Iconic Scottish queen Mary subject of online history talk by Cromwell Museum curator

But who was the other queen buried at the Cathedral in Tudor times and why is she no longer there?

To shed light on these questions, historian Stuart Orme will tell the story of Mary, Queen of Scots in an online talk, entitled The Forgotten Funeral: Mary Queen of Scots and Peterborough, on Thursday, July 14 at 7.30pm.

Stuart Orme is curator of the Cromwell Museum at Huntingdon.

He will explore the circumstances of Mary’s execution at Fotheringhay Castle in February 1587, and why she was buried five months later at Peterborough Cathedral, only to be exhumed after 25 years and moved to London.

His illustrated talk will examine Mary’s remarkable story and the political pressures at play during the reign of her cousin, Elizabeth I.

Stuart Orme of The Cromwell Museum (Image: The Cromwell Museum)

Stuart Orme said: “Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the most iconic figures in British history, yet she is often shrouded by the way she’s been depicted and romanticised in our popular culture.

"This talk will hopefully provide an overview to her story and its local connections.”

This event is part of a series of online history talks organised by the Cathedral.

Others topics and speakers coming up in the series are:

• Cathedral architect Stephen Oliver on the Restorations of the 21st Century on September 15.
• Mark Short, Cathedral guide, on the Restorations of the 19th Century on October 20.
• Cathedral archaeologist, Dr Jackie Hall, on Peterborough Abbey before 1116, on November 17.

To conclude the series, writers and historians Alison Weir and Siobhan Clarke will give a talk on A Tudor Christmas on December 15.

Tickets for all the online talks, which are held via Zoom at 7.30pm, are £7 per screen and available via www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/oht2022.aspx. A booking fee applies.

The direct link to book for Stuart Orme’s talk on July 14 is www.ticketsource.co.uk/peterborough-cathedral-tours-talks/t-nloyjp.