Greenwich set to celebrate Henry!
Mark Onwubuya
16 March 2009
A weekend of Tudor-themed festivities will take place in Greenwich to help mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession and coronation.
Jointly organised by Greenwich Council and the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, ‘Henry Days’ will take place on Saturday June 13th and Sunday June 14th at the Old Royal Naval College and is a part of “The Story of London”, a month-long celebration of the city’s past, present and future.
The Old Royal Naval College is the former site of Greenwich Palace, the birthplace of Henry VIII and his main residence of choice throughout his reign as the King of England.
The weekend of activities will be suitable for all the family and will offer a wonderful opportunity to learn first hand about Henry and Tudor life.
The huge range of activities on show will include actors re-enacting a typical 15th century hunting parade, knights battling each other in combat in the extensive grounds of the College as well as opportunities for visitors to test their archery skills, join in Tudor dancing and feast at a Tudor food court.
There will also be face painting and flag making workshops running throughout the day, a range of games and entertainment suitable for children and lots of other activities.
All outdoor performances will be free of charge.
Councillor John Fahy, Cabinet member for Culture and Olympics, said: “Henry VIII’s extensive links with Greenwich are a source of great pride in the borough. As well as being Greenwich-born, his chief residence was the former Greenwich Palace, which is now the Old Royal Naval College and therefore the most appropriate venue to commemorate such a special occasion. It promises to be a fantastic weekend for all the family to enjoy and I hope everyone takes the opportunity to come down and take part in the festivities.”
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive, Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College explains: “The Greenwich Foundation is delighted to be working closely with Greenwich Council to mark this important anniversary. We know that Henry was a great sportsman with a love of jousting, armed combat and hunting and that he built stables, towers overlooking his tiltyard, and even an armoury on this very site. To recreate some of this atmosphere and to bring alive Henry’s enthusiasm for Greenwich is particularly appropriate, not just in the light of the 500th anniversary but also when looking ahead to 2012 and the equestrian games being held in Greenwich.”
In addition to the activities throughout the weekend, special guided tours highlighting the history of Greenwich Palace and its royal past will also run weekly in June from Thursday to Sunday, except on the weekend of the 13th and 14th June. The tours cost £5 per adult and are free to children under 16.
On 2nd June, Dr. Simon Thurley, a leading architectural historian and the Chief Executive of English Heritage, will be holding an evening lecture on Henry VIII and Greenwich Palace in the Queen Mary Undercroft at the Old Royal Naval College. Tickets cost £5, which include a glass of wine. All proceeds from the event will go towards the new Tudor display in the education and interpretation centre, Discover Greenwich, at the Old Royal Naval College. For more information and to book, call 020 8269 4799 or visit oldroyalnavalcollege.org
On 14th June, the award-winning choral group, The Sixteen, will be performing a special Henry VIII period concert in the Old Royal Naval College Chapel. For more information and to book, call 020 8269 4799 or visit oldroyalnavalcollege.org
The newly refurbished King William Restaurant in the undercroft of the Painted Hall will be offering a Henry VIII inspired English seasonal menu in the run up to the Henry VIII weekend. For more information and to pre-book your table, call 020 8269 2131.
For more information, contact Mark Onwubuya on 020 8921 5011 or mark.onwubuya@greenwich.gov.uk
ENDS
Notes for editors
1. Greenwich Palace: Henry VIII was born in Greenwich on June 28th 1491 at Greenwich Palace, previously known as the Palace Placentia or Palace of Pleasurance, which stood on the banks of the River Thames. In 1970 -71 a major archaeological dig in the Grand Square of the Old Royal Naval College revealed the palace’s foundations.
Henry resided chiefly in Greenwich in preference to the Palace of Eltham, which had been the favourite residence of his ancestors but was thought to be too small for Henry’s court. The excellent accommodation and sporting facilities meant that a large number of Henry’s banquets and jousts were held in Greenwich.
Henry married the fourth of his six wives, Anne of Cleves, in the Chapel Royal, the archaeological remains of which were revealed at the Old Royal Naval College in 2006. Two of Henry’s daughters, Queen Mary I and Elizabeth I, were born and christened at Greenwich Palace.
2. The Old Royal Naval College is one of London’s most famous riverside landmarks, little changed since painted by Canaletto in 1752. Standing on the site of the Tudor palace where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were born, and managed by the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, the buildings and grounds house the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music and are open to the public daily free of charge.
The College began life as the Royal Hospital, and was usually referred to as Greenwich Hospital. The Hospital was established in 1694 by Royal Charter for the relief and support of seamen and their dependants and for the improvement of navigation. Sir Christopher Wren planned the site, described as "one of the most sublime sights English architecture affords", and, during the first half of the eighteenth century, various illustrious architects, such as Hawksmoor and Vanbrugh, completed Wren's grand design.
In 1869 the Hospital was closed, and in 1873 the complex of buildings became the Royal Naval College, where officers from all over the world came to train in the naval sciences. The Navy moved out in 1998 to merge with the RAF and Army at a new Joint Services Staff College in Shrivenham. With the departure of the Royal Navy from Greenwich, responsibility for the Old Royal Naval College passed to the Greenwich Foundation. The Foundation is a registered charity established to look after the buildings and their grounds for the benefit of the nation.
