Obituary: Author Bertram Fields

Lawyer Bertram Fields, who practiced law under the shortened form of his name, Bert, recently passed away at the age of 93 from complications of a Covid-19 infection. Ricardians will remember him as the author of the excellent ROYAL BLOOD, in which, with a lawyer’s skill, he dissected much of the traditionalist viewpoints, even taking…

Beautiful Collyweston….

The ten best villages in England are listed here and Collyweston in Northamptonshire makes the grade. I can only say that it does so entirely on its own merit and in spite of having once been the lair of Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.

Ranulph Lord Dacre of Gilsland – The Lord who was buried with his horse.

Reblogged from A Medieval Potpourri @sparkypus.com The monument in All Saints Church, Saxton over the grave of Ranulph Lord Dacre and his horse. Photo Mary Emma1@Flkir Ranulph/Ranulf/Randolph/Ralph, Lord Dacre of Gilsland’s precise date of birth is lost to us – as is his exact Christian name it would seem -but has been suggested as c.1412 although…

Richard III returns to Kenilworth Castle….!

I’m told that Max Keen is well worthing watching and hearing because he is a great expert on his medieval subject. Given that, and the fact that he will be appearing in the majestic surroundings of Kenilworth Castle make this coming occasion a must for those who can attend. This article states that Richard III…

Charles I and his Roundheads….?

Um, spot the bloopers in this article. These are the two I came upon, and I’m afraid I didn’t read the rest of the article. As far as I recall Charles I had the Royalist/Cavaliers on his side, and the only time Cromwell “ceased” control of the kingdom was when he turned up his toes!

The fireworks display at Richard’s reinterment….

Fireworks used to be associated with Bonfire Night, 5th November, but nowadays they are employed for many occasions, not least of which (for Ricardians) was the week-long celebration of Richard’s reinterment at Leicester Cathedral. The reinterment was on 26 March 2015, and ended with a spectacular fireworks display around the cathedral. This link is to…

The story of Richard’s discovery, and a virtual tour of the Visitor Centre….

The story of how Richard III’s remains were discovered is a fascinating one, almost a fairy story, and happening upon a website that tells it properly is a bonus. If you go here you will arrive at the Seeing the Past website, which I thoroughly recommend. Credit is given where credit is due, i.e. with…

The lady responsible for the costumes in The Lost King….

I have heard mixed opinions about the costumes for The Lost King, mostly that the armour was spot-on but the king’s other clothes weren’t luxurious enough. Well, if you’ve wondered who was actually responsible for making them, here’s the answer:- “….A historical costume maker from Nottingham created some of the clothing worn by the actor…

Another Hundred Years’ Grudge

A few years ago, we showed that Robert Catesby, directly descended from Sir William Catesby, sought to kill James VI/I, a descendant of Henry VII, by gunpowder 120 years after Henry had Sir William hanged after Bosworth.This second case, of which I was reminded in Kathryn Warner‘s The Despensers, doesn’t involve direct ancestry on both…

NEW DISCOVERIES AT PONTEFRACT CASTLE

Pontefract Castle was, in its day, the Windsor of the North. Large and seemingly impregnable , it had two massive tapering towers that rose up to over a hundred feet high, a landmark visible from miles away. It was the scene of many historical events–in 1322 Edward II executed his cousin, Thomas of Lancaster here,…