Historian
and broadcaster Jonathan Foyle believes he has uncovered a remarkable
piece of furniture - the marriage bed of Henry VII and Elizabeth of
York.
The marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth united the Houses of York and Lancaster after the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses and marked the foundation of the Tudor dynasty. If it is authentic, their marriage bed will be one of the finds of the century, a priceless national treasure with great historical significance.
But very few Tudor artefacts survive and certainly no royal beds. Many experts question whether the bed can be anything more than a fine example of Victorian mock Tudor.
In a journey that takes him from the archives of the British Library to the home of an notorious Victorian furniture faker, Jonathan makes his case with the help of contemporary accounts, detailed analysis of the bed's beautiful carvings and a forensic investigation of the faint traces of paint discovered on the woodwork.
Piecing together the tantalising clues, will Jonathan's detective work prove he has indeed discovered a rare Tudor treasure and unique part of the nation's heritage, or is this magnificent work of craftsmanship simply a glorious Victorian fake?
The marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth united the Houses of York and Lancaster after the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses and marked the foundation of the Tudor dynasty. If it is authentic, their marriage bed will be one of the finds of the century, a priceless national treasure with great historical significance.
But very few Tudor artefacts survive and certainly no royal beds. Many experts question whether the bed can be anything more than a fine example of Victorian mock Tudor.
In a journey that takes him from the archives of the British Library to the home of an notorious Victorian furniture faker, Jonathan makes his case with the help of contemporary accounts, detailed analysis of the bed's beautiful carvings and a forensic investigation of the faint traces of paint discovered on the woodwork.
Piecing together the tantalising clues, will Jonathan's detective work prove he has indeed discovered a rare Tudor treasure and unique part of the nation's heritage, or is this magnificent work of craftsmanship simply a glorious Victorian fake?
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