Hurley and Henley-on-Thames

This week’s camping has taken us into the Berkshire countryside, where we stayed at a lovely campground a pleasantly long walk from the village of Hurley. This idyllic village is precisely the sort of place foreigners like me imagine an English village to be. There are beautiful old buildings, some of which date back to the 12th century!… Read on

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Palazzo della Prigioni, Venice

Back during my trip to Venice in early April, I visited one of the most notorious prisons there. The Palazzo della Prigioni (also known by its nickname, Piombi) is the former prison, which is connected to the Palazzo Ducale by the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs). Construction began on this building back in the 16th century, so… Read on

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Review: Restoration by Rose Tremain

Rose Tremain’s Restoration is probably one of the most popular novels set in the seventeenth century, and with good reason: it’s a great book. Originally published back in 1989, I was but four years old and obviously far too young to read it. That being said, it is lamentable that it took until 2015 for me to get… Read on

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The Rise of Sir William Brereton – Guest Post by D.W. Bradbridge

Please welcome D.W. Bradbridge to The Seventeenth Century Lady! Bradbridge writes historical fiction set in the 17th-century (by the way, his novel The Winter Siege is on a Kindle Countdown Deal from Aug 27 – September 2 during which time it will be £0.99 on Amazon UK!). Daniel Cheswis, the lead character in my novels, The Winter Siege and… Read on

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Armonia Celeste: The Seventeenth Century Lady Interview

Today I’m very pleased to present you The Seventeenth Century Lady Interview with Baroque ensemble Armonia Celeste! This increasingly popular group is comprised of three singers: sopranos Sarah Abigail Griffiths and Rebecca Choate Beasley, and mezzo-soprano Dianna Grabowski. Lyle Nordstrom accompanies on lute, theorbo, and Baroque guitar, and Paula Fagerberg plays the Baroque triple harp. SCL: What was it about the music… Read on

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Of Hives and Archives…

The following was a draft I wrote about two months ago. The Stuarts in 100 Facts is currently being edited and Steel and Lace is out for sale, so I now have a brief window of time before I begin to focus on A Year in Stuart Britain. I’m spending time with my family in the United States… Read on

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Clytie: The Spurned Nymph

Earlier today I walked past a flower and plant stall in Reading and there were so many beautiful plants, including some lovely sunflowers. Although I didn’t buy any sunflowers (I came away with begonias and cornflowers), seeing these sunny flowers reminded me of Clytie. I don’t know about you, but I love mythology and have done since I… Read on

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The Steel and Lace Anthology is out now!

Hear ye! My novella, The Chambermaid, is part of the Steel and Lace Anthology which is out now as a Kindle eBook on Amazon. The paperback will be available shortly. I feel privileged to have been able to work on this project with six other authors: Anna Belfrage, Anita Seymour, Francine Howarth, M.J. Logue, Susan Ruth, and Kelli… Read on

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