* A Tudor Herbal c. 1520 – I think How to Be a Retronaut is embarking on a campaign to get on to this round-up every week by continuing to post cool things like this!

* Market news: Elizabethan costume piece tops Cowdray sale – A portrait once thought to have been of Elizabeth I by Marcus Gheeraerdts, sold above the estimate for £325,250

* The Fallstaff Experience in Stratford-upon-Avon is launching a new tour of the town – NO HOLDS BARD: a tour with William Shakespeare in person!

* English Historical Fiction Authors – a new group blog by authors of, you guessed it, English historical fiction

And finally, two articles from History Today:

* From the newest issue: Learning to be a Tudor – Thomas Penn examines M.J. Tucker’s article on the court of Henry VII, first published in History Today in 1969.

* And from the archives: Who was Henry VIII? – Suzannah Lipscomb looks beyond the stereotypes that surround our most infamous monarch to ask: who was Henry VIII and when did it all go wrong?

Update July 20: Natalie has had to cancel plans for the tour, so I’ve removed the post.

* And if you are going to be visiting Windsor Castle in August or September, you will have a chance to take a tour of the castle’s iconic round tower: Conquer the Tower at Windsor Castle

* And from slightly before the Tudor period, a fascinating insight into medieval battle and battlefield archaeology: The Battle of Towton – Nasty, brutish and not that short

From The Historic Royal Palaces Official YouTube page:

* Ryschewys close and fryez: Tudor cook-along video

* Fylettys en Galentyne: Tudor cook-along video

* Tartes owt of Lente: Tudor cook-along video

And if you have an iPhone and happen to be visiting the Tower of London, you can play “Escape from the Tower of London”, which looks like it could be a lot of fun.

This tour starts by visiting Greenwich, birthplace of ‘Our ’Enery’. Then… it’s off with your head, as we away to the Tower of London for a personally-guided tour. Described by Shakespeare as ‘The Slaughterhouse’, the Tower is London’s oldest building and a World Heritage site. This tour features the tragic tale of Henry’s second wife Anne Boleyn as its central theme. Also see the Crown Jewels, king of bling! And the famous Beefeaters, with costumes designed in Henry’s reign.

Next, we take a driving tour of the London places identified with Henry’s great ‘dissolution’ (not on public transport version), including Smithfield, Blackfriars and Westminster Abbey.

In the afternoon the tour heads for the world famous Hampton Court: 500 years of royal history in Britain’s greatest palace: the one that Henry VIII stole! Now it’s two palaces in one. Highlights include the authentic Tudor kitchens, the Great Hall and the Chapel Royal. There’s also an important art collection and the magnificent gardens featuring the world’s oldest maze for you to get lost in!

First up are the County Secrets videos Dr. Jonathan Foyle has posted to his website. The full page of videos is available here, and embedded below is a sample video:

County Secrets – Suffolk from Jonathan Foyle on Vimeo.

And second is the You Tube channel of Walks Around Britain. Here’s their introductory video:

Solihull National Trust property added to Google street view

It was a case of try before you buy but now you can see before going.

Baddesley Clinton, near Solihull, is one of the newest National Trust properties which has been added to Google Street View, available through Google Maps.

The atmospheric house dates from 15th century and visitors can discover the priest’s holes used to hide persecuted Jesuit priests in the 1590s, as well as view the Elizabethan interiors.

Those thinking of spending a Sunday afternoon there can go a specially created online tour or view some of the other 19 locations including Berrington Hall in Herefordshire, Lyme Park in Cheshire and Stonehenge in Wiltshire, which have been added.

The images were taken last summer using the Google Trike, a three wheeled bike fitted with a Street View camera.

Full article (with a link to the maps page for Baddesley Clinton at the bottom)

And here’s the link to the page with links to all the National Trust properties available.

The only way to really walk in Anne Boleyn’s footsteps

May 19th,1536 was the day when Anne Boleyn was executed in the Tower of London – a sad day for Anne Boleyn fans. To commemorate this day, TheAnneBoleynFiles.com has organised a luxury tour, beginning on May 17th and ending May21st, 2010.

Claire from TheAnneBoleynFiles said “I wanted Anne Boleyn Fans to come together and walk in the footsteps Anne Boleyn on this important day, so I have put together a trip-of-a-lifetime”.

Those who attend will be staying in the luxury Tudor “Astor Wing” of Hever Castle, the very childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Claire has arranged exclusive use of this normally private part of the castle for the whole tour. There will be a unique guided tour around Hever, focusing on the Boleyns, a Tudor costumer giving information about what was worn at the time, and the well known author Dr Josephine Wilkinson will be a guest speaker. Of course, there is a day trip to the Tower of London on the 19th, and a trip to Hampton Court on the following day – all with an award winning “Blue Badge” guide.

For more information or to book your place on “The Anne Boleyn Experience 2010″ visit http://tour.theanneboleynfiles.com/?ab_uid=tudor and see what Anne Boleyn fans will be doing in May next year.