Shelton, St. Mary

Once upon a Tudor time, the name of Shelton was well known. The family’s manor house, at Shelton, now a parish in the Hempnall Team Ministry, was  a great palace. 

The Sheltons were kinsmen of the Boleyn’s.  Ann, Henry VIIIs queen and mother of the Princess Elizabeth, had been named after her Shelton aunt. At one stage Ann Shelton had charge over Elizabeth and her  half-sister the Princess, soon to be Queen, Mary. For a cracking read in which the Shelton’s play a supporting role try Hilary Mantel’s books on Henry’s VIII Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies! As a fan of Hilary Mantel,  I was already romantically attached to the parish of Shelton even though the once lavish Tudor Palace is no more. 













Inquisitively, I decided to follow a newly published circular route that began and ended at the parish church.  I hope to add links to the walk here as soon as possible. For the time being pick up leaflets of all the Hempnall Team Ministry parish walks from the churches which are all open.





Did the Princess Elizabeth follow this path to take sanctuary in St.Mary’s church tower when her half-sister’s henchmen were out to get her?  I love the story but don’t know about the his-story!



And, are these two pious people Elizabeth’s aunt Ann and Uncle John Shelton?


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