Claire Ridgway
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claireridgway.bsky.social
Claire Ridgway
@claireridgway.bsky.social
Author, historian, Tudor history lover, owner of The Anne Boleyn Files and Tudor Society, loves talking Tudor and transporting people to the past. Also dog lover, cat lover, fitness fanatic and veggie.
https://linktr.ee/claireridgway
Tudor Christmas wasn’t cosy… it was extraordinary.
Huge Yule logs, hidden beans that chose a Lord of Misrule, days of dancing, jokes and festive chaos…
See the full story on YouTube!
#TudorChristmas #YuleLog #TwelfthNight #Misrule #ChristmasHistory #12DaysOfChristmas #MedievalChristmas
December 10, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Move over mulled wine, Tudor Christmas drinks were more interesting than that!
From hippocras to lambswool to buttered beer, these were the winter warmers that kept Henry VIII’s court merry.
#TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #ChristmasDrinks #HistoricalFood
#HenryVIII
December 9, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Dragons spitting fire. Masked dancers. Morris dancers. Henry VIII turning up in disguise…
Twelfth Night at the Tudor court was absolute chaos, and pure magic.

Catch the full story on my YouTube channel.
#TudorChristmas #TwelfthNight #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #ChristmasHistory #HistoricalFacts
December 8, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Forget early Christmas trees, the Tudors decorated only on Christmas Eve, with greenery full of symbolism, myth… and even protection from witches!

And leave a single leaf up after Candlemas? Goblins, apparently…

#TudorChristmas #ChristmasHistory #MedievalChristmas #ChristmasTraditions
December 7, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Santa didn’t start at the North Pole,
Meet St Nicholas, the Boy Bishop, and the real roots of Santa Claus.
And no, Coca Cola didn’t invent the red and white Santa!

#StNicholas #SantaClausHistory #TudorChristmas
#MedievalHistory #ChristmasTraditions #BoyBishop
#AdventSeries
December 6, 2025 at 4:18 PM
When the Yule log crackled, the Tudors grabbed dice, cards and board games! Their Christmas was loud, competitive and full of laughter. #TudorTok #ChristmasHistory #TudorGames #tudorpastimes
December 4, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Tudor gifts weren’t festive… they were political.

New Year’s Day at Henry VIII’s court was ALL ambition, drama, and very elegant bribery.

#TudorHistory #TudorNewYear #HenryVIII #AnneBoleyn #TudorChristmas
December 3, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Six wives. Two executions. One king.
Explore the real Henry VIII and the women who shaped — and suffered — his reign.
Henry VIII & His Six Wives - 9 expert talks from 6 historians. Instant access.
Bonus: get The Rise of the Tudor Dynasty replays free with it.
claireridgway.com/special-than...
November 7, 2025 at 4:18 PM
It's the last day to register for "The Other Tudors", a completely online, interactive, nine-day event with five historians. Do join us in exploring the stories of these often neglected Tudor people...
claireridgway.com/events/the-o...
November 2, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Time’s almost up!
Save $50 when you join The Other Tudors, my 9-day online event uncovering the forgotten figures who shaped the Tudor world.
Use code EXTRAEB before the early bird ends tomorrow!
claireridgway.com/events/the-o...
November 1, 2025 at 6:50 PM
OUT TODAY! On This Day in Tudor History III - 365 bite-size Tudor events for your daily history fix. Royal births, dramatic arrests, mysterious deaths… Dive in: mybook.to/onthisday3
#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #BookRelease
September 1, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Ambition vs. Love?
Anne reached for the throne.
Mary followed her heart.
But is that the real story?
That’s just one of the myths we’ll explore in Mary & Anne Boleyn: Two Sisters, One King 👑
📅 Spots are filling fast!
🔗 claireridgway.com/events/siste...
#BoleynSisters #AnneBoleyn #MaryBoleyn #Tudors
June 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
👑 Two sisters. One king.
A story of power, scandal, and legacy—unfolding in a brand-new online Tudor event.
📜 Talks, Zooms, and Boleyn drama await...
🎟️ Already half full—secure your place now!
🔗 Register at ClaireRidgway.com
#AnneBoleyn #MaryBoleyn #TudorHistory #HistoryEvent #ClaireRidgway
June 16, 2025 at 12:47 PM
👑 Two sisters.
One king.
And stories that still intrigue us today.
Announcement coming later today…
June 16, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Today, I’m answering the top ten most frequently asked questions about King Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch.
Who was Henry VII, and how did he change history forever?
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/uncovering-t...

#HenryVII #HenryTudor #tudordynasty #tudors
December 17, 2024 at 10:40 AM
Day 17's treat is ready for you on the Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar!
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 17, 2024 at 9:38 AM
Time for day 15's Tudor treat on the Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar - enjoy!
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 15, 2024 at 10:56 AM
Day 14's Tudor treat is ready and waiting for you over on The Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar at www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 14, 2024 at 9:54 AM
Was Henry VIII a bold leader steering England through turbulent times, or a cruel tyrant driven by greed and paranoia?
I explore this question in my post on The Anne Boleyn Files, or you can see my latest video on The Anne Boleyn Files YouTube channel.
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/henry-viii-r...
December 13, 2024 at 11:32 AM
Today's treat is waiting for you over on The Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar!
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 13, 2024 at 11:00 AM
Day 12's Tudor treat is waiting for you on The Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar!
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 12, 2024 at 9:58 AM
It's time for our 11th Tudor treat! Head on over to The Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar at www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 11, 2024 at 10:45 AM
Henry VIII: A king of contradictions.
Was he a visionary reformer, a ruthless tyrant, or both? From his six wives and the break with Rome to his dramatic legacy, I’m tackling the top 10 questions about England’s most infamous monarch.
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/10-burning-q...
December 10, 2024 at 3:28 PM
Day 10's Tudor treat is ready for you to enjoy on the Anne Boleyn Files Advent Calendar!
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 10, 2024 at 10:33 AM
Do remember to check out Day 8's advent calendar treat!
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/advent2024/
December 8, 2024 at 5:27 PM