Month: Aug 2015

Something strange at Hadleigh Castle in Essex, once held by Richard’s father….

Hadleigh Castle in Essex was a favourite with both Edward II and Edward III. It eventually came down through some names of great interest to Ricardians . . .Richard, Duke of York (Richard’s father), Edmund Tudor (Henry VII’s father) and Edward IV (Richard’s elder brother), who gave it to his queen, Elizabeth Woodville. The castle… Continue reading Something strange at Hadleigh Castle in Essex, once held by Richard’s father….

THE TOMB OF THOMAS COCKAYNE, YORKIST

In my many travels I once came upon a very fine effigy in Youlgrave Parish church, high in the Derbyshire Peak District. Exquisitely carved from alabaster, with great attention paid to detail, it shows the small figure (only about three or four feet long, crafted in such a manner because Thomas died before his father)… Continue reading THE TOMB OF THOMAS COCKAYNE, YORKIST

Building plans near a church at Sheriff Hutton, which is much associated with Richard III….

Is it right or wrong to build modern homes adjoining Sheriff Hutton’s ancient church? I can’t help thinking that more suitable land could be found elsewhere. Our places of beauty and heritage are disappearing fast. We should value and protect them. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/13600276.Protest_about_village_home_plans/

Signs of the Times (4)

To conclude our series on royal graphology: 1.William Hastings First of all you can see that this is quite a flowing signature with a lot of nice curves, not many ‘angry’ sharp top angles to the letters. This shows he was generally an affable, non-violent person, at least while he was writing this. His middle… Continue reading Signs of the Times (4)

Richard’s act lost in flame….

Here’s how to gloss over the important facts! This is an item in the Leicester Mercury online:- http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Richard-s-act-lost-flame/story-27617629-detail/story.html It says: Richard’s act lost in flame. (by Leicester Mercury/ posted: August 17, 2015. “According to Nigel Cawthorne’s book on The Strange Laws of Old England, Richard III signed an Act bastardising all the children of his brother,… Continue reading Richard’s act lost in flame….

Body of Evidence

“Body of Evidence” was the title of a talk given by Dominic Smee, Richard’s “body double”, at Leicester University earlier this year. Until recently, one of the great mysteries surrounding the last Plantagenet king was the contradiction between the severity of his supposed deformities and his reputation as a soldier, praised amongst others by his… Continue reading Body of Evidence

Richard’s first resting place

… was the Newarke Church in the 1331 Hospital of the Annunciation, in which he laid from August 22-25 1485, also described here. The Earl of Leicester at the time of the construction was Henry of Lancaster, son of Edmund Crouchback. This is the Hawthorn Building of de Montfort University, on the same site today.… Continue reading Richard’s first resting place

Was William Stanley Misunderstood?

I have enjoyed reading the books of Richard Unwin about Richard III from the point of view of Laurence the Armourer and was intrigued by his theory that William Stanley was not a traitor, or at least not in the way we might think. Think about the battle – William Stanley and his men are… Continue reading Was William Stanley Misunderstood?