Tudor kitchens revealed

about this session

Key stage 3 | Subject: History | Topics: Tudors | Session type: Route-based

It’s 1544 and King Henry VIII is at Hampton Court Palace with his new queen – Katherine Parr. Running a Tudor Court is a difficult and expensive job, not least because they are all expecting dinner. Rivalries simmered in the hot kitchens, with people vying for the best jobs running Henry’s household.

In the heart of the Tudor kitchens, students will explore behind-the-scenes stories of how the Tudor court was run, the realities of a Tudor diet, and the real cost of Henry’s extravagant entertaining.

Learning objectives

Students will:

• Investigate the pros and cons of working at Henry VIII’s court through the lens of Tudor kitchens.
• Explore the relationship between power, wealth, social status and food in the Tudor Court.

National Curriculum links

This session supports:

• The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745.
• Understanding historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and using them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends and frame historically-valid questions.
• Understanding how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.

Booking Information

Availability
Wednesday - Friday
10.30, 11.45, 13.15

This session is available to book from Wednesday 23 April – Friday 18 July 2025

This session is also available on our Schools only Tuesdays

Duration
60 minutes

Capacity
Up to 35 students

Price
£104 plus admission