Nicholas Orme uncovers what infancy and childhood were like in the 16th century

By Emily Briffett

Published: Tuesday, 16 May 2023 at 12:00 am


Look at a Tudor family portrait, and you’ll often find children depicted like miniature adults, standing confidently alongside their parents in their doublets and dresses. But how far is this an accurate portrayal of what childhood was like in the 16th century? Nicholas Orme, author of new book Tudor Children, joined Emily Briffett to talk about the lives of young people in the era, from nursery rhymes and moralistic bedtime stories, to playtime, punishment and more.

 

Nicholas Orme is the author of Tudor Children (Yale University Press, 2023)