STEP INTO TUDOR ENGLAND

1. Ludlow Castle, Shropshire Ludlow is a pretty town with many Tudor houses, but the castle at its heart is its most evocative building. Here Prince Arthur, Henry VIII’s elder brother, died and changed the course of history. You can see decorative fireplaces, arched windows and a beautiful circular nave. £6. Open daily. SY8 1AY. 01584 873355, ludlowcastle.com

2. Hardwick Hall Derbyshire One of the most spectacular buildings of the Elizabethan age was the work of a remarkable woman, Bess of Hardwick. It has lavish acres of glass and six impressive turrets. Inside, the Long Gallery is the size of a street of terraced houses. £15.40. Open daily. Near Chesterfield, S44 5QJ. 01246 850430, nationaltrust.org.uk

3. Buckland Abbey Devon Many dissolved monasteries were converted into private dwellings. This one later became the home of Sir Francis Drake. The Great Hall, with its wood panelling and plasterwork ceiling, is a picture-perfect example of Tudor domestic style. £12.80. Open daily. Yelverton, PL20 6EY. 01822 853607, nationaltrust.org.uk

4. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Warwickshire Picture a chocolate-box country cottage: the timber beams, the thick thatch, and a brick chimney or two. Anne Hathaway’s home wonderfully evokes the conditions of everyday Tudor life. £11.25. Open daily. Stratford-uponAvon, CV37 9HH. shakespeare.org.uk

5. Hampton Court Palace, Surrey This spectacular Tudor palace was home to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey until he was forced to surrender it to Henry VIII after failing to secure a marriage annulment for the king. Henry extended it massively, including kitchens that could feed up to 600 people a day. £19.20. Open daily. KT8 9AU. hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace

6. The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norfolk This peaceful village was once home to the most important shrine to the Virgin Mary in England, and a place of pilgrimage and devotion. Katherine of Aragon went there to pray for her fertility. Free. Open daily. Walsingham, NR22 6BP. 01328 820255, walsinghamanglican.org.uk

7. Levens Hall, Cumbria Experience an opulent Elizabethan interior of panelled walls, ornate plasterwork and fine paintings, in this atmospheric house, occupied since 1350. Outside, wander the extraordinary topiary gardens, planted in the 18th century. £13.90. Open Sunday to Thursday. Kendal, LA8 0PD. 015395 60321, levenshall.co.uk

8. The Charterhouse London Once home to Sir Thomas More, this priory and its thriving community attracted the ire of Henry VIII when its prior refused to swear an oath acknowledging Anne Boleyn as queen and Henry as Supreme Head of the Church. Free. Open Tues-Sun, 11-5. Charterhouse Square, EC1M 6AN. 0203 818 8873, thecharterhouse.org

9. Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire This moated house, complete with bridge and crenellated gatehouse, has a lovely Great Hall and Tudor kitchen. It is most famous as a haven for persecuted Catholic priests under Elizabeth I, and boasts an elaborate series of concealed hiding places, or priest holes. £12.60. Open daily. B93 0DQ. 01564 783294, nationaltrust.org.uk