The acclaimed four-part series Shardlake, based on C.J. Sansom’s beloved historical mystery novels, has officially made its terrestrial television debut on ITV. Having originally premiered on Disney+ in 2024, this highly anticipated adaptation is now gracing our screens weekly, bringing 16th-century Tudor England right into our living rooms.
Shardlake plunges viewers into the turbulent era of King Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries. We follow the astute but often maligned lawyer, Matthew Shardlake (played brilliantly by Arthur Hughes), as he is dispatched by the formidable Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean) to investigate a brutal murder at a remote monastery. What unfolds is a dark and atmospheric tale brimming with secrets, suspicion, and political intrigue, as Shardlake navigates a world where faith, power, and survival are constantly at odds.
The series has already garnered praise for its compelling storyline, stellar cast, and atmospheric depiction of Tudor times. While some viewers have had initial reservations about the production style, many have lauded it as a “brilliant” and “gripping” adaptation that truly brings Sansom’s vivid world to life.
If you’re looking for a compelling new drama to sink your teeth into, Shardlake on ITV promises to deliver a rich tapestry of history, mystery, and memorable performances. You can catch new episodes weekly on ITV1, or if you prefer to binge-watch, the full series is available to stream on ITVX.
This foray into the past on our screens offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on Soulton Hall’s profound connections to this very era.
The 16th century was a period of immense upheaval, where life itself was lived on a knife-edge.
The political landscape was a treacherous maze, with parties vying for power, alliances constantly shifting, and the threat of rebellion ever-present.
Yet, even more profound was the seismic shock of the Religious Reformation and subsequent Counter-Reformation. This was not merely a theological debate; it was a matter of life and death, deeply woven into the fabric of daily existence. To hold the “wrong” belief, or even to be suspected of doing so, could lead to persecution, imprisonment, or even execution. Ideas were dangerous commodities, and simply being associated with people near them could bring devastating consequences.
In the series, Thomas Cromwell, a figure well known to Soluton’s Sir Rowland Hill, is portrayed with unnerving menace, providing a provocative meditation on the nature and power of religious relics during this transformative period.
Hans Holbein the Younger: Thomas Cromwell
In this compressive atmosphere, individuals had to tread with extraordinary care, often forced to make brave and difficult choices about their faith, their loyalties, and their very survival, knowing that their convictions, or even just their proximity to certain thoughts or objects, could cost them everything:
…Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court?
Just as Matthew Shardlake navigates the complexities of Henry VIII’s reign, Soulton Hall itself was built during this tumultuous period by Sir Rowland Hill (c. 1495-1561).was a pivotal figure in Tudor statecraft, the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London, and notably, midwife of the immensely influential Geneva Bible.
Portrait of Henry VIII of England (Holbein)
Soulton Hall was his Shropshire clandestine hub and iylic retreat to escape the claustrophobia and danger of London in that time so neatly seen in the show and meditated on by Shakespeare:
They say he is already in the forest of Arden, and
a many merry men with him; and there they live like
the old Robin Hood of England: they say many young
gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time
carelessly, as they did in the golden world.
a sanctuary for ideas, and an expression resilience during a dangerous time of religious and political upheaval, a not-so silent witnesses to the struggles of those who dared to defy the status quo.
Soulton Hall, viewed from the Public View Point
So, as you immerse yourself in the on-screen Tudor mysteries of Shardlake, remember that right here in Shropshire, Soulton Hall stands as a link to those same dangerous and transformative times, a place where a true Tudor polymath, Sir Rowland Hill, left an indelible mark on history.
