TTOT188 With Gold Embroidered Gorgeously: The Greensleeves Project

Tamsin Lewis and Bernadette Banner.
Wednesday 14 January 2026, 7pm UK

Almost 450 years after the song first caught the attention of the Elizabethan public, the Greensleeves Project has brought historians, musicians and makers together to ask: who was Greensleeves, and what might she have worn?

Join historian and musician, Tamsin Lewis, and fashion historian and YouTuber, Bernadette Banner, to find out more about this fascinating project which reconstructs and records the gifts given to My Lady Greensleeves.

The earliest surviving text of Greensleeves dates from 1584. It’s a long song, with 18 verses, written in a somewhat stalker-like fashion, by a man who showers his would-be beloved with gifts, including many items of clothing and accessories. Greensleeves’s gifts document not only the clothes of the 1580s but also the fabrics, embroidery, and many other aspects of material culture.

The extraordinary wealth of evidence contained in the song has formed the basis of this ambitious reconstruction of sixteenth century dress, which is supported by the Society of Antiquaries. The reconstructed items of dress have been made by a team of established historians and practitioners, each taking responsibility for one or two pieces.

Images @bernadettebanner

Supporting the RSN

The minimum requested donation for this talk is £8.50 per person, but you may donate a higher value of your choosing if you wish. Please note that Gift Aid (UK tax payers only) is only applicable for donations over £8.50. As a charity, we are very grateful for any support you can give us to put towards the RSN’s essential costs. Thank you.

Important Information

This event is a LIVE online talk at the given date and time and will last between approximately 60-90 minutes including questions and answers. You will need access to a suitable computer (with audio/video), tablet or smartphone device. You will receive your personalised Zoom invite no later than 24 hours before the event (3 hours if booked on the day). Your Zoom invite is unique to you and should not be shared, otherwise you may be unable to view the Talk. We recommend that you download and install the Zoom app on your device in advance of the Talk.

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This Talk will run from 7pm to approximately 8:30pm (19:00 to 20:30 hours) UK local time. If you are outside of the UK please check your local time, particularly if your location changes to/from Daylight Savings Time on a different schedule to the UK during March/April. To check and convert times please visit TimeAndDate.com.

For details on further RSN Talk events please visit our Online Talks page. 

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