Visiting Athelhampton Historic House and Gardens in Dorset

Athelhampton House is one of England's finest Tudor Manors, a few miles from Dorchester in Dorset, near the village of Puddletown, and was buzzing with preparations for Tudor Week - Living History at Athelhampton (28th October-1st November 2024, (and 27th to 31st October, 2025)

During Tudor week living historians take on the characters of the 16th-century residents of Athelhampton, from gentlefolk to servants, and live, speak and act this part continuously, from early morning right through the day and into the evening. 

Juliet Braidwood, taking a rare moment

 from arranging Tudor Week

Cooks and servants prepare food in the Elizabethan kitchen, with its vast brick arch, and serve it in the Great Hall, built in 1485, which remains greatly unchanged with a hammer-beam roof, which has an unusual and possibly unique curved support.

Visitors can try Tudor food, have a go at period dances, learn to play games, examine clothing, try writing with a quill and much more.

I was fortunate to spend a morning with the owner, Giles Keating (author of the Anne of Athelhampton series). When he arrived five years ago, Giles researched the Martyn family. He found that about 1485 Sir William Martyn, merchant and landowner, whose family collected duties at Poole Harbour, built Athelhampton Hall, and the Martyns and their descendants became Lords of Athelhampton for the next 250 years.

Giles was struck by how unusual it was that the daughters had been made heiresses of the estate, becoming attractive marriage partners for desirable suitors - and undesirable ones! Anne, as a feisty and determined twelve-year old, finds herself entangled in the family feud with her sinister cousin, 'Young John'.

Giles revealed secret passageways and a hidden priest hole, and explained he is on a mission to restore the rooms with authentic period furniture but wishes to recognise how the history of the house has evolved with each generation of owners, and visitors from Thomas Hardy to Noel Coward.

One of the challenges of a Tudor house with as many rooms (seventeen open to the public) as Athelhampton is the cost of keeping them all warm and dry. Giles installed four hundred hidden solar panels, solved his over £50,000 a year energy bills and Athelhampton is now carbon neutral.

There are also many original Tudor roses to look out for, as well as a rare single rose of Lancaster, likely to date from the time of King Henry VII, carved into a wooden door.

I very much recommend a visit to the Grade 1 listed Athelhampton House – and the impressive gardens.

For more information please see https://www.athelhampton.com/ and Tudor Week will be live-streamed during Athelhampton opening hours and beyond at:

https://m.youtube.com/@athelhampton/streams

Tony Riches

Guest Post by Susan Grossey, Author of Ostler, Book One of The Cambridge Hardiman Mysteries

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Cambridge of the 1820s is not all lectures and prayers, as university constable Gregory Hardiman discovers in the pages of this intriguing Regency crime novel.

I have three obsessions in life: dodgy money, justice, and research. And I manage to unite the three by writing historical crime novels that focus particularly on financial crime. My interest in dodgy money is a legacy of twenty-five years spent working as an anti-money laundering consultant, and it was while I was working that I wrote my first novel – Fatal Forgery – based on the true story of a banker who stole from his own bank in London in 1824. 

I had fully intended it to be my one and only novel. But I fell in love with the 1820s and with the constable who arrested the banker, and this eventually resulted in a series of seven “Sam Plank Mysteries” taking us up to the creation of the Metropolitan Police in 1829. By then I was well and truly hooked on writing historical crime stories, and now I am working on a new series. 

It takes place – again – in the 1820s, but this time the books are set in my hometown of Cambridge and narrated by a university constable called Gregory Hardiman. I am older and wiser now and already know that there will be five books in this series, which means that I can plan much more carefully and can drip-feed information about the characters in a more measured manner. 

The first Hardiman book is called Ostler and the second – Sizar – is coming out in December 2024.My greatest skill as a writer of historical fiction is that I am a dogged researcher. I am never happier than when truffling around in a library or archive. 

Indeed, I have to be strict with myself and call time on the research so that I can actually do some writing, which I prefer to do in silence, at a keyboard, and in the morning. I would love to be one of those writers who can sit in the corner of a coffee shop and jot down notes in a fancy Moleskine, but sadly I am too distracted if I am out and about, and so I have to sit myself facing a wall, turn off the radio and just knuckle down.

My advice for new writers is two-fold: choose something you enjoy writing about (chasing the market to jump on the latest bandwagon is very difficult, and trends move so quickly it’s all but impossible to write a book in time) and then just stick at it (which is why you really have to enjoy it – otherwise it is sheer misery, plodding on with something that bores you). I cannot tell you how many people I meet who tell me that they have a good idea for a book, or some notes in a drawer – but unfortunately for them, the only way to write a book is to actually write a book.

There are two very surprising things I have found when researching my books. The first is that in England in the 1820s there was no such thing as a defence in court: if you were accused of a crime, there was a prosecution lawyer and a jury – but no defence! 

You might be allowed to put forward some mitigation after the verdict, but you could not defend yourself – that was not put in place until the 1830s. Not the fairest of systems… And the second surprise is how enormously helpful people are when you ask about their specialist subject. 

I have contacted all sorts of experts – on paddle-steamers, poisonous plants, university processions, musket injuries and more – and without fail, they have offered their information with enormous goodwill and generosity. So if you need to know about something, just ask an expert – and of course make sure you put them in the acknowledgements section of your book. Some of them are so thrilled that you are actually interested in their pet subject that they buy several copies of the book to prove to their family that they are not the only one interested in it!

Raising awareness of individual books is a constant battle in a very crowded marketplace, and I think the key is to find the promotional channel that plays to your strengths. I am not a great user of social media in my private life and so I find it an uphill struggle as an author. 

But I do love talking about my books and the history and research behind them, and I enjoy meeting readers, so I choose to spend my promotional energy on giving talks to any group that invites me. I take along books to sell, and I encourage people to sign up to my free monthly e-newsletter so that they can hear about new books as they come out. I also make sure that my books are easy for people to buy, which means listing them on every sales platform, getting them into local bookshops, and offering them in multiple formats (paperback, e-books of various flavours, and audiobook).

I had no idea that I would end up as an author. And I still can’t imagine being about to – or indeed wanting to – write stories set in the modern age and pulled completely from my imagination. But give me an historical framework into which I can fit my characters and I am, as they would have said in the 1820s, quite nuts upon myself – or extremely pleased with life!

Susan Grossey

# # #

About the Author

For twenty-five years I ran my own anti-money laundering consultancy, which gave me almost limitless opportunity to write about my very favourite subject: money laundering. And the obsession with understanding the mechanics and motivations of financial crime has only grown.I have spent years haunting the streets of Regency London, in the company of magistrates' constable Sam Plank. He is the narrator of my series of seven historical financial crime novels set in consecutive years in the 1820s - just before Victoria came to the throne, and in the policing period after the Bow Street Runners and before the Metropolitan Police.The fourth Sam Plank novel - "Portraits of Pretence" - was given the "Book of the Year 2017" award by influential book review website Discovering Diamonds. And the fifth - "Faith, Hope and Trickery" - was shortlisted for the Selfies Award 2019.My new series is the Cambridge Hardiman Mysteries, set in Cambridge in the 1820s and narrated by a university constable called Gregory Hardiman. Find out more at Susan's website https://susangrossey.com/ and find her on Facebook

Book Launch Spotlight: Amid the Oncoming Storm (The Irish Fortune Series Book 3) by Juliane Weber

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

It’s the spring of 1847 and there’s much for Quin and Alannah to look forward to. And yet, the previous years’ hardships have left their mark. The famine that’s had Ireland in its grasp for the past two seasons continues to rage unabated, with hunger and disease sweeping across the land. As thousands lie dying, dissension spreads among the Irish people, the British government’s carelessness and their landlords’ ruthlessness breeding hatred in the poor and the oppressed.

With suffering all around them Quin and Alannah hold onto what happiness they’re able to. But can they trust the people living on their estate?

Set amongst the anguish of Ireland’s most devastating time in history, Amid the Oncoming Storm is a story of hope and resilience in a land struggling to rise from the depths of despair.

"A heartbreakingly emotional read. The pages practically turn themselves." - Yarde Book Reviews & Book Promotion

# # # 

About the author 

 

Juliane Weber is a scientist by training. She holds degrees in physiology and zoology, including a PhD in physiology. During her studies she realised, however, that her passion lay not in conducting scientific research herself, but in writing about it. Thus began her career as a medical writer, where she took on all manner of writing and editing tasks, in the process honing her writing skills, until she finally plucked up the courage to write her first historical novel, Under the Emerald Sky.  Juliane was born in Germany but spent most of her life in South Africa. She now lives with her husband and her two sons in Hamelin, Germany, the town made famous by the story of the Pied Piper.  Find out more (and follow her blog) on Juliane’s website www.julianeweber.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter @Writer_JW

Historical Fiction Spotlight: Under a Lightning Sky: A gripping historical suspense set against the backdrop of the Blitz, by Pam Lecky

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

London is under attack. But within the rubble, a greater danger lurks… The Luftwaffe has been bombing London continuously 

since September 1940.

During a bombing raid, Madeline Fairfax is caught in her kitchen whilst cooking for her husband and children. She becomes trapped in the rear of her home, but regains consciousness just in time to see a familiar face, offering hope of rescue. But instead, Madeline is tragically strangled to death.

As a dangerous murderer uses the Blitz to cover their crime, local detective Jamie Barton enlists the help of Madeline’s sister and volunteer firefighter, Penny Miller to help. Now, caught in a web of uncertainty and mistrust, a grieving Penny must find the truth and do whatever it takes to protect those she loves most.

Together, will they unravel this case before it's too late…?

# # #

About the Author

Pam Lecky is an Irish historical fiction author with Avon Books UK/Harper Collins. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, The Crime Writers' Association, and the Society of Authors. She is represented by Thérèse Coen, at the Hardman & Swainson Literary Agency, London. Pam has a particular love of the late Victorian era/early 20th Century. Her debut novel, The Bowes Inheritance, was awarded the B.R.A.G Medallion; shortlisted for the Carousel Aware Prize 2016; and longlisted for the Historical Novel Society 2016 Indie Award. Her short stories are available in an anthology, entitled Past Imperfect, which was published in April 2018.  Find out more at Pam's website https://pamlecky.com/ and find her on Bluesky @pamlecky.bsky.social

Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain, by Heather R Darsie

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Stuart Spouses looks at the oft-overshadowed consorts of the Stuart monarchs, from 1406 to 1714. 

By focusing on these people and detailing their rises to matrimony, the trials and tribulations of their courtships, and the impact their unions and dissolutions had on the kingdoms of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales, one learns not only the history of these kingdoms but the true, sometimes soft, power behind the throne.

"Stuart spouses focuses on the often disregarded by history consorts of the Stuart monarchs. I found it to be a well researched and fascinating portrait of people who were so important at one time in history but have been largely overshadowed by their spouses. I will definitely be adding this to my bookshelves and don’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in this period of history." Amazon Review

# # #

About the Author

About the Author

Heather R. Darsie works as an attorney in the US. Along with her Juris Doctorate she has a BA in German, which was of great value in her research. She completed multiple graduate-level courses in Early Modern History, with her primary focus being the Holy Roman Empire under Charles V. She runs the website MaidensAndManuscripts.com, and is a co-host of Tudors Dynasty podcast.  Find out more at maidensandmanuscripts.com  and follow her on Facebook and Twitter @HRDarsieHistory

Book Review: The Life and Death of Mary, Queen of Scots by Jan-Marie Knights

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Queen of Scots at six days old; married at fifteen in Paris to the Dauphin of France; Queen of France at sixteen; widowed at eighteen; dead at forty-four. Mary Stuart’s tumultuous life and tragic death continue to enthral us today. Utilising contemporary documents, Jan-Marie Knights tracks the fascinating story of Mary’s life and death by creating a diary-style blow-by-blow account of her actions and movements.

A Captivating Chronicle of a Tragic Queen

Jan-Marie Knights' The Life and Death of Mary, Queen of Scots is a an unusual exploration of one of history's enigmatic figures. This new account brings to life the tumultuous reign of Mary Stuart, a queen torn between her Catholic faith, her claim to the English throne, and the political machinations of her rivals.

One of the strengths of this book is how Jan-Marie Knights offers a nuanced understanding of Mary's character, acknowledging her strengths and her weaknesses.

I particularly liked the 'diary format' which keeps the timeline clear and is perfect for dipping in to check details - although I challenge readers not to find this a 'rabbit hole' and keep reading. 

What I missed is any referencing, and although there is a full bibliography, there were times when I found myself wanting to check some details.

The Life and Death of Mary, Queen of Scots is an informative book that will appeal to historians and general readers, and Jan-Marie Knights research make this book a useful addition to any library.

Tony Riches

# # #

About the Author

Jan-Marie Knights is an ex- editor and journalist who has worked on many newspapers and magazines and is a keen researcher of local and Tudor history. She lives in the area known as the ‘Dukeries’ with her Tonkinese cat called Ashi.  

Blog Tour: Amulet's Rapture (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 3) by Linnea Tanner

Available at Amazon US and Amazon UK

Blood stains her Celtic home and kingdom. The warrior Druid princess will do anything to retake her kingdom.

Although Catrin is the rightful heir to the Celtic throne in Britannia, she is lucky to be alive. After witnessing the slaughter of her family at the hands of her half-brother, who was aided by the Romans, she is enslaved by a Roman commander. He disguises her as a boy in the Roman Legion with the belief that she is an oracle of Apollo and can foretell his future. The sole bright spot in her miserable new life is her forbidden lover Marcellus, the great-grandson of the famed Roman General Mark Antony.

But Marcellus has been wounded and his memories of Catrin and their secret marriage were erased by a dark Druidess. Though Marcellus reunites with Catrin in Gaul and becomes her ally as she struggles to survive the brutality of her Roman master, he questions the legitimacy of their marriage and hesitates to help her escape and retake her kingdom. If their forbidden love and alliance are discovered, her dreams of returning to her Celtic home with Marcellus will be shattered.

# # #

About the Author

Award-winning Author Linnea Tanner weaves Celtic tales of love, magic, adventure, betrayal, and intrigue into historical fiction set in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology which held women in higher esteem. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids. Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), and Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3). Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4 Curse of Clansmen and Kings) is anticipated to be released in late October 2022. A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren. To learn more about the author and her books, you can visit her website https://www.linneatanner.com/ and find her on Twitter @linneatanner