The Armourer's House facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Rosemary Sutcliff |
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| Illustrator | C. Walter Hodges |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | OUP |
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Publication date
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1951 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 235 pp |
| ISBN | 0-19-277027-6 |
The Armourer's House is a historical novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff. It was first published in 1951.
The story mainly takes place in London during the time of King Henry VIII. This was Rosemary Sutcliff's third book. She later said it was "a little too cozy and a little too sweet." She felt it was part of her "apprenticeship phase" as a writer. This book feels more like a classic children's novel compared to her later works. It's not connected to her famous Eagle of the Ninth series, but it's the first time she used dolphin pictures in her stories.
Contents
Adventures in Tudor London
This section tells you about the main story of the book.
Tamsyn's New Home
The story is about a 10-year-old girl named Tamsyn. She has no parents and used to live with her uncle, who owned ships in Bideford. Another uncle brings her to live in London. This uncle is a swordsmith, also known as an armourer. He makes and repairs armor and weapons. The book is named after his house.
Tamsyn has dark hair and skin. This is very different from her new family, who all have red hair! This difference shows some of Rosemary Sutcliff's favorite themes. She often writes about outsiders, what it means to belong, and the contrast between light and dark.
Exploring London Life
Tamsyn misses her old life in the West Country. But slowly, she starts to get used to living in busy London. She also gets used to being part of a big family.
During the story, Tamsyn sees many exciting things. She watches Morris dancers on May Day. She visits the lively market in Cheapside. She also goes to the Billingsgate Fish Market and the Royal Dockyard in Deptford.
She even sees King Henry VIII and his queen, Anne Boleyn. They travel up the Thames River in the King's royal boat. They are going from his palace in Greenwich to his palace in Westminster.
Dreams of the Sea
Tamsyn loves watching tall ships at the docks. She is very interested in sailing. She shares this dream with Piers, one of the Armourer's sons. Both Piers and Tamsyn dream of sailing away. They want to explore the world during the exciting Age of Exploration.
Piers cannot leave yet because he is an apprentice to his father. Tamsyn is held back because she is a girl.
A Christmas Surprise
On Christmas Eve, something wonderful happens. The oldest son of the family, who everyone thought had drowned, returns home! The family is singing Christmas Carols when he arrives.
This means Piers is now free from his duty to his father. He can go sailing with the ship-owning uncle in the spring. Tamsyn is incredibly happy. Piers has promised to take her with him when he is older and becomes a master of a ship.
Images for kids
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First edition cover
