Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Question from Patricia - Elizabeth's progress in 1575

I am currently working on an article about Elizabeth's progress in 1575 to Kenilworth Castle and then to Woodstock. I am looking for any and all information at the moment. I have started very deep research and was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

I do know that Woodstock is now Blenheim Palace. I have also actually been to both Kenilworth and Blenheim Palace but I am still looking for more information.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is a very large body of material available on the subject of Elizabeth's various progresses, including and especially that of 1575. If you have not done so already, use the Royal Historical Society's Bibliography of British and Irish History Online (http://www.rhs.ac.uk/bibl/dataset.asp).
You can use the "Simple Search" option and enter the combined keywords "Royal" and "Progress." Or you can use the "Advanced Search" option and limit your search to the Subject Classification term "Royal Progresses, tours, and visits" and further limit your search to the Place Index term "Kenilworth (Warwickshire)" or "Woodstock." Either way, you'll get references to virtually everything that has been published on the subject over the past century and more. You'll still have to go look up the various books and articles at a library, but at least you will have a comprehensive list from which you can draw.

kb said...

Hi,

You could start with a quick look at 'The Portable Queen' by Cole which discusses all the progresses including Kenilworth. There are also some quite specific texts available including 'Robert Laneham's Letter: Describing A Part Of The Entertainment Unto Queen Elizabeth At The Castle Of Kenilworth In 1575' which is listed on Amazon. If you have access to JSTOR (check the university library in your area as it is subscription only) you will find several academic articles discussing the symbolism of the entertainments.

Also check the Royal Historical Society's bibliographic database. It's free and comprehensive. I just did a quick search on Kenilworth and there is a new (2007) entry Goldring, Elizabeth. 'Portraiture, Patronage, and the Progresses : Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and the Kenilworth Festivities of 1575'. Ian Archer, Jayne Elisabeth; Goldring, Elizabeth; Knight, Sarah (ed.), The progresses, pageants, and entertainments of Queen Elizabeth I (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 163-88. ISBN 9780199291571; 0199291578

Best of luck and keep us posted on what you find.

kb