‘Tis the year of our Lord 1553, and a young, but poorly King Edward is upon the throne. The month of May will see a triple marriage of three notable families at Durham House, London, the home of John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland.
The marriages are truly a family affair as the three couples being joined are the Duke’s son Guildford with Lady Jane Grey, the Duke’s daughter Katherine to Lord Henry Hastings, and Lady Jane’s sister Katherine to Henry Herbert nephew of the late Queen Catherine Parr. It is likely to be a most lavish affair and preparations have been under way for some weeks.
Francis Grey (mother of the Ladies Jane and Katherine) Jane Dudley (mother of Guildford) and Katherine Hastings (Henry Hastings mother), are all meeting together at the home of their friend Lord Petre, before travelling in company to London for the ceremonies.
These three titled ladies will take their ease at Ingatestone Hall where they will have the opportunity to discuss the finer details of the wedding, catch up on the latest news from court, (and no doubt discuss the latest scandals). They will welcome visitors but do look to thy manners should you approach them.
By happy circumstance, their visit to the Hall coincides with the annual “Ingatestone Fayre on the Greensward,” held by the common folke, by kind permission by Lord Petre, to celebrate the coming of May, when the weather is kinder and they are looking forward to better times.
There will be divers characters as always, from gamesters and cooks to men at arms, basket weavers, puppeteers and even a master archer who will be only too willing to enlighten those over 12 summers in the way of the English longbow, for a small donation of coin.