Alcoves – Tudor Tuesdays

February 09 2021 | Castle History

Alcoves are the theme for #TudorTuesdays with Historic Houses.

Alcoves are probably something we take for granted. The spaces we use for shelves on either side of a chimney breast; the handy little nooks we turn into cupboards, or which just fit a wine rack or a free-standing lamp.

But what are alcoves and what did the Tudors use them for?

Alcoves are a popular architectural feature dating back to the Roman times, where they often appeared as semi-circular recesses in which to display statues in large homes and official buildings. These classical alcoves were often more ornamental than the ones we are used to today, given that they were usually framed by pillars and elaborate mouldings.

During the medieval and Tudor times, alcoves retained a similar function, albeit with the frequent addition of curtains or wooden partition walls to separate these spaces from the main hallways or rooms of which they were part of.

The small chapel in the Waldegrave Room at Hever Castle is a good example of what a Tudor alcove may have looked like; with its ornate wooden screens making it almost appear to be a separate room of its own, which therefore made it the perfect location to hide a secret oratory.

If you enjoyed this item on alcoves why not discover the previous #TudorTuesdays news items:

• Gilding
• Courtyards
• Banqueting Halls
• Long Galleries
• Mary Queen of Scots
• Jewels and Jewellery
• Foreign Influences
• Water Features
• Orchards, Topiary and Mazes
• Restoration
• Great Halls
• Books and Libraries
• Films and TV sets
• Elizabeth I
• Tudor Chapels
• Tudor Windows
• Tudor Tapestries
• Tudor Chimneys
• Tudor Panelling
• Tudor Knot Gardens
• Tudor Childhood
• Tudor Dining Rooms
• Tudor Rose Gardens
• Henry VII
• Henry VIII
• Mary I