Tudor Timekeeping: Bells, Clocks, and a Bit of Bling
Ever wondered how people in the Tudor period told the time—long before smartphones or wristwatches? In this video, I explore the fascinating ways our medieval and Tudor ancestors kept track of their day.
From monastery bells marking the canonical hours to the rise of mechanical town clocks in the 14th century, Tudor timekeeping was far more advanced than you might expect. We’ll look at sundials, water clocks, astrolabes, and even the incredible astronomical clock at Hampton Court Palace. And yes—there were watches in Tudor England! Anne Boleyn owned one, and Elizabeth I had several, including a gift from Robert Dudley.
Plus, I’ll share why you sometimes hear the chimes of my village clock tower in the background of my videos—and how that links us back to the soundscape of the past.
Step back in time with me to discover how the Tudors measured their hours—and why timekeeping was as much about bells, beauty, and status as practicality.
#TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #ElizabethI #TudorTechnology #Timekeeping #MedievalHistory #TudorLife #OnThisDay #TudorEngland #HamptonCourt #HistoricalClocks #HistoryNerd
Links:
Henry VIII portrait - https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw03080/King-Henry-VIII-King-Henry-VII
Anne Boleyn clock - https://www.rct.uk/collection/30018/anne-boleyn-clock and https://strawberryhillhouseblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/362/
Hampton Court - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Court_astronomical_clock
Early Mechanical Clocks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock#Early_mechanical_clocks
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Claire Ridgway
Best-selling author, historian, speaker, YouTuber and founder of the Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society websites.
https://linktr.ee/claireridgway
claireridgway.com
www.tudorsociety.com
www.theanneboleynfiles.com
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5:21
The Pygmy and Beagle: Robert Cecil, the Power behind Two Thrones
On 24th May 1612, one of the most powerful men of the Elizabethan and early Stuart courts—Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury—died on his way home from taking the waters at Bath. He was just 48, but his political career was nothing short of extraordinary.
The son of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Robert Cecil overcame physical disability, courtly mockery, and fierce political rivalries to become Secretary of State, Lord High Treasurer, and a trusted advisor to both Elizabeth I and James I. From helping bring down the Earl of Essex to secretly securing James VI’s smooth succession, Cecil shaped the very future of the English monarchy.
In this podcast, we explore his remarkable life, his rise to power, his role in uncovering the Gunpowder Plot, and his legacy—one that helped bridge the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.
Listen now to discover the story of the man who proved brains could beat brawn at the heart of royal power.
#RobertCecil #TudorHistory #StuartHistory #ElizabethanEra #JamesI #GunpowderPlot #TudorToStuart #OnThisDay #BritishHistory #HatfieldHouse #CecilFamily #SecretaryOfState #TudorPolitics
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4:46
19 May 1536: The Execution of Anne Boleyn - A Queen's Last Moments
In the early hours of 19th May 1536, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was woken with chilling news—his friend Alexander Alesius had dreamt of Anne Boleyn’s severed neck. He had no idea that Anne was due to be executed that very morning…
In this moving video, we trace Anne Boleyn’s final hours: from her quiet early morning Mass and her careful choice of crimson and ermine attire, to her composed speech on the scaffold and the swift stroke of the Calais executioner's sword. We explore eyewitness accounts, the reactions of those present, and the shocking speed with which Henry VIII moved on—issuing a marriage dispensation for Jane Seymour on the very day Anne was buried.
Anne Boleyn’s fall was fast and brutal, yet her legacy lived on in her daughter, Elizabeth I—England’s Gloriana.
Watch now to witness the last moments of one of history’s most compelling queens.
#AnneBoleyn #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #HenryVIII #ElizabethI #TudorQueens #AnneBoleynExecution #TudorDynasty #BritishHistory #RoyalHistory
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7:22
What Really Made a Tudor Marriage?
Did you need a priest to be married in Tudor England? A church? Witnesses? The truth might surprise you. In the 16th century, a simple exchange of vows—followed by consummation—could be enough to make a marriage fully legal.
In this video, we explore the fascinating (and often confusing) rules around marriage in Tudor times. From secret unions to royal annulments, handfasting to public ceremonies, find out how couples—rich and poor—sealed their unions, and how these customs led to scandal, bigamy, and disputed inheritances.
Discover what counted, what didn’t, and how Henry VIII used these rules to his advantage.
#TudorMarriage #TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #HenryVIII #AnneOfCleves #CatherineHoward #LadyKatherineGrey #16thCentury #HistoryYouTube #MarriageCustoms #Handfasting #TudorScandals #ClaireRidgway #HistoricalMarriage #MedievalMarriage #RoyalHistory #WomenInHistory
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5:00
Anne of Denmark: The Forgotten Queen?
On this day in history, 13th May 1619, Westminster Abbey hosted a grand and costly funeral for a queen consort who is often overshadowed in British royal history. But who was Anne of Denmark? What role did she really play at the courts of Scotland and England—and why did her relationship with King James sour so drastically in her final years?
In this podcast, I explore the intriguing life, cultural impact, and overlooked legacy of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I of England (James VI of Scotland). From dramatic court disputes and artistic patronage to her mysterious estrangement from the king, Anne’s story is full of surprises.
Could she be one of the most underrated queen consorts in British history?
Listen now to uncover the truth behind this fascinating royal figure.
#AnneOfDenmark #TudorHistory #StuartHistory #ForgottenQueens #WomenInHistory #RoyalHistory #OnThisDay #JamesI #WestminsterAbbey #HistoricalMysteries #BritishMonarchy #HistoryYouTube #ClaireRidgway #QueenConsort #EarlyModernHistory
Tudor history podcasts from Claire Ridgway, author of ”On This Day in Tudor History” and many other bestselling Tudor books. Claire runs the Tudor Society, The Anne Boleyn Files and can be found on her website www.ClaireRidgway.com where she runs exclusive online historical events.
South Africa