A-Level Study Day
Wednesday 3 March 2027 10:00 - 15:00
What can Hampton Court Palace reveal about the challenges faced by Edward VI and Mary I?
Edward VI and Mary I ruled England for just 12 years between them. Yet their reigns were among the most turbulent and consequential of the Tudor period.
From religious upheaval and rebellion to economic difficulties, factional politics and the succession crisis of 1553, both monarchs faced significant challenges to their authority. Their reigns are at the heart of the Mid-Tudor Crisis – a period that continues to generate debate among historians.
Join us at Hampton Court Palace for an immersive A-Level Study Day exploring the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I through the people, events and spaces of the Palace.
Combining expert scholarship, historical interpretation and interactive activities, students will investigate why Edward and Mary faced such difficult challenges, and what Hampton Court itself can reveal about the period.
Explore the Mid-Tudor Crisis at Hampton Court
Hampton Court was closely connected with the Tudor monarchy and witnessed many important events during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I, but a historic building is more than the setting for events. Its architecture, layout, objects and even graffiti can provide evidence about the people who lived and worked there.
Throughout the day, students will be encouraged to ask:
What can historians learn from a palace?
What can physical evidence tell us that written sources cannot?
What are the strengths and limitations of using a historic site as historical evidence?
What's included
Keynote lecture and Q&A from Professor Tracy Borman, Chief Historian of Historic Royal Palaces, exploring the challenges faced by Edward VI and Mary I and the significance of Hampton Court to their reigns.
Explore key spaces within Hampton Court and investigate events connected with Edward and Mary. Students will consider how the Palace can be used as evidence.
Examine graffiti left within the palace and consider what it can reveal about the beliefs, experiences and practices of the people who lived and worked there.
Meet historical interpreters portraying figures connected with Edward VI and Mary I's courts. Question them about the pressures, priorities and conflicts surrounding the monarchs.
At lunchtime or at the end of the day, students will have an opportunity to explore the Palace. We’d suggest the Tudor Kitchens, the special exhibition The Tudor World in the Wolsey Rooms, and the Palace gardens.
What will students learn
By the end of the Study Day, students will have:
Developed their understanding of the Mid-Tudor Crisis and the debates surrounding the concept
Strengthened their knowledge of the major political, religious, economic and social challenges faced by Edward VI and Mary I
Explored the roles of key individuals, factions and advisers during the two reigns
Considered the causes and consequences of important decisions made by Edward, Mary and their advisers
Developed their ability to evaluate different types of historical evidence
Considered the strengths and limitations of a historic site as a source
Connected their experience at Hampton Court with the skills and concepts required for A-Level History
AQA, Unit 1C: The Tudors: England, 1485-1603, Part Two
Pearson Edexcel, Unit 1B: England, 1509–1603: authority, nation and religion
OCR:
Unit 1 Y106: England, 1485–1558: the Early Tudors (Enquiry topic: Mid Tudor Crises 1547–1558)
Unit 1 Y107: England, 1547–1603: The Later Tudors (Enquiry topic: Mid Tudor Crises 1547–1558)
WJEC:
Unit 1, period study (AS): Government, rebellion and society in Wales and England, c.1485-1603
Unit 2, depth study (AS): The Mid Tudor Crisis in Wales and England c.1529-1570, Part 1: Problems, threats and challenges c.1529-1553
Unit 3, breadth study (A2): Poverty, protest and rebellion in Wales and England, c.1485-1603
Unit 4, depth study (A2): The Mid Tudor crisis in Wales and England c.1529-1570, Part 2: Challenges facing Mary and Elizabeth c.1553-1570
Outline of the day
Provisional – a detailed timetable will be provided in advance of the day.
10:00 – Arrival and sign-in at the Garden Room
10:30 – Welcome and briefing
10:40 – Keynote lecture and Q&A: The Mid-Tudor Crisis: Edward, Mary and Hampton Court
11:50 – Activity 1: Interactive exploration or activity carousel*
13:05 – Lunch and free time to explore the Palace
14:00 – Activity 2: Interactive exploration or activity carousel*
15:15 – End of Study Day
Schools are welcome to stay and continue exploring the Palace after the Study Day until the Palace closes at 16:30
*The activity carousel includes Meet the Mid-Tudors character hot-seating and Palace graffiti investigations.
Important information
This Study Day will include discussion of infertility and pregnancy complications in the context of the lives and reigns of Edward VI and Mary I.
If you would like to discuss the content in advance, please contact hamptoncourtlearning@hrp.org.uk
Booking information
Spaces are limited to 200 students. The required adult ratio is 1:15.
For tours and the activity carousel, students will be divided into groups of approximately 25–30. Groups may include students from different schools, and students from the same school may be divided between groups.
If you are unable to attend or no longer require your full allocation, please let us know as soon as possible and at least six weeks before the event. This will allow us to offer places to schools on the waiting list and avoid charges where applicable.
Price
Students
Age 16–18 (KS5): £10.40 per student
Teachers and accompanying adults
Adults within the 1:15 ratio: Free
Additional adults: £26.70
Adults providing 1:1 assistance: Free