The theme for this week’s #TudorTuesdays with Historic Houses is the Tudor rose.
The Tudor rose is the name given to the combined emblems of the York and Lancastrian families, who fought each other for control of the English throne from 1455-1487 in what became known as ‘The Wars of the Roses’.
With the death of the Yorkist King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1487, the throne once again passed to the Lancastrians and their new King Henry Tudor (Henry VII). In order to put an end to the Wars of the Roses once and for all, however (and with no small amount of behind the scenes string-pulling by his mother, Margaret Beaufort, and Elizabeth Woodville, his soon to be mother in law) Henry married Elizabeth of York, daughter of the late Yorkist King Edward IV, thus joining the families, and more importantly, their claims to the throne, together under the new Royal house of Tudor.
In order to celebrate this union, the white rose emblem of the Yorkists, and the red rose of the Lancastrians were combined to create the Tudor Rose, which comprises five red outer petals, and five white inner ones.
In homage to Hever’s connections to the Tudors, and in particular, King Henry VIII, son of Henry Tudor and Elizabeth of York, William Waldorf Astor was keen to include the Tudor Rose in his grand restoration product of 1903. As a result, there are a great many Tudor Roses ‘hidden’ in the plasterwork, stonework, glass and panelling of the castle, including in the Inner Hall, King Henry VIIIs Bedchamber and Long Gallery to name just a few different areas.
Next time you visit us, see how many you can find, or alternatively, ask our wonderful castle staff for hints on the best places to look.
If you enjoyed this item, why not discover more about Tudor Tuesdays.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.