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Laura Crow

@itslauracrow

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Tudor history lover & classic literature bookworm. Illustrator & writer.
💀 Actor: @laurageorgecrow
🎭 Jane Boleyn play: @vile_thetudorplay

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Here's a rough guide to how I got into history (as a chronically ill, disabled person who never went to university).

History has always been something that I've loved ever since I was little (and thought I was Robin Hood) but I've had to forge quite a different pathway into pursing it than most people. The same could definitely be said of my drawing and acting too.

But I think it's really important to show that formal qualifications aren't everything (or even accessible for everyone) and there's always other ways to pursue your passions.

There's a lot in here that I could talk about in much more detail (particularly breaking down access barriers to heritage) so if you have any questions, I'd love to hear them 😊

Also, this post absolutely gives away that I like wearing stripey socks and draping myself over historic steps like a Byronic poser 😌🖤 Photo of Laura, a tall white woman with short red hair, sitting on some steps at the Tower of London overlaid with text saying "How I Got Into History
(as a chronically ill, disabled person who never went to university)" by @itslauracrow

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4 months ago

I drew these last year for the initial sharing of @vile_thetudorplay (the play we're developing about Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford) but I realised I never shared them myself and now feels like an apt time to try and remember people have always been different and diverse throughout history.

I've added in the Disability Pride flag and Neurodivergent Pride flag, alongside the LGBTQIA+ flags that I drew last year 🖤

These themes of marginalised groups and people always having been present, thriving and surviving despite deeply held misconceptions, is something I'm so passionate about and will be cropping up a lot more on my grid, Substack and in my work this year.

I think I want to do a series of these flag drawings from different eras (Victorians, Georgians etc) to go alongside this Tudor style one. A woodblock style illustration of a Tudor man and Tudor woman holding the Pride flag and Asexual flag, beneath the words 'Always been there. Always will be.' by @itslauracrow

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9 months ago

On Sunday I was able to lay flowers for George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London.

George was e*ecuted on 17th May 1536 as part of the plot to bring down his sister, Queen Anne Boleyn.

I still can't quite believe this happened. It was profoundly moving and a really beautiful, respectful experience.

I've been researching and writing about George (and his wife Jane, Lady Rochford) for a long time so they almost seem like real people to me. I started writing @vile_thetudorplay because I wanted to reframe their story and redress some of the awful posthumous damage that's been done to their characters and reputation. And from there my research into marginalised identities at the court of Henry VIII has grown.

I'm not sure George's death has ever been formally marked before (if you have any knowledge or information about this, please let me know!) but certainly in his own era, his family and loved ones would never have been able to acknowledge his passing.

This moment will stay with me for a long time and I hope it brought some respect and honour to George's memory, if only for a little while 🖤 by @itslauracrow

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5 months ago

Day 15 - Temperance

Temperance is represented by Jane Seymour, third Queen of King Henry VIII.

This card can indicate (amongst other things) balance, management, accommodation. Peace, patience, and calm.

Do you think Jane deserves her reputation for being quiet and obedient, or do you think there was more to her?

I'm looking forward to reading @enortonhistory's new book on Jane and @myladygervais has recently done a podcast series on her over at @spillthemeadpodcast 🙌✨️ An old wood-cut style illustration of the tarot card Temperance in dark red ink on 16th century style vellum paper. Temperance is represented by Jane Seymour, the third Queen of Henry VIII. She pours water from one cup into another, above a calm pool of water. by @itslauracrow

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18 hours ago

Day 14 but card no. 13...

Represented by King Richard III, whose end marked the start of the Tudor dynasty. An old wood-cut style illustration of the tarot card Death in dark red ink on 16th century style vellum paper. Death is represented by King Richard III, who is half skeleton, half man and holding a flag bearing the white rose of York. His crown lays on the ground by his feet. by @itslauracrow

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2 days ago

Born to look brooding in a country house library...

AKA the creature in its natural habitat 🖤

Taking things back to 2016 style social media with nothing but a collection of photos from my recent trip to Tatton Park in Knutsford, Cheshire.

There was a beautiful Canaletto exhibition and it was wonderful to see his famous scenes of 18th century Venice up close in so much detail.

The library is also magnificent 😍

If you're ever in the North West, I highly recommend a visit. There's also extensive grounds and a farm.

Have you ever visited Tatton? Or do you have a favorite historical library? ✨️ by @itslauracrow

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2 days ago

Marginalised identities at the court of Henry VIII

Did you know the leader of the Pilgrimage of Grace was blind*?

(*I use this term broadly here. It could be exchanged for visually impaired or partially blind or having a facial difference - lots of different terms might be used today and we obviously don’t know how they would have wanted to be identified.)

I'm currently illustrating a Tudor tarot deck and whilst drawing The Hanged Man card I discovered something really interesting.

With this card representing (among other things) self-sacrifice and trials, and with the Hanged Man often being regarded as an outlaw or a martyr, I knew straight away that I wanted to draw Robert Aske and the Pilgrimage of Grace.

But when I was doing my research to plan out the design, I discovered something really interesting about Aske that ties in with my work on marginalised figures at the court of Henry VIII...

My tarot card of the Hanged Man representing Rober Aske.

His Wikipedia entry states: “There are no known surviving portraits of Aske. All that is known of his physical appearance is that he was blind in one eye.”

I was immediately intrigued but no sources were listed. The same information kept cropping up in articles about him online but without any details as to where this fact came from.

Eventually I found out, and it makes it even more interesting…

We know Aske only had one eye because of a quote in Letters and Papers, Volume XI, 18th November 1536. And this quote is from Sir Francis Bryan - who also only had one eye.

It’s such an exciting (and rare) example of a of a disabled* person in the 16th century talking about another disabled person.

(*I use this term broadly here. It could be exchanged for visually impaired or partially blind or having a facial difference - lots of different terms might be used today and we obviously don’t know how they would have wanted to be identified.)

“I, Sir Francis Bryan, sent a servant [...] at last he was brought to Aske and recognised, so he said he sought for a priest of mine "that had robbed." Aske's answer appears in his letter to me, herein enclosed. "I know him not nor he me, but I am true and he a false wretch A black and white woodcut image of a 16th crowd holding up crosses and banners overlaid with the text: "Marginalised identities at the court of Henry VIII

Did you know the leader of the Pilgrimage of Grace was blind?" by @itslauracrow

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3 days ago

Day 12 - Justice

The role of Justice is represented by Katherine Parr, the sixth - and final - Queen of Henry VIII.

This card is less about law and order and more about fairness. It can represent equality, balance, accountability, integrity, cause and effect, objectivity, and negotiation.

Katherine Parr was influential in helping to restore Mary and Elizabeth back to their rightful places in the line of succession. She also managed to reconcile with the King after a warrant for her arrest had been drawn up; a staggering feat of negotiation indeed!

I now have over half of the Major Arcana drawn and I'm now seriously considering: should I draw a full deck? This would be such a huge commitment but I'm feeling more and more like I should attempt it 💪 An old wood-cut style illustration of the tarot card Justice’ in dark red ink on 16th century style vellum paper. Justice is represented by Katherine Parr, the sixth - and final - Queen of Henry VIII. She holds a sword aloft in one hand and a set of balancing scales in the other. by @itslauracrow

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4 days ago

Day 11 - Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel, covered in the emblems of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - a lion, a falcon eating a pomegranate, a dragon - is turned by the prophetess Elizabeth Barton, the Holy Maid of Kent.

In 1534 Elizabeth Barton was e*ecuted at Tyburn for treason, having opposed Henry's marriage to Anne and predicting it would cause the country to fall into ruin. An old wood-cut style illustration of the tarot card ‘Wheel of Fortune’ in dark red ink on 16th century style vellum paper. The Wheel, covered in the emblems of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - a lion, a falcon eating a pomegranate, a dragon - is turned by the prophetess Elizabeth Barton, the Holy Maid of Kent. Angels watch on from the cloudy sky above, throwing down a Tudor rose. by @itslauracrow

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5 days ago

Day 10 - The Hermit

The figure of the Hermit is represented by Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII and later venerated by the Catholic Church as a Saint.

Despite being one of the King’s closest and most trusted advisors, More resisted signing the 1534 Oath of Succession and was e*ecuted in 1535 for refusing to recognise Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church of England, amidst the break from the Pope and the Catholic Church in Rome.

In tarot readings, the Hermit can symbolise solitude, self-reflection, contemplation, prudence and wisdom. Though, mirroring some of More’s life and choices, it can also indicate intentional hardship, self-deprivation and turning away from worldliness and earthly concerns.

Sometimes the Hermit is considered a psychopomp, a guide of souls. Often they lead the newly deceased into the underworld of the dead, but also between the conscious and subconscious mind. An old wood-cut style illustration of the tarot card ‘The Hermit’ in dark red ink on 16th century style vellum paper. The figure of the Hermit is based on Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII and venerated by the Catholic Church as a saint. He wears a long robe decorated with a crucifix, his chain of state, and the bird and unicorn from his coat of arms. by @itslauracrow

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6 days ago

5 Heritage Days Out For Autumn!
(As road tested by me!)

As the weather gets a bit colder and the days a bit darker, here are 5 recommendations for cosy or atmospheric heritage sites (with excellent cafes and cake nearby!) 🍂✨️

York Minster, York
@yorkminsterofficial

York Minster, York

York Minster, York

@yorkminsterofficial are currently raising funds to conserve their amazing stained glass Rose Window. Watch my previous reel or head over to their website for more information 😊

The National Portrait Gallery, London
@nationalportraitgallery

The National Portrait Gallery, London

The National Portrait Gallery, London

Perfect for a bit of sketching!

The National Portrait Gallery, London

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire
National Trust

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire
National Trust

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire
National Trust

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire
National Trust

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
@warwickcastleofficial

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

Check out my Accessibility Guide for Warwick Castle, a few posts back on the grid ✨️

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

Oxford (yes, the entire city)

Oxford

Oxford

How many of the 5 have you visited?
Do you have any other Autumn favourites to recommend? 🍂✨️ by @itslauracrow

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6 days ago

Day 9 - Strength

Strength is represented by Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

Card number VIII was originally designated as Justice in the Tarot de Marseille and other traditional decks, with Strength being number XI, but the Rider-Waite-Smith deck switched the position of these two cards and this seems to be the numbering now most widely used.

The swap was made to help make the cards work with the astrological correspondences worked out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where the eighth card was associated with Leo and the eleventh with Libra.

(✨️Fun little fact: I actually directed a piece of filmed theatre a few years ago about Manchester’s first repertory theatre company, and it involved the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn as William Butler Yates, Annie Horniman and Florence Farr were all members. If you were an ethereal bohemian type in the late 19th century, it was the sort of secret society you dabbled in!✨️)

Elizabeth I seemed like a natural choice for the role of Strength. A card which can represent courage, power, energy, action and the integration of the animal self.

"Although I may not be a lioness, I am a lion's cub, and inherit many of his qualities." An old wood-cut style illustration of the tarot card ‘Strength” in dark red ink on 16th century style vellum paper. The figure of Strength is based on Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She stands, leaning down towards a lion with open jaws. There is a window behind her and the wall is decorated in floral patterns. by @itslauracrow

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7 days ago