Tudor Ghost Story Contest
Tudor Pottery (Photo credit: Kotomicreations)
Happy news! Thanks to the wonderful Natalie of On the Tudor Trail, the 2013 Tudor Ghost Story contest is open for entries and I’m judging again!
From Natalie Grueninger:
You are invited to submit an unpublished Tudor ghost story of between 1,500-3,000 words. The story must be your own work and emailed to natalie@onthetudortrail.com by October 31, 2013 – Halloween!
The lucky winner will receive a copy of my debut book, co-written with Sarah Morris, In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn, a unique guide to the palaces, houses and castles associated with Henry VIII’s second wife AND Le Temps Viendra – A Novel of Anne Boleyn by Sarah Morris. This epic historical novel tells the story of Anne Boleyn, with a twist! Incredibly well researched and detailed, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the author, like her protagonist, had unlocked the secrets of time travel… (read my review here) AND, I sound like a late night infomercial now, an autographed copy of Where Spirits Dwell, fascinating true-life stories of haunted houses and paranormal experiences written by my sister, Karina Machado! This book has been described as ‘fascinating, thought provoking, addictive’ and I can guarantee, is very difficult to put down!
The entry fee ($5.00 US) for the 2012 and 2011 contest was donated in its entirety to the Mary Rose.
English: An oil painting of George Carew, an English admiral who died when the Mary Rose sank on July 19 1545. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Mary Rose Appeal
19th July 1545: when their world stopped our story began
As the flagship of Henry VIII, the Mary Rose holds a unique place in history.
The Mary Rose as depicted in the Anthony Roll
On 19th July 1545 laden with sailors, fighting men, guns and longbows, the Mary Rose capsized and sank in the shallow waters of the Solent as she sailed to fight the French fleet. For the crew of the Mary Rose time stopped. As she sank so quickly with only a few survivors, a moment in time was frozen – preserved for almost 500 years underneath the silt of the Solent.
English: Southsea Castle From here Henry VIII watched as the Mary Rose sank in the Solent. On the horizon is the shoreline of Gosport. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The sinking of the Mary Rose has never been fully explained and the tragedy has remained in the minds of generations well beyond Henry VIII, becoming one of the legendary events in Britain’s rich maritime history.
The speed of the sinking has meant that much more than the ship’s hull has survived. Over 19,000 Tudor artefacts have been recovered from the sea bed, with many in such a breathtakingly perfect state that it’s hard to believe they are hundreds of years old. Together they make up a vivid picture of life in Tudor times.
Although, the Mary Rose and her collection of artefacts clearly belong together, until now that hasn’t been possible. That’s why it is so important to build a museum that will bring them together – and display them in the best possible way. We’re aiming to build a museum that will be important not only now but also for future generations. With your help we can create a place of which we can all be proud.
It’s time for this historic ship and her treasures to be properly reunited – in a museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard that will inspire for generations to come. When the museum opens in Autumn 2012 our aim is to help people get closer than ever to our historic past.
By entering this competition you will be making your mark on Tudor history and helping to conserve the world’s only surviving Tudor warship.
Thank you for your support.
Fiona Harvey Appeals Fundraiser
The Mary Rose Trust is a Registered Charity No 277503
The winning stories will be published at Natalie’s great Tudor site.
Please note that all decisions are final and the entry fee is not refundable. By submitting your story, you are agreeing to these conditions and give permission for On the Tudor Trail to publish your entry at www.onthetudortrail.com.
Related articles
- Wales News: Study on Mary Rose archers could shed light on 16th century life (walesonline.co.uk)
- Poxy Tudors (tudorblog.com)
- Medieval exuberance: the Sarum Use (curlewriver.wordpress.com)
- Tudor portrait re-identified after experts notice Henry VIII’s wife was wearing the wrong clothes (telegraph.co.uk)
- Treasures of the Royal Courts, Tudors, Stuarts and Russian Tsars – opens March 9th at the Victoria and Albert Museum (winningreview.co.uk)
- The King’s Damsel (Secrets of the Tudor Court #5) by Kate Emerson (romantichistoricallovers.wordpress.com)