIII was calling me beautiful!!! It was awesome!

The different performances were set throughout the palace and we wandered around from room to room so we got to see a lot of the palace while seeing the performances. It was very cleverly done and the actors were so talented!

I have LOTS of photos, so I will have to try and find some time to put them up ‘cause they are really cool!

Again I bought way to much stuff, but you know what? I don’t care! I’ve been to Hampton Court! I’ve seen the windows in which Anne Boleyn would have stood at. I’ve seen the same views of the court that she would have seen. Walked the halls that she and Henry would have walked. I’ve seen the insignias that still remain – HA – and I’ve stood under Anne Boleyn’s gate – just as she would have. Just like the Tower, this is one day that I will never forget. I laughed, I cried and I was touched to the core.

But now I must end this wrap up of the day because will be here in about an hour and I need to get this room tidied and get myself together. EEK I so cannot wait to meet her, I’m so excited!

Long live Queen Anne Boleyn!

Note: 17 and cloudy

Today I went to the Tower of London. I don’t even know where to begin in writing about today, for me it was quite honestly breathtaking. And yes, before anyone asks I DID cry! I cried quite a bit actually, but I’ll explain more later.

Caught the Tube to Tower Hill – oh my gosh the Tube is a piece of piss! SO EASY! Basically all I needed to know was which line I wanted and which direction, everything else was easy to find and easy to navigate. I got to the Tower at about 10am. Got off at Tower Hill, walked up to the street level and there was the Tower. My breath was just taken away; I could not believe I was standing there looking at the Tower of London. I immediately took out my camera and I don’t think it left my side for the rest of the day. Took several photos of the outside and already I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

I started to get emotional the moment that I entered the tower. I joined a tour lead by a Beef Eater – Phillip his name was and he was hilarious. He took us to the Traitor’s Gate and that’s when I started to cry. I was standing looking down at the gates in which Anne Boleyn was lead through after her false accusations. I was looking at the steps she would have walked up – I was seeing exactly the same thing she saw. It really hit me then the huge significance of where I was.

After that we went to the Tower Green and again I wept. Seeing the small monument dedicated to those executed on the Green was breathtaking. I stepped back and looked forward and slowly took in everything around me – as though I was Anne having my last look at the world. What really got me was how close the Green was/is to the actual White Tower. Anne would have looked slightly to her left and up and seen her and Henry’s Royal windows where she would have stayed when at the Tower. I looked ahead and saw the Queen’s Rooms which Henry had built especially for Anne, but were never completed in her life time. Seen the path that lead up from the traitor’s gate. Then looking right you saw the Beauchamp Tower where she was held prisoner – and only three years before where she stayed for her Royal coronation. I just wept, tears rolling down my face…. This was the last view Anne had and I was seeing it also.

After that we went to the Chapel Royal of St peter ad Vincula. The moment I entered I was crying again – there was Anne’s grave! Of course you could not go up to it as it was roped off, but I could see it, she was THERE! Unfortunately because it was part of a tour I could not pray there at that time. The Chapel was not open to the public for public viewing until 4:30pm.

After that the tour was over so I headed out to see the rest of the Tower. I went to the White Tower to see the exhibition King Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill. It was a spectacular exhibition of all his armour and military related items. They had several suits of armour that Henry himself wore. I was not taken back by his height – Peter is far taller. But his girth/weight blew me away! By the end of his life he was bloody HUGE! I have no idea how on earth his horse would have carried him in full armour plus his body weight! The exhibition was to commemorate 500 years since Henry was crowned King. It was really interesting and it also gave you a great view of the White tower.

I can’t say that I was blown away by the White Tower – but then again we were not allowed to go to the top level where Henry and Anne would have lived. The other levels were mostly just one or two huge rooms where they held banquets or the armouries etc. etc. Still very impressive.

I went to the Beauchamp Tower where Anne was held prisoner and again I cried… actually I did most of my crying there! I stool at the top of the stairs that lead down to the Tower and started to cry – Anne would have stood in the same spot, knowing that she was walking down to the end of her freedom. Unfortunately we were not allowed in the upper level where Anne stayed, but the second floor gave you a great idea of what her final days would have been like. I stood at the window and looked across the green and you could clearly see the White Tower. She would have stood at her window and seen the White Tower, seen where she was to be beheaded and what was worse she stayed in that same room three years earlier when she was to be crowned Queen of England. What a CRUEL piece of fate. I stood at the window and overlooked the Green and just wept – wept and wept and wept.

Somehow I managed to compose myself and view the rest of the Tower. I went to all the Tower’s and the exhibitions and saw the Crown Jewels. Can’t say that they did much for me – all I could think was that they looked like fake jewels! They were just so sparkly and shinny! But then I didn’t come to the Tower specifically to see them I was more interested in the history. Still they were very stunning!

After seeing everything I then did some SHOPPING! I kinda, sorta blew my budget! I spent £150 on souvenirs – but oh my god was it worth it. There was nothing specifically for Anne herself, but I bought a cute little bracelet that had the crests of all the Queens and several books and of course The Tudors DVDs season 1 and 2. I bought so much stuff, a t-shirt and trinkets and a bag to carry everything in and postcards and a crown decoration for the Christmas tree. I bought souvenir coins from King Henry and Elizabeth times and a key chain and a bookmark and a magnet! I got Peter a King Henry VIII letter opener in the shape of a mini sword which I think he’ll like it. I also bought a mini plush Anne Boleyn doll – very corny, but it’s what it stands for that’s important.

After a sit down and a coffee it was 4:30pm and so I went back to the chapel. It was there that I knelt down at the very front of the alter and prayed. I prayed to Anne and I made her a promise. I’m not going to say what it was, that is something very personal for me and Anne only – but I prayed to her. I cried as I prayed, and even now I’m tearing up. It was a life changing experience for me to be knelt there, so close to Queen Anne Boleyn, my idol’s grave and to be praying to her. Everyone knows that’s the one thing I wanted to do most and I achieved that. It meant absolutely everything to me. And I swear upon my life, as I promised Anne, I will do everything in my power to keep that promise I made her.

By this time it was 5pm and I had been at the Tower for SEVEN hours! My feet were sore and my shoulder sore from carrying all the souvenirs but I didn’t care. As I left I cried again, knowing that it would be some time before I would get back there – but back I will go. I had seen the most amazing things. I had walked where Queen Anne Boleyn herself had walked; I had shared some things that she had seen and probably some emotions to. I had prayed at her grave and seen where her last breath was taken. It was quite honestly breathtaking.

And… well, I saw something as I was leaving that I don’t know what to make of. As I was leaving I walked past the Beauchamp Tower – where Anne was kept prisoner and for some reason I quickly glanced at it and I swear to God and on my life that I saw a woman standing by the window on the top level. I blinked and she was gone. Now, I don’t know if it was my imagination playing tricks on me, or the dimming light or what it was but…….. Maybe it was Anne’s ghost? I don’t know but I know I saw something there. I like to think it was her, a special moment between us.

I made my way back to the hotel on the Tube – super easy! And then met up with two of the guests staying here at the hotel. Tracy, who is also from Adelaide (what a small world!) and a guy called Tim who is down in London for work. Tracy is a makeup artist and hairdresser and works on commercials and TV shows and Tim is a plumber from up North.

Tim took us to a traditional English pub called ‘The Mitre’ and bought us a half pint of warm beer. Gotta say it wasn’t that warm, it was chilled! I had fish and chips, classic English pub meal. It was absolutely delicious and we all had a great time! Tracy and Tim were wonderful to chat with and the pub environment was so fun and busy with lots of people laughing and chatting.

Although I have to admit that I am absolutely exhausted and seriously need to get to bed. I am going to Hampton Court tomorrow and have a long day ahead of me so I seriously need to get to sleep. I promise if I get time to put some photos up from the Tower – it’s just finding time that’s the hardest thing!

So off to bed with me. Today changed my life.

Notes: 17C and cloudy.