Truths and Rumours
Did you know?
The Queen's Pee!
Ladies-in-Waiting at the court of Henry VIII had to sit under the table at important banquets to help the queen pee into a bowl under her massive dress, ‘cos she wasn’t allowed to leave the table. This was one of Matilda’s first jobs when she arrived at court.
Did you know?
Got a sore throat?
In Tudor times, lots of girls had to make medicines for their families. Matilda used ingredients like fish eyes, rabbits’ wee, frogs, and pig’s fat. Burnt feathers were thought good for sore throats…. and ground-up hare’s brain for tooth-ache!
Did you know?
Feasting!
At the end of his life, Henry VIII was grossly fat. And really greedy. Matilda couldn’t believe how lavish the food was at court. He loved roast peacock served in its plumage. Roast swan was another favourite, with smaller birds cooked whole and stuffed inside each other: sparrow inside lark, inside chicken, inside duck, inside goose, inside swan!
Did you know?
Ghostly Screams
Kathe
rine Howard’s ghost is believed to haunt Hampton Court Palace. She has often been "seen" by visitors running down the long-gallery dressed in white, to hammer on the chapel door begging the King to spare her life. Katherine’s ghost haunts her best friend Matilda throughout her life.