The mystery castle I didn’t know I was passing in 1957-1960….

In 1958-1960, when I lived just outside Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, I remember that about 1.74 miles/2.80 kilometres from my home I often passed an old farm close to a parish church. I simply noticed, that’s all. Back then I wasn’t particularly interested in history. I was a teenager, more concerned with the likes of Buddy Holly,…

Disappeared in Europe 500 years apart – the eyes have it?

First we have “Perkin Warbeck”, who the 1493 Trois Enseignes Naturelz , as found by the Missing Princes Project in the Austrian State Archives, has confirmed to be Edward V’s brother Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. The document title is a reference to his distinguishing features, as obliterated by the torture he underwent so…

The real Babes in the Wood of the 14th century….

In 1374 the Langley estates in Lancashire were left to 9-year-old Roger de Langley. On behalf of the boy’s guardian, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the Sheriff of Lancashire took control of the Langley estates and its young heir during the boy’s minority. It was the law for heirs who were minors to be…

Conisbrough Castle and the House of York.

Conisbrough Castle originates in the Norman period, but the existing structure is largely the work of the Warrenne family, with the keep, by far the most important of the surviving buildings, dating from the 12th Century. When the Warenne family died out in the 14th Century, their lands escheated to the crown and a large…

The Middle East in mediaeval times

As Ascension Day arrives once again, we are reminded of the history of the Holy Land in Richard III’s era – that the Mamluks had displaced Saladin‘s heirs after the latter had defeated the Crusaders under Richard I and Philip Augustus. Of course, we have almost all watched Ivanhoe or read of Richard III meeting…

If Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” were to be first published today….

On 17 April 1387, as part of the annual St George’s Day festivities, it was before the court of Richard II that Chaucer first performed his masterpiece, the Canterbury Tales. It was clear even then that he’d produced a very important work, but it’s only today that we appreciate it to the full—and are still…

The largest brick-built Tudor barn in England….

I know how we often grin when speaking of brick-built outhouses, but in this case it’s a lot bigger than the edifices we laugh about. Hales Hall in Norfolk has a barn-and-a-half. And it really is the largest in England. However, I fear that in order to read about it to the full in this…

Our monarchs’ nicknames….

When I first saw this list of monarchs’ nicknames I felt sure I’d have come across them all. But no, I only knew ten of the eleven. No doubt you know them all, but the one on which I came a cropper was number seven, the Be-Sh*tten – James II. Or James the Sh*t.  Good…

The Battle of Pwll Melyn, 5 May,1405.

The Battle of Pwll Melyn (Yellow Pool in English) was, in retrospect, the turning point for Henry IV. Up to this time, his enemies had largely held the initiative and were a real threat to him. This was to be the last time his forces were engaged in a full-scale battle against them. (1) Owain Glyndŵr‘s…

The ghosts of Tewkesbury and Bloody Meadow….

Three things I can say about Tewkesbury, which is only a few miles away from where I live, are that it is (a) historic, (b) beautiful and (c) full of ghosts. Well, I can vouch for the first two, but the third is something I have yet to experience. According to this article https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/things-to-do/23727059.ghostly-walk-across-tewkesburys-bloody-meadow/?fbclid=IwAR38XvM57xwfaunaAQL3XWN_GsCsleTg3FnXIM4mg2pV5_cyJP_lRdhqUCI the…