Before They Were Queens: Jane Seymour
14th October 2026 by | Uncategorized
Before They Were Queens:
Jane Seymour
Before the royal portraits and the long-awaited prince, there was a girl growing up in Wiltshire. Jane was born around 1508–1509, the eldest daughter of Sir John Seymour and Margery Wentworth. One of ten children, she probably spent much of her childhood at the family home, Wulf Hall. We know frustratingly little about those early years. Her education included reading, writing, needlework, music and household management—the accomplishments expected of a girl of her standing. Imagine the world around her: the bustle of a large household, footsteps through timbered rooms, the patient work of a needle, and fields stretching beyond the windows. These were skills with practical value. Managing a substantial household meant understanding provisions, servants and the daily responsibilities of family life.
Around 1529, Jane entered Katherine of Aragon’s service. She later served Anne Boleyn, placing her close to the upheavals of the royal household long before she became queen herself. Her own thoughts remain elusive. The familiar description of Jane as quiet and obedient cannot tell us everything about the girl she had been, or the woman she was becoming.
Our Countryside Redcurrant Jelly pays tribute to her Wiltshire beginnings, with bright fruit and a setting inspired by the English countryside. When you think of Jane Seymour, do you picture the queen—or the young woman from Wulf Hall?
While many people think of Wolf Hall the real name was Wulf Hall.
If you would like to purchase an individual jar or the complete Six Queens collection, please drop me a email at info@murderinthetower.london UK delivery is free. We also welcome enquiries from castles, museums and heritage sites interested in stocking the range. Our jams and preserves can be paired with my historical novels to create gift sets—a little taste of Tudor history to enjoy at home.
Best wishes
Gemma
Author and British Historian Founder, The Princes in the Tower Society Member of The Norfolk Archaeological Trust Member of The Historical Novel Society www.murderinthetower.london