Why did Henry VIII build Southsea Castle and what has it to do with his wives and the Mary Rose?

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Why did Henry VIII build Southsea Castle and what has it to do with his wives and the Mary Rose? All these questions and more are answered in this blog. Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon caused him grave problems with the Pope and Kings of France and Spain. To save his throne from disaster, he built Southsea Castle to a new revolutionary design. Only a year after it was completed, a French fleet was present in the solent ready to attack and disaster struck. Henry based at Southsea Castle saw his premier ship, the Mar Rose, sink in front of his eyes without a shot being fired. Post Tudor history of Southsea Castle is also covered along with information and photos of what visitors to Southsea Castle can expect to see on a visit.

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Ightham Mote; a 700 year old magnificent, medieval moated manor house set in the beautiful Kent Countryside.

/ Ightham Mote/
Ightham Mote; a 700 year old magnificent, medieval moated manor house set in the beautiful Kent Countryside.

A visit to the beautiful Ightham Mote will take you on a journey back to the 14th century. Various rooms and details result in you being taken along a timeline of discovery and evoking a deep sense of history. It was built by medieval knights, taken on by tudor courtiers desperate to gain favour with Henry VIII and on through high society Victorians before ending up in the hands of a very generous American benefactor who passed it on to the National Trust. It has many rooms to marvel at, from the medieval “Great Hall” and Crypt”, to Catherine of Aragon’s pomegranite emblem on the chapel ceiling and ending up in the impressive Victorian billiard room.

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Tower of London for kids - a great place for adults too. Royal Palace, Royal Prison, Execution Central and Murder Mysteries .

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With over 1000 years of history, you’ll find plenty to do in the Tower of London for kids as well as some of the more fascinating stories and murder mysteries English history. The Tower of London is one of England’s iconic buildings and the remnants of just how brutal and bloody the Middle Ages were. Why does it have this reputation?From the barbaric and gruesome William the Conqueror who created it, to kings and queens who were excited there, the Tower of London is a place of gripping and captivating history that the whole family can see close up.

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