BOOK PUBLICATION!
What Links Sleaford with Henry VIII?
New book reveals how the King’s Chief Butler celebrated Christmas nearly 500 years ago at Old Place,
Sleaford, with twelve days of feasting on boar’s head and swan – and no social distancing.
A newly published book has revealed how a Tudor Christmas was celebrated in Sleaford in the 1530s by
Lord John Hussey, Henry VIII’s Chief Butler, at Hussey’s mansion at Old Place on Boston Road. Over the
twelve days of Christmas, Hussey and his household enjoyed a very different festive season from ours in
2020. There were dozens of guests, banquets featuring a boars’ head, whole oxen, swans and cranes, and performances by no fewer than nine troupes of travelling players, including the Earl of Northumberland’s men. Instead of Strictly, they danced to music from a harpist from Newark. No social distancing there!
“Old Place, New Perspectives” chronicles the sometimes turbulent history of the house, a version of whichhas stood on the site since at least the sixteenth century. The volume forms part of a wider project byOSHG, which began with a community dig in 2015, unearthing evidence of habitation on the site as far back as the late Iron Age. “Exciting finds included part of a rare Roman alphabet pot, medieval counting tokens, a Roman hairpin and the foundations of a dovecote,” says Dr Wendy Atkin. “My favourite part of the research, was discovering how lavishly Christmas was celebrated at Old Place in 1534. Lord Hussey kept detailed records of his household and estate expenditure, which are now held by The National Archives, and these tell us that he had his own troupe of players. That Christmas he bought costumes, including straw hats, a satin skirt and five ‘hoary’ beards. It must have been quite a performance.”
As well as the, ultimately sad, story of Lord Hussey (he was executed in 1537), “Old Place, New Perspectives” tells of the rise of the Carre family and the Earls of Bristol who subsequently owned the house and estate, and their tenants, as well as the part the house played in both World Wars as a Red Cross
Hospital and military headquarters. By tracing the history of Old Place and its site from prehistory to the present day, it presents a fascinating panorama of life in Sleaford through the ages and helps the reader understand how Old Sleaford developed into the place we know today.
The book costs £15 plus £4 for postage. Online orders are being taken by Heritage Lincolnshire through their website at
www.heritagelincolnshire.org/shop/books/old-place-new-perspectives
(Please note their offices are not open for collection of sales at this time due to the COVID-19 situation.) If you are local to Sleaford and would like to purchase a copy, please email us at [email protected] and we will contact you to arrange collection or delivery. The book will be available for purchase at local venues as soon as the COVID-19 situation permits. We will post updates on book availability at local venues through our website (www.oldsleaford.org.uk) and
Facebook page (www.facebook.com/oldsleaford), hopefully when outlets re-open in the New Year. 11th December, 2020
END
If you need further information, please contact:
Dr Wendy Atkin on [email protected], 07767 632737.
What Links Sleaford with Henry VIII?
New book reveals how the King’s Chief Butler celebrated Christmas nearly 500 years ago at Old Place,
Sleaford, with twelve days of feasting on boar’s head and swan – and no social distancing.
A newly published book has revealed how a Tudor Christmas was celebrated in Sleaford in the 1530s by
Lord John Hussey, Henry VIII’s Chief Butler, at Hussey’s mansion at Old Place on Boston Road. Over the
twelve days of Christmas, Hussey and his household enjoyed a very different festive season from ours in
2020. There were dozens of guests, banquets featuring a boars’ head, whole oxen, swans and cranes, and performances by no fewer than nine troupes of travelling players, including the Earl of Northumberland’s men. Instead of Strictly, they danced to music from a harpist from Newark. No social distancing there!
“Old Place, New Perspectives” chronicles the sometimes turbulent history of the house, a version of whichhas stood on the site since at least the sixteenth century. The volume forms part of a wider project byOSHG, which began with a community dig in 2015, unearthing evidence of habitation on the site as far back as the late Iron Age. “Exciting finds included part of a rare Roman alphabet pot, medieval counting tokens, a Roman hairpin and the foundations of a dovecote,” says Dr Wendy Atkin. “My favourite part of the research, was discovering how lavishly Christmas was celebrated at Old Place in 1534. Lord Hussey kept detailed records of his household and estate expenditure, which are now held by The National Archives, and these tell us that he had his own troupe of players. That Christmas he bought costumes, including straw hats, a satin skirt and five ‘hoary’ beards. It must have been quite a performance.”
As well as the, ultimately sad, story of Lord Hussey (he was executed in 1537), “Old Place, New Perspectives” tells of the rise of the Carre family and the Earls of Bristol who subsequently owned the house and estate, and their tenants, as well as the part the house played in both World Wars as a Red Cross
Hospital and military headquarters. By tracing the history of Old Place and its site from prehistory to the present day, it presents a fascinating panorama of life in Sleaford through the ages and helps the reader understand how Old Sleaford developed into the place we know today.
The book costs £15 plus £4 for postage. Online orders are being taken by Heritage Lincolnshire through their website at
www.heritagelincolnshire.org/shop/books/old-place-new-perspectives
(Please note their offices are not open for collection of sales at this time due to the COVID-19 situation.) If you are local to Sleaford and would like to purchase a copy, please email us at [email protected] and we will contact you to arrange collection or delivery. The book will be available for purchase at local venues as soon as the COVID-19 situation permits. We will post updates on book availability at local venues through our website (www.oldsleaford.org.uk) and
Facebook page (www.facebook.com/oldsleaford), hopefully when outlets re-open in the New Year. 11th December, 2020
END
If you need further information, please contact:
Dr Wendy Atkin on [email protected], 07767 632737.
The Old Sleaford Heritage Group was formed to promote the understanding of the archaeology and history of Old Sleaford and the surounding area. During late 2015 the group undertook a Heritage Lottery Funded community excavation at Old Place, Sleaford, Lincolnshire. After what seems to have been a very long 4 year period project is coming to an end and the results of the project will be published within the next couple of months.
The Group has continued to be active and has undertaken much of the post excavation and research for the project. In additon the group holdes lectures, mainly over the winter months and organises visits to local historical sites and monuments
The Group has continued to be active and has undertaken much of the post excavation and research for the project. In additon the group holdes lectures, mainly over the winter months and organises visits to local historical sites and monuments
Current COVID-19 situation
It may not surprise anyone that until further notice we have postponed the AGM due to the Coronavirus situation. We had also planned OSHG talks on medieval graffiti by Brian Porter and medieval honey production by Linda Ayers, but these will now not be taking place until further notice.
During the summer we usually organise visits to local sites and monuments and we are still hoping that we will be able to do these, probably starting with a trip to the tower, church and earthworks at South Kyme. We have outlined a programme of possible activities in the Upcoming Events section, depending on how the COVD-19 situation progresses.
We have, however, been very busy with the publication on the Old Place project, which we hope will go to the printers very soon.
It may not surprise anyone that until further notice we have postponed the AGM due to the Coronavirus situation. We had also planned OSHG talks on medieval graffiti by Brian Porter and medieval honey production by Linda Ayers, but these will now not be taking place until further notice.
During the summer we usually organise visits to local sites and monuments and we are still hoping that we will be able to do these, probably starting with a trip to the tower, church and earthworks at South Kyme. We have outlined a programme of possible activities in the Upcoming Events section, depending on how the COVD-19 situation progresses.
We have, however, been very busy with the publication on the Old Place project, which we hope will go to the printers very soon.