Elizabethan Travelogue

What would it be like to live in Elizabeth’s Tudor’s England? As we don’t have a time-travel lab like Dakota Wynfred (a main character in the novel, QUEEN BESS: A Tudor Comes to Save America), we can’t actually visit sixteenth-century London. But it is possible to visit several places where Elizabeth lived or traveled and to view some of the extraordinary portraits of Elizabeth and members of her family and court.

If you’re a fan of Tudor England, here are some places to add to your tour. QUEEN BESS author Maria Vetrano visited these spots over the past few years. The good news is that all of these sites are accessible via London’s extensive public transportation system, which features underground and above-ground trains as well as buses. You can even book a ride on a riverboat ferry by using your Uber app if you’re heading from London to Hampton Court. Check out Visit London for more information.

The British Museum

Visit the British Musuem to see numerous artefacts from the Elizabethan age. The falcoln was Queen Anne Boleyn’s badge (crest), and this emblem (on the right) is thought to have commemorated her. Want to know more about Anne Boleyn? Visit On The Tudor Trail.

The Phoenix Jewel, designed by Nicolas Hilliard, is one of many artistic representations of Queen Elizabeth I. A goldsmith and painter of miniature portraits, Hilliard propagated the image of “Gloriana, the Virgin Queen” through many of his works.

Ornately painted plate commemorating Queen Elizabeth I

The National Portrait Gallery

This antique crossbow may have belonged to Elizabeth Tudor.

The National Portrait Gallery houses some of the most famous portraits of the Tudors, including this portrait of Anne Boleyn by an unknown artist, based on a painting from circa 1533-1536.

Elizabeth I’s Coronation portrait commemorates the young queen’s coronation on January 15, 1559. Elizabeth ascended the throne on November 17, 1558 upon the death of her sister, Mary Tudor.

The Phoenix Portrait by Nicholas Hilliard, circa 1575, is replete with symbolism, as are all portraits of Elizabeth I.

The Darnley Portrait was painted by an unknown artist, circa 1575. Regal and seemingly impervious, this Elizabeth seems to study the viewer. The artist Marie Ahearn reimagined the Darnley Portrait in this original illustration, enhanced by the digital designer Kaitlyn Riley, to portray the duality of Elizabeth Tudor and the character Elizabeth Rex in the novel, QUEEN BESS.

We see a somewhat older Elizabeth in this portrait by an unknown artist.

South Bank of the Thames

Visit Shakespeare’s Globe situated along the Thames. It’s a recreation of the original sixteenth-century theatre, which was rebuilt twice and later opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. Tickets are available for a wide range of prices, the cheapest of which is a standing spot in the “yard” on the ground floor of the theatre. Choose one of these seats, and you can call yourself a “Groundling”—a name that dates back to Shakespeare’s time.

Tower of London

Visit the Tower of London to see where Elizabeth Tudor was imprisoned for several months in 1554 when she was twenty-one years’ old. Was this the block on which Queen Anne Boleyn breathed her last in 1536, when Elizabeth was not yet three? For obvious reasons, the Tower was not one of Elizabeth’s favorite royal palaces.

You can also see the jaw-dropping English Crown Jewels at the Tower. Alas, photography is not allowed in this display, but if it were, it wouldn’t do them justice.

Windsor Castle

Here are Queen Elizabeth I’s initials (Elizabeth Regina) over one of the doors of Windsor Castle, which was one of the queen’s twelve royal palaces.

Royal Museums in Greenwich

Visit the Royal Museums in Greenwich to see this spectacular Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. It’s worth the trip to Greenwich to view this portrait, which is packed with symbols depicting Elizabeth at the height of her power in 1588. Learn more.

Westminster Abbey

Queen Elizabeth I was crowned at Westminster Abbey on January 15, 1559. She was buried here in 1603, and this is her tomb effigy. Learn more.

Hatfield House

Just outside of London, you can visit Elizabeth’s old home at Hatfield House, which is where she spent most of her early life. It was here at the Old Palace that she received her first Parliament in 1558 when she was twenty-five years’ old.

Amazingly, it’s possible to sit on the same throne on which Queen Elizabeth I received her first Parliament at the Old Palace at Hatfield.