The Alnwick Castle Podcast
Alnwick Castle is one of North East England's top visitor attractions and has been part of British history for nearly 1,000 years. Now, Alnwick Castle has a podcast! Join hosts Daniel and Deborah, and regular special guests, as they discuss fascinating aspects of Alnwick Castle's history, from the people that lived there to its connections with famous events, its place as a filming location, and more. New episodes will be available every two weeks - make sure to subscribe so you don't miss any!
The Alnwick Castle Podcast
43 - The History of Tennis
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Have you been enjoying watching tennis this summer, like Wimbledon or the US Open? Have you ever thought about how tennis was played centuries ago? Then this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast is for you! Host Deborah spoke to award-winning researcher Selene, who has been thoroughly exploring the game of "real tennis" in the early modern period and how it relates to ideas of masculinity at the time.
What does this have to do with Alnwick Castle? Through podcast favourite Henry Percy, the Wizard Earl of Northumberland, who was a keen tennis player and a big fan of the sport! Selene goes into detail about his plans for a tennis court at Syon House as well as other connections he had.
You will also hear about the different ways tennis was played and perceived in the 1500s and 1600s, the records and sources used to find out about it, and more of the famous players like Henry VIII, James VII & II and Mary, Queen of Scots.
CONTENT NOTE: From 25:00 - 28:00 there is discussion of an early modern play which features sexual innuendo and language about tennis.
We hope you enjoy the episode. If there's anything you'd like to know about Alnwick Castle, please let us know and we'll answer your questions on our upcoming 50th episode! You can email us on podcast@alnwickcastle.com .