Tudor Takeover
Sat 18 Apr & Sun 19 Apr | 10am-5pm
Tickets: £19 (Adults), £5 (Child 5+), £14 (Concessions), £45.50 (Family Ticket)
Old Royal Naval College, London SE10 9NN
Get ready to step into Tudor England for a whole weekend of fun, history, and a bit of royal drama. Our grounds, the Chapel, and the beautiful Painted Hall will be buzzing with activity as re‑enactors bring the Tudor court back to life.
Across the weekend, you can wander through our historic market and living history camp, enjoy Tudor music and dancing, and catch exciting historic military demonstrations.
Keep an eye out for our added experiences such as talks, interactive experiences and calligraphy workshops to learn how letters were crafted long before keyboards existed. Please note: These are mini events that are themed around the takeover and are not included in the General Takeover Ticket.
You’ll also get the chance to meet Queen Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII as they go about their day — talking with subjects, making big decisions, and occasionally… being in a mood.
The Executioner will be around too, but not to worry — he’s strictly here for the re‑enactment. He says work has been “quiet” lately… though he still enjoys popping up unexpectedly.
With performances, crafts, demonstrations, and plenty of Tudor‑style humour, it’s a great way to experience history up close. Whether you’re here for the storytelling, the costumes, the family activities, or just a fun day out, there’s something for everyone.
Important notes:
- Photos of the event will be taken on the day. These may feature on our social media, website and promotional material.
- Trigger warning: The military demonstration can contain loud sounds.
Knight School
Saturday & Sunday | 10am, 11am, 1.15pm, 2.40pm & 3.50pm
Learn how to be a knight for the day, in this interactive learning experience. Tickets are priced at £4 per child (£2 universal credit) and includes two adults.
Tudor Talks
Saturday | 4pm -6pm
Typical Tudors: Everyday Dress in Sixteenth-Century England
What did ordinary people wear in the sixteenth century, and how do we know? In this talk, Ninya Mikhaila explores the evidence for Tudor clothing, drawing on documentary, visual and artefactual sources. She offers insights into long‑forgotten practices such as the Acts of Apparel, issued by the monarch to restrict what subjects could wear according to their social rank. She also looks at customs such as passing garments on to friends and family in wills and the belief that certain colours and fabrics could influence health and well‑being.
About Ninya Mikhaila
Ninya Mikhaila established her business creating reconstructions of historic dress for museums and heritage sites in 1994 after completing a Higher National Diploma in Costume Interpretation at the London College of Fashion. Her clients include Historic Royal Palaces, the Royal Armouries, the National Trust, English Heritage, the National Archives, Gainsborough’s House and the BBC. Ninya appeared in the BBC4 television series A Stitch in Time, which explored what reconstructed clothing can reveal about people in the past. She is also one half of The Tudor Tailor, a company dedicated to researching and publishing on sixteenth‑century dress.
Bills, Bows and Borrowed Armour
During the reign of Henry VIII the English militia formed the backbone of national defence. These part‑time soldiers were the first line of protection against invasion and served as the core of Henry’s armies on campaign. Every man between the ages of sixteen and sixty could be called up for military service and was expected by law to own and maintain his own weapons and armour.
In this talk Dr E. T. Fox explores how effective these forces were in practice. He considers the challenges of organising armies made up of ordinary men with limited training and the difficulties of equipping them for war.
About Dr E. T. Fox
Calligraphy workshop
Sunday | 2pm & 4pm
Tudor Ink Making and Document Handling Workshop
Join us for a fascinating two hour workshop that delves into the history and craft of writing. This unique session offers the rare chance to handle original manuscripts dating from the fifteenth to the early twentieth century.
Explore how parchment and early paper were produced, and follow the evolution of scripts and writing materials over more than five centuries. You will also look at the challenges of preserving historic documents, including the effect that ink composition can have on their long term survival.
The workshop concludes with a hands on activity where you will create your own small bottle of ink and try writing using traditional techniques.
The workshop is led by Jorge Steynour of the Guilde of Saynt Luke.
FEEL LIKE A TUDOR!! (FREE Entry)
Saturday 18 April | 10:30am & 2pm
Step back in time and dive headfirst into the hustle and bustle of Tudor Palace life. This lively living history theatre workshop brings the world of Henry VIII to life through costumes and props, music, stories and plenty of audience participation. Led by a brilliant character actor, families will explore what daily life was really like for rich and poor children at Henry VIII’s Greenwich Palace, from grand feasts to palace chores.
You’re hired!
Children in the audience are invited to become new recruits working at the Palace, learning the ropes from the inside. It’s a thrilling moment in Tudor history: a royal wedding is about to unite England and France, John Blanke has negotiated an unbelievable pay rise, and danger lurks on the jousting field…
A limited number of children will be invited to try on the Tudor costumes during the workshop, from the fine clothes of the wealthy to the rags of the working children, as we step into this snapshot of palace life. Any other would-be Tudors are welcome to try them on at the end of the workshop.
Running Time: 50 minutes
Recommended age: 5 to 150
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
No dogs are allowed in the building.
Family Workshop: Design Your Own Crest (FREE Entry)
Sunday 19 April | 11am to 3:30pm
Join us in Admiral’s House and get stuck in to create your own Tudor-inspired coat of arms to take home. Discover how symbols and designs were used in crests to tell stories, and then let your creativity flow as you design your own crest inspired by you, your family and your very own stories!
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
No dogs are allowed in the building.
Explore the full programme of Tudor Takeover activities and performances by downloading the event timetable.
