TUDOR ENGLAND Through the Five Senses

SIGHT

Of all the five senses, sight was undoubtedly the most significant to the Tudors. Theirs was a very visually oriented culture, starting with their clothing, with its layers of fabric, jewels, colours and adornments.

Every little detail sent a coded message about rank. The Tudor court was a vast stage for its strutting courtiers, who could easily overstep the mark, breaking the complex sumptuary laws by wearing too much material, or the wrong-coloured fur, and incurring a huge fine. Indeed, one of the contributing factors to the fall of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham in 1521 was his extensive wardrobe, full of royal cloth of gold and silver, gold chains and costly colours that rivalled the appearance of the king himself.

Colour, mottoes, emblems, devices, initials and imagery all helped construct Tudor identity,