The meat at Tudor feasts was usually made up of game and poultry rather than more ordinary meats like beef, pork or mutton.

Game would have included venison (deer), hare, wild boar and wild birds like heron and bustards. Bustards can still be found in Europe but all the ones in this country have been eaten!

Poultry would have included chicken, goose, duck, swan and peacock.

The chicken in the picture would have been roasted on a spit in front of the fire (see Candles and Spits on this web site).

It would have been turned slowly so it browned nicely all over. A small boy kept the spit turning in Tudor times!

This chicken has been decorated with cherries. The Tudors, including Elizabeth I, were very fond of cherries.