Beaulieu Park: Henry VIII's Essex Palace

00:00:00: We are Chelmsford, the birthplace of broadcasting.

00:00:03: With a city that starts it all with the titles and transmission

00:00:06: The precursors

00:00:07: to podcasts

00:00:08: And whilst we're at it... ...the home of the best museum

00:00:11: in the world.

00:00:12: But that's not all!

00:00:13: Chelts for Home To History is a Plenty.

00:00:15: We were once the capital of UK don't you know?

00:00:17: Well sort-of As its people

00:00:20: past

00:00:20: & present who make us Us.

00:00:22: So, hear

00:00:23: from them yourself as we tune into stories past and present

00:00:26: in the Charlesford Broadcast brought to you by The Museum of Charlesford.

00:00:48: So Rachel

00:00:50: have you

00:00:50: ever heard a little family called the

00:00:53: Tudors?

00:00:54: That rings a bell!

00:00:55: Where do think they lived?

00:00:57: carried out their masquerades decided divorce and beheaded their wives?

00:01:01: Had some court palace tower London?

00:01:04: even better...

00:01:06: Charlesford?

00:01:07: yes

00:01:09: I am so excited because today in Curator's Corner Claire is going to tell us all about the Palace of Beaulieu and Tudor Champsford.

00:01:18: I love the Tudors, especially The Musical Six!

00:01:21: Oh never seen that!

00:01:22: What Rachel?

00:01:24: It's amazing.

00:01:26: each Queen belts out their truth In a fierce and funny fabulous retelling Of Their Story

00:01:32: Divorced

00:01:33: Beheaded Died Divorced, beheaded, survived.

00:01:38: Not really a fan of musicals gotta say but I do have a bit of a tutor obsession especially when i was younger.

00:01:45: my husband does call me little doctor lucy wordsly so.

00:01:49: while in primary school he wrote a little book about Henry and his wives some fun facts about the choosers.

00:01:54: So I'm very cool kid.

00:01:56: That is lovely.

00:01:57: definitely you're a cool kid.

00:01:59: Got a favourite

00:02:00: wife then Rachel?

00:02:02: Oh, I'd probably have to go with Anne Boleyn purely because it feels so sorry for her how she was treated at the time.

00:02:11: Really?

00:02:11: She must be quite sassy though!

00:02:13: I think that's why I like her especially all of the intrigue surrounding her as well although its all probably rubbish but still fascinating.

00:02:21: The extra finger!

00:02:25: Oh brilliant.

00:02:27: I

00:02:29: like all of the Catharines, but i'm gonna have to say that my favorite is Catherine Parr.

00:02:35: She was a power woman!

00:02:37: she was really lovely stepmother to Mary and Elizabeth & Edward.

00:02:42: But she was also the first women in England to publish an original book under her own name In English And she holds the title of The Most Married English Queen Consort, having four husbands in total.

00:02:56: Not at the same time!

00:02:57: I won't

00:02:58: say it but hey wow that's a scandal there!

00:03:01: There is another reason why Anne Blythe is my favourite because she lived right here in Chelmsfords and Henry brought the place of beauty from Anstead.

00:03:08: Thomas has spent the equivalent of a hundred and fifty million pounds, turning it into the most impressive house in all of Essex.

00:03:15: Do you know what?

00:03:15: I hadn't actually heard of The Palace Of Buley before the railway station was installed there.

00:03:22: And yes!

00:03:22: It cost just little bit more than have we spend on the original palace coming at one hundred seventy five million pounds.

00:03:27: Wow!

00:03:29: We'd better feel like rules here when riding the train

00:03:31: then.

00:03:33: Well, as well as the Tudors we've got another fascinating chance for Gene of The Week coming up.

00:03:38: And Rachel I think you're going to share with us some more stories about the museum when it was a Victorian home?

00:03:43: That's right!

00:03:44: Although this week is little bit different... We are going explore the realms of the Paranormal at Oakland.

00:03:50: Ohhhh!

00:03:50: I look forward that!

00:03:52: Enjoyed

00:03:53: this weeks episode of The Chanceford Broadcast.

00:03:56: Hi, it's Claire again.

00:04:00: You may have remembered I talked about the Great Baddow coin hoard.

00:04:04: well today on Curator's Corner i'm talking about The Palace of Buley in Chelmsford and its connections to King Henry VIII.

00:04:14: so settle down pop the kettle on maybe get yourself a comfy seat um and listen to my story!

00:04:21: So you may

00:04:22: wonder what the connection is between the new train station in Chelmford called Bule Park.

00:04:29: How can a Tudor monarch, known notoriously for his six wives and the dissolution of the monasteries be connected to new train stations in Mid Essex?

00:04:38: Odd right!

00:04:39: Well that station is built on land at New Hall Estate.

00:04:42: The site was first Royal Palace King Henry VIII built.

00:04:46: Now King Henry I was born in fourteen ninety-one.

00:04:49: he came as king of England in fifteen oh nine second in line with the throne who's thrown into role following death of older brother Arthur And obviously much is known about his six wives and the various stories associated with those.

00:05:03: For very little, it's known about His palace in Essex.

00:05:08: In fifteen sixteen Henry VIII bought The Medieval House a new hall in Boreham for a thousand pounds for Sir Thomas Berlin.

00:05:15: I think this was really funny because obviously his daughter Was Anne-Berlin who would later become his second wife Though this was all much before that and he was married to Catherine of Aragon, his first wife at the point and would remain so for another seventeen years until fifteen thirty-three.

00:05:31: But The Palace was designed as a family home initially for Catherine of Arragan and their daughter Princess Mary who is born in the same year.

00:05:38: Henry had bought the estate.

00:05:40: Again, I've lived in Essex quite a few years now and i had no idea that there was this connection with Henry VIII.

00:05:46: So he immediately began building his palace on the site when he purchased The Land And it was first of many palaces that he built during his reign.

00:05:55: It was modelled on Hampton Court and designed by the same team And the King actually spent seventeen thousand pounds rebuilding the house and even more furnishing it.

00:06:04: One o'clock's of Great Wardrobe were sent to Flanders or modern-day Belgium and returned with a hundred eight tapestries all measured to fit specific rooms so that just kind of shows you the scale of the palace.

00:06:16: And it's really hard to imagine today when you see the site of the station rattled along by The A-twelve.

00:06:23: but, It was magnificent palace with eight courtyards ,a great hall tennis court chapel and large kitchens .And these state included gardens.

00:06:34: You can get a sense of what it was like from the model of the palace we have on display at The Museum.

00:06:39: It's based on early floor plans, but we know that Henry's Palace in the fifteen hundreds would've been so much larger and by the time he had completed it'd be one of the most important buildings in Essex.

00:06:50: Henry thought his new house is so beautiful.

00:06:53: they announced its name changed to Buley.

00:06:56: Beautiful Place!

00:06:57: See whats happened here?

00:06:59: What great inspiration for the name of Chelmsford News Station – Bule Park And I think it's really great when new developments connect to what was originally on the land.

00:07:07: This one feels very special as Henry VIII is such a known historical figure and because The Beaulieu Palace no longer physically exists, its not well-known story!

00:07:16: You may be wondering how we know so much about this site?

00:07:19: Well in two thousand nine archaeologists from TV series Time Team, that's right.

00:07:23: Tony Robinson

00:07:25: himself

00:07:26: excavated the site located at the gate house and what could be Princess Mary's room.

00:07:31: during the excavation We've got a stone window arch that we have in the museum's collection, which was found on the grounds and would be part of Henry's palace.

00:07:40: Similar stones can also be seen in the cellar windows but these are some of them.

00:07:44: last remaining pieces from Henry Tudor's Palace at Beulahy and there is very little evidence left over to show us what it really looked like.

00:07:53: One of the fascinating stories I think that's speculated at The Palace was there is much debate and conversations around Henry VIII's divorce to Catherine of Aragon, where this took place.

00:08:04: Known very much as the King's Great Matter And these would have been discussed and planned in the Tudor court This specifically at York palace in Hampton Court Where Cardinal Wolsey was residing.

00:08:15: But perhaps if the court had visited Beaulieu Palace Could this be discussing a six-two?

00:08:21: Maybe If the walls were still in existence and could talk, how fascinating would this be to have heard these conversations?

00:08:28: And perhaps who knew that things might've happened in Chelmsford.

00:08:32: How cool!

00:08:33: So despite this suggestion that Buley will be a family home for them In fact Henry spent a lot of time at his palaces in Greenwich Whitehall and of course later Hampton Court.

00:08:42: But in his will Henry left Buleey to Princess Mary His second daughter Elizabeth.

00:08:47: I often visited the palace but she didn't really share her father's love.

00:08:51: And in fifteen seventy three she sold the estate to The Third Earl of Sussex at that time and a series of other different owners followed afterwards.

00:09:00: But during the Civil War another interesting owner was Oliver Cromwell who took possession of Buley paying just five shillings, twenty-five P. what a bargain not like house prices are in Essex today.

00:09:12: Twenty-five p for Bulee Palace But in seventeen ninety-eight, it was purchased and turned into a convent school.

00:09:18: A new Hall School continues to be there on site today.

00:09:22: so this very little of Henry's Palace and Essex Today.

00:09:25: So that is the end.

00:09:27: my story really On This Particular Curator's Corner Next time you are at Beaulieu Park Station or if have an opportunity get their train from there which I've not yet done.

00:09:36: think of Henry VIII and wonder whether he crossed these lands as the train crosses the platform.

00:09:43: So I'm going to hand over for one of Rachel's stories next.

00:09:50: So this week, our stories will be of a supernatural kind and I can literally feel my husband's eyes rolling from here.

00:09:55: He can't stand any of these!

00:09:57: I know it is not everyone's cup o' tea but you'd be surprised how many people asked at reception about if the museum was haunted.

00:10:04: so today we'll hear him story for museum staff past & present including the Hive staff who have experienced some ghostly goings on in the Museum And We Have Not One But Two Full Body Apparitions.

00:10:17: I sat down with Irene last week and she has been a duty manager here for over twenty years, retired a couple of years ago.

00:10:24: So she has witnessed some very strange goings on throughout her time here.

00:10:28: Her roles saw her work at the museum all times in day including nights when we had any alarm issues.

00:10:33: so should be here by herself.

00:10:35: Although she's seen nothing untoward during that period She did feel as if there was presence in The Victorian House but a friendly one!

00:10:41: I don't know about you or my walk around the Museum.

00:10:43: it is a lovely calm place where she comes from.

00:10:47: But there is one story that stuck in her mind a couple of years ago.

00:10:51: She remembers what time when the contractor came to fix one of the alarms at home, he was standing on an old house entrance.

00:10:57: so as you first walk past him we see this black door which used to be the original entrance hall for The Wells Family and he felt something pass over his right hand side.

00:11:12: And in Irene's words, he swore blind that he saw a full-body apparition of the soldier with just one leg.

00:11:19: This is quite shocking as this room was originally a field hospital during the First World War and operations were held within those rooms.

00:11:29: so maybe possibly have a link there.

00:11:33: They even said a couple of years after when they do some decorate that room, like still smell the ether in the room.

00:11:38: That's what it used to have for general anesthetic at times so you can still smell there.

00:11:42: So its very atmospheric room It is very spooky.

00:11:44: I was going to be sort of chill as long as i heard that from Irene.

00:11:47: But For many years The museum would host professional paranormal investigators who set up cameras and even a Ouija board At the Museum.

00:11:55: There will be very professional, there'll be scientists, skeptics And a believer.

00:12:00: So one night on an investigation, the team headed down to a basement as they were drawn by negative energy.

00:12:07: Once downstairs they walked into the framing room and saw soldiers who told them to f off!

00:12:13: This was seen and heard from two witnesses.

00:12:16: Irene's upstairs.

00:12:18: she saw a green orb float down her stairs in one investigation And this was caught on film.

00:12:24: She showed the curators at that time with one previous curator remarking how she always felt the presence of a maid on the stairs, which I think is very spooky.

00:12:35: Now we have an extra special edition of Rachel's Storytime because i'm about to talk to our Andy.

00:12:40: if you've had one of her lovely meals in The Hive Cafe it was probably made by him.

00:12:44: he has some supernatural experiences off his own.

00:12:49: Welcome Andy from The Hives fresh form The HIVE today this very busy lunch service.

00:12:53: so thank you for your time my

00:12:54: pleasure!

00:12:55: So I bought Andy as he is very vocal about his spiritual awareness here at the museum.

00:13:01: And today Andy, most importantly just tell us some of your experiences you've had throughout the time here.

00:13:07: Well

00:13:07: there's been a number of occasions.

00:13:10: There was one incident when it is about half seven in the morning Just going down to undocked fire ethics as first thing to do and then there was this guy standing at the living room or dining room smoking pipe.

00:13:24: This pipe was like a tusk You know?

00:13:26: The old ivory tusks The smell, I could recognise the smell of tobacco.

00:13:32: Oh he smelled it as well!

00:13:33: Yeah everything.

00:13:34: yeah that's what i'm saying and i've said to the guy sorry you can't smoke here.

00:13:38: i thought you was filming.

00:13:40: You know just...I didn't know because sometimes you guys dress up don't you so?

00:13:44: Yeah i do.

00:13:47: yeah i have guilty.

00:13:48: This is why i thought he was part of getting ready for the day.

00:13:52: Anyway he did not speak to me And i followed him out into the garden And then for some reason I put my hand behind me back and I'm chatting away to this guy, and... ...I turn around.

00:14:02: it disappeared.

00:14:03: So that's a bit weird!

00:14:05: Anyway i am coming through and told you guys.. ..and his picture is on the wall of Fredrick who actually built this place.

00:14:12: Back in... I think...

00:14:14: Eighteen sixty five?

00:14:15: Eighteen Sixty Five.

00:14:16: there we go so.... But the smell and his clothes.

00:14:20: Can you

00:14:21: describe his clothes?

00:14:22: Was he translucent, was

00:14:24: he fully white?

00:14:24: No it seemed like a normal bloke.

00:14:27: that's why I thought he was an actor doing...I know sounds a bit silly but maybe a little bit silly Yeah!

00:14:34: He never spoke to me.

00:14:36: The feeling i got from him is comfortable.

00:14:39: It wasn't nothing to worry about.

00:14:41: He seems quite nice guy actually.

00:14:46: So you can't smoke in here.

00:14:48: And then that was that, yeah it's just amazing.

00:14:53: and one of our staff said like who are you talking to?

00:14:56: I turned around.

00:14:58: he wasn't there.

00:14:59: Other times we have a shadow but he switches the ovens off.

00:15:06: He lays the plates out all on the line.

00:15:08: You watch him The plates, they go flip-flip and line up across the table.

00:15:13: So is

00:15:13: this during the day

00:15:14: or early morning?

00:15:16: During

00:15:16: a day in the kitchen?

00:15:18: but I know definitely one of them's not happy.

00:15:21: he's very tall about six foot six.

00:15:24: I would say quite He's tall.

00:15:26: it just a black shadow.

00:15:27: A few girls have seen him.

00:15:29: What's the word?

00:15:34: When they come like...

00:15:35: Aperition.

00:15:35: Averition, yeah!

00:15:37: But with Frederick he was a full Monty.

00:15:42: That is fantastic.

00:15:43: thank you very much Andy.

00:15:44: and did you guys have an experience downstairs in Alstella?

00:15:48: Yes that was just...

00:15:49: Could you please describe that to us as well?

00:15:51: Yeah it basically got really cold in there And someone standing behind me.

00:15:57: We don't really like to stay down in that cellar too long.

00:16:00: You know, it does send your hairs up.

00:16:03: he's not a happy fella there.

00:16:04: Yes yes

00:16:05: we think it might be a soldier if is but I

00:16:07: myself

00:16:08: have never experienced anything.

00:16:10: But would you say are more susceptible to things when you're around the public?

00:16:14: Well i've done healing in the past and stuff.

00:16:16: so And i had family member come back many years ago.

00:16:22: He'd been passed away quite few year.

00:16:25: Yeah, I'm open to it.

00:16:27: Don't bother me!

00:16:29: It's just when things start moving about and they interrupt your day because they're switching the ovens off, turning their gas off.

00:16:36: Not very

00:16:37: helpful!

00:16:38: No but it is all positive.

00:16:39: I mean...I'll just tell them to go to the light.

00:16:42: Just you know everything's okay And we can get on with our date.

00:16:46: That's lovely.

00:16:47: thank-you very much

00:16:48: Andy My pleasure.

00:16:49: Thank-you so much.

00:16:50: I will keep a look out.

00:16:51: Any more stories please come back and tell us

00:16:53: A hundred percent i will.

00:16:54: Thanks very much.

00:17:00: So that was brilliant.

00:17:01: There's so much more to say for Mandy as well, and if you do want hear more please let us know!

00:17:07: So I've always been on the fence with The Supernatural.

00:17:09: I never actually felt or heard anything, seen anything but it's always absolutely fascinating to me since i was a young child.

00:17:15: so I jumped at chance of sharing these stories today.

00:17:18: But before you start emailing in no we do not now host paranormal investigations At the museum and this is due to the sense nature Of some objects that have our collection.

00:17:28: You might bump into our busy maid On the stairs.

00:17:32: It could just be me dressing up as one of my tours.

00:17:35: So that's all for me today.

00:17:36: For next up, it is the Chelmsfordian of The Week and my question is how do you think they'd get on with Henry VIII?

00:17:41: How do feel about the

00:17:42: Tudors?

00:17:49: Feel good about the tutors!

00:17:51: So hello I'm Laura...I am the Activity and Volunteer Officer at the Museum of Chelmsfields And My Chelms Fordian Of The Week Is Mary Tudor.

00:18:00: so i chose Mary as she has often overlooked Tudour which had a bit bad reputation..and wanted to see if her nickname Bloody Mary was justified.

00:18:09: Mary was born in fifteen sixteen and is the only surviving child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

00:18:14: When Mary was Born there were great celebrations, parties drinks all that!

00:18:20: Henry gave Catherine and the baby Mary The Palace Of Bule which just outside Chansford as a sort safe haven away from London.

00:18:27: And As part of the celebrations Henry had a co-of arms commissioned to mark Mary's birth and this featured a little Tudor Rose emerging from a pomegranate.

00:18:35: So the rose symbolised Mary, while the pomegrant was one of those symbols used by her mother.

00:18:39: You can actually still see The Stone featuring this coat of arms in the chapel at Buley Palace which is now New Horse School.

00:18:45: As listeners all know Henry's relentless pursuit for a male heir meant that Mary's happy life with Bule was to be ruthlessly cut short.

00:18:52: Henry had set his sights on Anne Boleyn And in order to marry her he had us marriage to.

00:18:56: Mary's Mother.

00:18:56: Catherine declared illegitimate.

00:18:59: Mary was stripped of her title princess and declared a bastard.

00:19:03: This meant that she would now be known as the Lady Mary, who no longer was in line to inherit the throne.

00:19:07: Mary's mother Catherine was sent away to East Anglia where Mary was bound from seeing her – as you can imagine this had an effect on seventeen-year old Mary who hated Anne Boleyn!

00:19:16: And it seems…the feeling is mutual.

00:19:19: The story goes once Henry and Anne were married and the new Princess Elizabeth was born Anne wanted to name her new baby Mary, to totally eclipse Henry's older daughter entirely.

00:19:30: But

00:19:30: despite Anne's efforts

00:19:31: and throughout Henry's religious reforms, Mary remained faithful to her mother and her Catholic faith.

00:19:36: Things started looking up for Mary in fifteen thirty-six when her father, Henry married Jane Seymour.

00:19:41: Jane looked far more favourably on Mary than Anne and encouraged the kind of reconciliation between Father and Daughter.

00:19:47: Mary was allowed back at her childhood home in Buley.

00:19:51: Sadly, as we know Jane died shortly after giving birth to Henry's much-long-forced son Edward.

00:19:57: And with the birth of a son Mary's place in the Lionel succession now became even murkier leading her to describe herself in fifteen forty two As The Unhappiest Woman In All Of Christendom.

00:20:07: It wasn't until Henry married his final wife Catherine Parr and with Catherine's gentle encouragement and perhaps sensing His own death was near that Henry finally restored Mary To the lionel succession With A Fifteen Forty Four Succession Act.

00:20:19: So when Henry finally died in fifty forty seven he was succeeded by his son and Mary's half-brother, Edward.

00:20:25: Edward was staunchly Protestant and frequently clashed with the Catholic Mary.

00:20:29: during his brief reign Edward continued The Protestant Reformation started By His Father causing frequent clashes of Mary so much so that When He Found Himself Dying In Fifteen Fifty Three He Named His Distant Cousin Lady Jane Gray a successor Ignoring His father's Succession Act Fearing That Mary Would Undo All His Hard Work And His Fathers' Work Before Him.

00:20:48: So Mary wasn't having any of this though and the helper first supporters.

00:20:51: by October, fifteen fifty three.

00:20:52: Mary was crowned Queen becoming the First Queen Regnant in England.

00:20:57: so she's a real trailblazer.

00:20:58: The First Queen Amazing!

00:21:01: One of her first things that Mary did as queen is to heal old wounds and declare parents marriage legitimate therefore making herself legitimate once again.

00:21:08: It also transpires that Edward was right, actually.

00:21:11: And remaining true to her Catholic faith Mary began restoring England's links with Rome and restoring the catholic faith in England.

00:21:17: Several Catholic priests who had been imprisoned under the old Protestant laws were released... ...and instead The Heresy Laws abolished during Henry & Edwards reigns Were reinstated.

00:21:26: Anyone practising or publicly proclaiming their Protestant beliefs could be arrested and ultimately executed Under these laws And Mary didn't waste any time.

00:21:35: So around

00:21:36: three hundred people were executed for heresy during Cree Mary's reign.

00:21:39: The majority of these would burn to the stake, and this has led to her earning the nickname Bloody Mary.

00:21:45: Now this could slightly be considered unfair as she executed considerably less people than her father and sister Elizabeth I during their reigns And it had been noted that punishment full heresy was being burned at the stake.

00:21:57: so It is just a punishment time.

00:21:58: if you disobeyed the law then thats what happened but maybe it's the short space of time when she did.

00:22:03: It is likely that Nickname was invented as Elizabethan propaganda under Elizabeth I to denounce her sister's reign and bring in a new era, But...to be fair…it WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SHE BURNED AT THE STAKE!

00:22:14: As her father before her Mary also very concerned with the line-up concession and desperate to skew an heir.

00:22:20: Mary now was in late thirties and decided that Mary had married Philip of Spain.

00:22:24: Mary was herself half Spanish through her mother Catherine of Arrogant so this to Mary seemed like good choice.

00:22:30: The marriage was held in July, fifteen fifty-four after only the couple's second meeting.

00:22:34: The marriage is a happy one but sadly for Mary the marriage did not produce any children.

00:22:39: Mary was convinced she was pregnant a few times and these turned out to be false pregnancies.

00:22:43: Now as queen or woman it was her duty to provide an heir.

00:22:47: so this must have been devastating for Mary.

00:22:50: And by fifteen fifty eight still no child had been born and Mary became very ill.

00:22:55: It's likely that she probably has cancer and in November, fifteen fifty-eight Mary died aged only forty two.

00:23:02: So to Rachel's question would Mary have gotten on with Henry VIII?

00:23:05: Well

00:23:06: I can imagine their relationship was very complicated.

00:23:09: certainly the teenage Mary wouldn't like her father at all.

00:23:12: Mary is close so forbidding them seeing each other could not go down well.

00:23:16: Mary did not approve of Henry religious reforms or the illegitimising parents marriage.

00:23:22: this must've been upsetting for her.

00:23:24: You can see why she was so keen to make England Catholic again when it was so brutally taken away from her in the first place.

00:23:30: As years went by, it does seem Henry and his daughter's relationship did seem to soften up a bit.

00:23:35: but I can't imagine Mary would have ever forgiven her father for what he had done... And that is my challenge forwarding of this week!

00:23:41: So next-up its Overherd at The Museum.

00:23:47: Hi Eleanor we're back again.

00:23:49: It's yet another episode.

00:23:52: Good to see you.

00:23:53: We haven't really called up this week because I've been doing my work as a gallery assistant and uh, You've been where?

00:23:59: Do all your hardwork

00:24:01: in my office aka the basement.

00:24:04: And how is it in the basement

00:24:06: or good down there?

00:24:07: just me one other volunteer about getting things done slowly but surely.

00:24:12: Excellent

00:24:12: excellent.

00:24:13: well today The general theme of the podcast is Buley and the Buleey Palace.

00:24:19: And I think that it's unlikely, we're going to overhear many people talk about Bulee Palace unless they have a particular interest in it but... ...I think the over-hearing is more likely be about Newhall School.

00:24:33: Do you know people who've been there?

00:24:35: Yes!

00:24:35: I mentioned previously that i didn't live in Chompsford even though someone went to Newhall school But always sounded very elusive for me.

00:24:44: That never very grand entrance to that long walk has been closed off.

00:24:48: now with the railworks that have been going on, The construction of Beauty Station and... ...the other work around there.

00:24:55: When is their not-construction in Chelmsford?

00:24:58: Absolutely don't.

00:24:59: we know that!

00:25:00: I think what i'm really quite interested To think about What In the future historians might make Of a settlement which Is On the outskirts of the Chelmsfield as We Now Know It But is not being built because there's industry or commerce.

00:25:16: It's a dormitory?

00:25:17: Yes, definitely and I think it just goes to show how up-and-coming Cheltsford is.

00:25:23: the fact that wasn't always as city then its developed even further coming out of the edges really go so much here.

00:25:32: like you said they're an industry.

00:25:34: we've got wonderful museum.

00:25:36: people should come visit them.

00:25:37: lovely theatres shops lots do.

00:25:42: maybe those things won't last maybe a hundred years down the line?

00:25:46: I think you're right.

00:25:47: We spoke in our first episode about industrial heritage, industrial past of Chelmsford and i think it might be quite interesting for people in the future to look at a place like Buley and say why was that built?

00:25:59: hundreds if not thousands of homes and certainly thousands of people living in an area where their main reason for living there is because its a dormitory.

00:26:09: on quick way the trade and business is now?

00:26:15: I guess that's a blessing, perhaps being an historian.

00:26:19: You can only deduce so much!

00:26:21: That why it's important to reach out in the local area.

00:26:25: get people first hand experiences of things.

00:26:28: let them leave their mark on places like the museum where they can be preserved for future generations.

00:26:32: we help historians not trick them.

00:26:35: as i said last episode

00:26:39: Why it's so important that we have a Museum of Chelmsford rather than just a Chelmsfords museum?

00:26:45: So sorry if you heard the BBC breaking news alert.

00:26:48: It was actually an alert to tell us, The Museum of Charlmsford is not only in Essex but perhaps all over

00:26:54: the world.

00:26:55: The Museum really describes what the museum is trying to do I think and its a museum about Charlmsford and of Charlmesford.

00:27:02: Its a wonderful facility My first visit here with my grandchildren probably fifteen years ago, and I thought it was a magnificent place now.

00:27:12: Getting the chance to work here...I really do feel that!

00:27:15: I personally hadn't been in the museum for a long time And living away from Essex were about five years came back.

00:27:21: It's just as i remember.

00:27:23: certain areas other bits had changed so there is always something to come back For A few familiar faces like Boris Bear downstairs

00:27:33: Absolutely, and of course the famous beehive which I think nearly every child who comes here will have stuck their nose against them and peered in trying to spot The Queen Bee.

00:27:45: Just going back to Buley for a second.

00:28:05: Well,

00:28:10: definitely.

00:28:10: And I feel like especially listening to the school trips here... Are you always over here?

00:28:15: Well, this is my favorite object.

00:28:16: This is what I liked in this gallery and quite a lot of the objects are very timeless so rings... And i think there's a diadem in The Stone Age exhibition and things like that.

00:28:26: perhaps or they would put as their top object.

00:28:31: It's just interesting to think about.

00:28:32: people value them most but actually it was also valued even if its not an exercise bike maybe another way that they got around their horse and cart etc.

00:28:44: We can only use our current experience, can't we just try to deduce what people were doing at the time?

00:28:50: The idea of somebody sitting on a bike in the middle of there living room and pegging like mad for quite long time not going anywhere.

00:28:56: I might see more two-people in five hundred years'

00:29:01: Face time with their friends however many hundred years ago, but yeah once again maybe even little things like a favorite mug that you have and Have your coffee in the star room here.

00:29:12: Maybe someone had there favorite cup somewhere

00:29:14: else.

00:29:14: Yeah Sure I think it just brings home to me how important It is.

00:29:19: those little fragments we can see now of the history or past help us get an idea you know, just what life was like all those years ago.

00:29:28: Well I love the word that use fragments because i do think You really are piecing together everything sometimes quite literally when things have broken your finding little shards of shards Of history in people's lives and I think thats quite beautiful.

00:29:42: That is a great way to end.

00:29:43: thankyou for our time together.

00:29:45: Yes!

00:29:45: Im loving these chats.

00:29:51: How spooky was that, Rachel?

00:29:53: I am not going to be able go down the cellar again.

00:29:55: But this is where we keep all of our arts and crafts supplies for activity sessions!

00:29:59: I'm

00:29:59: sure there's enough to worry about, Helen...I just wouldn't spend a night here!

00:30:04: Amazing!

00:30:05: It was fascinating

00:30:06: hearing about Mary Tudor with all those hype about Henry's wives And I think Mary needs some music on her own!

00:30:12: Oh no please don't start singing it

00:30:15: again!

00:30:15: Okay okay

00:30:18: If you want to hear more about the history of Chancellor, don't forget to subscribe, write a review and spread

00:30:24: good work for

00:30:24: anyone who will listen.

00:30:26: And come along if you meet the ghost of Fred Wells in The Victorian

00:30:38: Hall!