The Seventeenth Century is pleased to welcome M.J. Logue today. I’m currently working on an anthology with Logue and several other 17th-and-18th-century writers which should be out for your enjoyment later this year. Bolton, the Geneva of the North. My own, and Captain Hollie Babbitt’s, home town. A fiercely Puritan town, so-called in reference to the Swiss town… Read on
I avoided using the Internet this weekend and was able to get some substantial work done, so I apologise for the tardiness of this post. My husband and I went up to visit his parents in Northampton on Saturday and we cooked them a homemade Indian curry. Earlier in the week, I met up with my friend, Pitt historian… Read on
Being that the Ashmolean Museum is one of the finest in the world and that it happens to have been created in the 17th-century, I was thrilled to have been able to finally visit last Wednesday. One can live in a country for years and sadly miss out on some of the gems. I met up with my… Read on
Hello and welcome to a special Christmas Blog Hop post, and I would like to thank Helen Hollick for including me! My contribution is, of course, about the 17th-century. Anyone who loves Early Music and Early Modern history, as I do, can probably talk about the beautiful Christmas verses which were composed during the Elizabethan and Early Stuart… Read on
This post seems to have been lost in my drafts for months on end, but it’s here now! Frogmore House is a royal residence that is usually closed to the public and lies south of Windsor Castle. This building, in my opinion, seems much more comfortable and homely than the Castle is, and I can understand why it… Read on
ITV’s drama, The Great Fire, aired last night at 9pm in the UK. This morning, I was asked by many on Twitter for my opinions about this show, but as I don’t have access to live television in my house, I was unable to watch it last night. I saw this episode just now on the iTV player and,… Read on
A few months ago, I found out about this upcoming release from Charles Spencer. Naturally, given its subject matter, I was excited. I was jumping up and down when I received an advanced copy of “Killers of the King – the Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I”. I’ll be frank, this was the first history book I’ve read by… Read on
Dare Devils: Seventeenth Century Highwaymen by Deborah Swift Though legends of highwaymen are many, there is only one featuring a woman – Lady Katherine Fanshawe. Shadow on the Highway is the first instalment in her story, the real history which over the generations has become embroidered with myth, as have all the other highway stories. Lady Katherine was… Read on
Yesterday on Hoydens and Firebrands, I submitted a short post about He Who Commissioned Castle Howard – Charles Howard, 3rd Earl of Carlisle. Following on from that post, which gives an overview about the life of the Charles Howard, I would like to share what I learned there this weekend and some photos from my visit, if I… Read on
I hope you all enjoyed our first selection for the 17th-Century Book Club, which was William Wycherley’s play, The Country Wife! This was the second time I read the play, and I wish I could have performed in it. I would like to apologise to you all for not having the forum up-and-running as I said I would, but… Read on
Many of you know that I was eagerly anticipating this programme ever since I heard about it. I am always so pleased when filmmakers decide to set a story in the 17th-century. The more programmes and films that are made about this time period will make it as popular as the Tudors are. I thought The Devil’s Whore… Read on
On Friday I had the great honour of visiting the gorgeous, great Jacobean house, Aston Hall. What is Aston Hall, and why is it important? Well, let’s start off with the introduction from the official guide book, shall we? Aston Hall is a magnificent Grade I Listed Jacobean mansion sitting in a Grade II Listed Park…Constructed between 1618… Read on
Ruth Norrington’s beautifully-bound and carefully selected compilation of letters between King Charles II and his sister, Henrietta, Duchesse d’Orleans is a wonderful read for anyone remotely interested in the Restoration court and the colourful people associated with it. [amazon template=image&chan=default&asin=0720609917] The book begins with an excellent, concise short history of the time shortly before and after the birth… Read on
This post is dedicated to Mary, a controversial, intelligent, beautiful, ill-fated, yet beloved Queen, died on this day the 28th of December, 1694. She was only thirty-two years old. I say that she was controversial because her reign was, and still is, a subject of controversy. You see, William and Mary were invited to take the throne… Read on
Charles Landseer was an artist who lived from 1799-1879. Landseer, though sadly not as popular as his painter brother Edwin (famous for his works for Queen Victoria), generally painted scenes depicting historical events or those from literature and each of his works vividly bring stories to life. Take for example this piece, “The Eve of the Battle of… Read on
The Seventeenth Century Lady is excited to have a Guest Post from acclaimed historical fiction writer Deborah Swift! Whenever I see Downing Street on the news I am reminded that its name dates back to the 17th century and the English Civil War. George Downing was born in Ireland but studied in America at Harvard – he was… Read on
It’s such a delight to welcome Richard Endsor to The Seventeenth Century Lady! Richard tells us about some remarkable women during the Merry Monarch’s lusty reign. So, please give a very warm welcome to Richard! Women During the Reign of Charles II: Dear Andrea, thank you for inviting me as a guest to your beautifully presented blog. Following… Read on
Today we welcome historian Susan Abernethy, who is such a delight on her website, The Freelance History Writer, twitter, and Facebook. Please give her a warm welcome to The Seventeenth Century Lady as she tells us about The Popish Plot! Sir Francis Walsingham, was minister and spymaster during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He fought diligently and… Read on
Today’s Guest Post comes from one of my absolute favourite Baroque groups: London Baroque. I was thrilled when they agreed to participate in our month of guest posts! So, please welcome London Baroque to The Seventeenth Century Lady! London Baroque is a professional chamber group consisting of three or four musicians and keyboard, to which we very often… Read on
Please welcome Historical fiction/romance writer, Francine Howarth to The Seventeenth Century Lady! Thank you so much Andrea for inviting me over to your blog and for letting me run riot across the page brandishing sword, pistol and musket in true Cavalier style. But first, let me say I favour neither Cavalier or Parliamentarian within my series of novels set within the… Read on
I met today’s guest blogger on Twitter as we both love the 17th-century. I have asked Eileen if she would write a post about a topic from that era that she has long been fascinated by – and she graciously accepted. She has such great insight into Charles I’s time, that I’m very happy to have her contribute… Read on
Please welcome historian and author J.D. Davies to The Seventeenth Century Lady! When I first set out to write ‘The Journals of Matthew Quinton’, my series of naval historical novels set in the Restoration era, I realised very quickly that I’d have some pretty serious explaining to do. OK, there was plenty of that sort of explaining (‘yes,… Read on