About the book

“Deborah Spring has achieved with flying colours a beautifully rounded portrait of this remarkable Tudor lady, and of the times in which she lived.” Margaret Willes, Author

“Superb scholarly detective work.” Rebecca Fraser, Author & Broadcaster

“The writing – and the research behind it – is superb!” Dr Anne Rowe, Historian & Author

“Well-written and full of detail, ‘Lady Anne Bacon’ is a wonderful addition to the growing body of works on Tudor women.” Elizabeth Norton, Historian & Broadcaster

“It is incredibly detailed… it really does cover Anne's life from every conceivable angle. I found the book fascinating with an interesting selection of photo plates, a comprehensive bibliography and index… [T]his is a great book, and you'll surely find out something you didn't know.” Helene Harrison, The Tudor Blogger

“Lady Anne Bacon serves as a foundational work not just for those wanting to know more about this particular woman but for those seeking to understand more about the environment in which she lived and worked.” Johanna Strong, Historian

Lady Anne Bacon (1528–1610) was a highly educated woman who lived through the great political and religious transitions of five reigns and was embedded in the network of power at the Tudor court. Her intelligence and education took her far beyond the limits of the domestic sphere and she was caught up in pivotal events, including the crisis at the accession of Mary I and the reform of the Church of England under Edward VI and Elizabeth I. Yet, like many women, her place in the historical record remains shadowy and few today have heard of her.

Born into an Essex gentry family, she was one of the five scholarly Cooke sisters, renowned for their learning. As a young woman she applied her linguistic skills to writing and translation, becoming a published translator before she was twenty. She served as a woman of the Privy Chamber, the inner circle of royal attendants, to both Mary I and Elizabeth I.