What are the facts about Anne Boleyn`s constitution (her height, shoe size, weight . . .)?
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20 thoughts on “What are the facts about Anne Boleyn`s constitution (her height, shoe size, weight . . .)?”
I was just about to ask what Anne’s height would have been because I am currently reading Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley by Weir and she says that Mary was 6 feet tall! Thats pretty tall for women now-a-days and I was curious about all Henry’s wive’s heights, especially Anne’s.
From reliable sources I have heard she was about maybe 160 cm tall (don’t know how many feet or inches that is) so not that tall but still not very short. 🙂
There’s no way of knowing Jaden, but she was of medium height for a woman (in Tudor times) and had “delicate and well-shaped hands and feet, with tapering fingers and a narrow foot”. Petite rather than large.
I realise that my experience is far from empirical evidence, however, back in 1988, my wife and I enjoyed a visit to Anne Boleyns home at Hever Castle. While there I was admiring the suits of armour and marvelling that these were the actual pieces worn back in the day. While there I had some sort of supernatural or spiritual experience and saw who I believe to be Anne Boleyn and her mother. What struck me about Anne was how tiny she was! Her mother wasn’t much taller, but Anne would not have been more than 4 foot 6 or 7 inches tall.Her mother would have been about three inches taller. What caught my attention first of all when I had my back turned was a conversation between two women striding out across the floor hurrying to meet their guest. I could clearly hear them kicking their skirts out in front of them. Anne was dressed was dressed in what I believe to be pale blue silk, and her mother in pale pink silk. It was kind of shiny in appearance. I only caught sight of them in a twinkling, but I was aware of their conversation for much longer and I am positive it was them. I even heard a team of horses cross the drawbridge and come to a halt. ( Could it have been Henry?). The drawbridge now only takes foot traffic, and where the horses would have stopped under cover is now the souvenir shop. My personal opinion is that there could be some merit in the theory that Anne was spirited away and buried at her beloved Hever. The remains that were found in the cathedral I believe were Catherine’s , not Anne’s. There is no way Anne was as tall as 5 feet or 5 feet 3 inches.
I’m sure that it would be been mentioned in the records if Anne Boleyn was that small as that is tiny. Anne was described by a diplomat as being of “middling stature”, so medium height, whereas Catherine Howard was described as petite.
Yes she is believed to have stood about four foot seven or eight, but I have seen Queen Victoria’s mourning gown and she was tiny too well under five foot, I find it hard to believe she had so many children as her frame did not look like it was built for childbearing,
People shrink as they become older due to gravitational compression of the spine. They would not have known that n Tudor times.
Wow, you could have had a supernatural experience but as Clare points out Anne was described as being of medium height, and I reckon you could have been seeing ghosts from another era also, Tudor women wore gowns that were very heavy they could not walk fast and silk material was more in keeping with the 18th century, you could well have had a glimpse of two Georgian ghosts instead, regarding the theory about Anne being moved from the Tower to Hever after her death, that was would have been impossible for the Tower was always strictly guarded, there was a legend that for years her body was moved to Salle church in Norfolk to rest beside her grandparents, she had after all been born at Blickling and it is highly likely she was baptised there, again there no credence to the tale, however I think it’s nice to think she does occasionally roam her old childhood homes where she was most likely at her happiest.
Nutrition in the olden days wasn’t as good, even today in the United States people in height are slowly getting shorter because of European genes and other factors causing it. I for a woman is about 5 ft. 4 in. 1/4 and the shortest length I will measure in 15 years is 5 ft. 2 in. tall. The average height of a woman in the United States is five foot four inches tall. In the day of Queen Elizabeth I mom the average hight was different than of today.
Hi Ashley your right about nutrition in Tudor times, the poor actually were considered healthier as they ate lots of veg unlike their richer brothers, they ate large quantities of meat and pastries, fatty pies and sugary wines so they were at risk of diabetes and other problems a diet rich in meat and drink can cause, however they measured the bones of some of the Plantaganet Kings who were known for being quite tall, Edward 1V for one was a tall King and Richard 111 was about five foot seven, even though he had a twisted spine, that’s a good height for medieval times, Henry V111 was six foot two, a diet rich in meat does cause a spurt in growth but of course genetics would also play a part, Anne Boleyn being born into a rich family would have eaten well, I believe the bones that Dr. Mount examined could have been hers they were found where she was said to have been buried and more importantly, the report said her skull had two large eyes, and she was famous enough for her large eyes they were her most attractive feature quite possibly.
No Anne did not deserve to die she wss not guilty in my opinion and poor Catherine wss just a stupid immature child giddy at being choosen by the king.
NOT TRUE! Sure I can admit she was young and a bit foolish but she had been sexually assaulted by many men in her life. And sadly she died from it… She was flirtatious but she wasn’t a sl*t or anything. She may have not been the smartest wife but she was generally a nice person. So Anne and she were both not that guilty. Her being raped was out of her control.
In my opinion Catherine Howard went through a lot more trouble then Anne. Sure Anne was framed. EXCUSE ME MAAM THIS GIRL WAS RAPED AND HAS BEEN A SEX TOY HER WHOLE LIFE FROM 12 TO 17.
Sorry, in my opinion that’s a lot sadder then just being treason. The weird thing is that Anne Catherine got treason for incest. And they were both cousins bro. So ma’am kind of what the flip. And she was a child still Anne died at 35 Catherine died at 17. So it’s a lot more said because she wasn’t even an adult yet and didn’t deserve her death! :'(
Katherine Howard is a lot smarter I think people let on.
You’re right, she didn’t deserve to die, neither of them did. If the king chose you, you had no real way to deny him. Especially as your family would be pushing you, as a woman or girl, right into his arms for what the King could do for your FAMILY. As a woman, you were just a pawn, especially if your family was ennobled.
Anne and Catherine didn’t deserve to to die there were to young there were not to know what was right or wrong Ps I believe there heart and soul by there words Henry is a biggest problem on earth
I was just about to ask what Anne’s height would have been because I am currently reading Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley by Weir and she says that Mary was 6 feet tall! Thats pretty tall for women now-a-days and I was curious about all Henry’s wive’s heights, especially Anne’s.
Anne Boleyn was about 5’0 to 5’3.
Katherine Of Aragon was 5’8.
Catherine Howard was Believed to be 5’0 or 5’2.
Jane Seymour is 5’4.
Anne Of Cleves is I think around 5’9
Catherine Parr is 5″10.
From reliable sources I have heard she was about maybe 160 cm tall (don’t know how many feet or inches that is) so not that tall but still not very short. 🙂
Yes Mary Stuart was 6ft as was Catherine parr
Was she a large woman? What was her estimates weight?
There’s no way of knowing Jaden, but she was of medium height for a woman (in Tudor times) and had “delicate and well-shaped hands and feet, with tapering fingers and a narrow foot”. Petite rather than large.
5’3″ approx. exhumation.
I realise that my experience is far from empirical evidence, however, back in 1988, my wife and I enjoyed a visit to Anne Boleyns home at Hever Castle. While there I was admiring the suits of armour and marvelling that these were the actual pieces worn back in the day. While there I had some sort of supernatural or spiritual experience and saw who I believe to be Anne Boleyn and her mother. What struck me about Anne was how tiny she was! Her mother wasn’t much taller, but Anne would not have been more than 4 foot 6 or 7 inches tall.Her mother would have been about three inches taller. What caught my attention first of all when I had my back turned was a conversation between two women striding out across the floor hurrying to meet their guest. I could clearly hear them kicking their skirts out in front of them. Anne was dressed was dressed in what I believe to be pale blue silk, and her mother in pale pink silk. It was kind of shiny in appearance. I only caught sight of them in a twinkling, but I was aware of their conversation for much longer and I am positive it was them. I even heard a team of horses cross the drawbridge and come to a halt. ( Could it have been Henry?). The drawbridge now only takes foot traffic, and where the horses would have stopped under cover is now the souvenir shop. My personal opinion is that there could be some merit in the theory that Anne was spirited away and buried at her beloved Hever. The remains that were found in the cathedral I believe were Catherine’s , not Anne’s. There is no way Anne was as tall as 5 feet or 5 feet 3 inches.
I’m sure that it would be been mentioned in the records if Anne Boleyn was that small as that is tiny. Anne was described by a diplomat as being of “middling stature”, so medium height, whereas Catherine Howard was described as petite.
William the Conqueror’s wife Matilda of Flanders was said to be under 5 ft tall. She’s the shortest queen England ever had.
Yes she is believed to have stood about four foot seven or eight, but I have seen Queen Victoria’s mourning gown and she was tiny too well under five foot, I find it hard to believe she had so many children as her frame did not look like it was built for childbearing,
People shrink as they become older due to gravitational compression of the spine. They would not have known that n Tudor times.
Wow, you could have had a supernatural experience but as Clare points out Anne was described as being of medium height, and I reckon you could have been seeing ghosts from another era also, Tudor women wore gowns that were very heavy they could not walk fast and silk material was more in keeping with the 18th century, you could well have had a glimpse of two Georgian ghosts instead, regarding the theory about Anne being moved from the Tower to Hever after her death, that was would have been impossible for the Tower was always strictly guarded, there was a legend that for years her body was moved to Salle church in Norfolk to rest beside her grandparents, she had after all been born at Blickling and it is highly likely she was baptised there, again there no credence to the tale, however I think it’s nice to think she does occasionally roam her old childhood homes where she was most likely at her happiest.
Nutrition in the olden days wasn’t as good, even today in the United States people in height are slowly getting shorter because of European genes and other factors causing it. I for a woman is about 5 ft. 4 in. 1/4 and the shortest length I will measure in 15 years is 5 ft. 2 in. tall. The average height of a woman in the United States is five foot four inches tall. In the day of Queen Elizabeth I mom the average hight was different than of today.
Hi Ashley your right about nutrition in Tudor times, the poor actually were considered healthier as they ate lots of veg unlike their richer brothers, they ate large quantities of meat and pastries, fatty pies and sugary wines so they were at risk of diabetes and other problems a diet rich in meat and drink can cause, however they measured the bones of some of the Plantaganet Kings who were known for being quite tall, Edward 1V for one was a tall King and Richard 111 was about five foot seven, even though he had a twisted spine, that’s a good height for medieval times, Henry V111 was six foot two, a diet rich in meat does cause a spurt in growth but of course genetics would also play a part, Anne Boleyn being born into a rich family would have eaten well, I believe the bones that Dr. Mount examined could have been hers they were found where she was said to have been buried and more importantly, the report said her skull had two large eyes, and she was famous enough for her large eyes they were her most attractive feature quite possibly.
Anne Boleyn was 5ft in hight just like me she and Catherine Howard did disvded to die
No Anne did not deserve to die she wss not guilty in my opinion and poor Catherine wss just a stupid immature child giddy at being choosen by the king.
NOT TRUE! Sure I can admit she was young and a bit foolish but she had been sexually assaulted by many men in her life. And sadly she died from it… She was flirtatious but she wasn’t a sl*t or anything. She may have not been the smartest wife but she was generally a nice person. So Anne and she were both not that guilty. Her being raped was out of her control.
In my opinion Catherine Howard went through a lot more trouble then Anne. Sure Anne was framed. EXCUSE ME MAAM THIS GIRL WAS RAPED AND HAS BEEN A SEX TOY HER WHOLE LIFE FROM 12 TO 17.
Sorry, in my opinion that’s a lot sadder then just being treason. The weird thing is that Anne Catherine got treason for incest. And they were both cousins bro. So ma’am kind of what the flip. And she was a child still Anne died at 35 Catherine died at 17. So it’s a lot more said because she wasn’t even an adult yet and didn’t deserve her death! :'(
Katherine Howard is a lot smarter I think people let on.
You’re right, she didn’t deserve to die, neither of them did. If the king chose you, you had no real way to deny him. Especially as your family would be pushing you, as a woman or girl, right into his arms for what the King could do for your FAMILY. As a woman, you were just a pawn, especially if your family was ennobled.
Anne and Catherine didn’t deserve to to die there were to young there were not to know what was right or wrong Ps I believe there heart and soul by there words Henry is a biggest problem on earth