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…

In the teeth of the evidence

Here, a little-known television journalist-historian named Dominic Selwood disputes the identity of Richard III’s remains, despite the mtDNA match with collateral descendants in Canada and Australia, their height, age of death, era of death, scoliosis, battle injuries, region of origin and the location of his original burial at the choir of the Greyfriars. In fact…

Grey Friars building and car park up for auction in Leicester….

With a guide price of £4 million there will be an auction of this large edifice (the Grey Friars Building) that stands right next to where the remains of Richard III were found. The auction is to be on Wednesday, February 15. It’s Grade II listed, but not only because of its proximity to where…

Royal burial places

This post in the Times details the final resting place of every English and then British monarch since 1066, although Harold II (probably Waltham Abbey) is omitted. Note from the interactive map that there are four (plus the Empress Matilda) burials in France and one in Germany. There are none in Scotland, Wales, Ireland or…

Which monarch was buried where….?

  There are some monarchs’ last resting places that always come to mind with ease….especially Richard III at Leicester, of course. Then his usurper, Henry Tudor, in his palatial hymn to himself at Westminster Abbey. Edward IV at Windsor, Edward II (apparently) at Gloucester, John at Worcester at so on. Yes, I do know more…

The passing of James Butler, sculptor of the most loved statue of Richard III….

  James Butler, the sculptor who created the matchless statue of Richard III outside Leicester Cathedral, has died aged 90. RIP, and thank you for a work that is inspirational to all Ricardians. . You can read his obituary here. A quick search online will reveal many more such acknowledgements of the man who was,…

Richard III university team now find a Roman mosaic….

  “….This undated photo issued on Thursday Nov. 25, 2021 by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services shows a Roman mosaic unique to Britain and depicting one of the most famous battles of the Trojan War. Nearly a decade on from uncovering the remains of King Richard III under a car park near Leicester Cathedral,…

An interesting magazine I missed….

  When the remains of Richard III were sought and then discovered, A magazine entitled Current Archaeology covered it prominently on a number of occasions: “….Current Archaeology reported on the unfolding story in detail, with no fewer than three ‘cover’ features, in CA 272, CA 277, and CA 294 (November 2012, April 2013, and September…

Songs of Praise about Richard III….if you live in Australia….

  Unfortunately for the rest of us, this programme is not available here, unless you subscribe to this site. Here’s hoping it’s eventually broadcast again here in the UK.

Wars of the Roses Delights in Suffolk

After over a year, I have finally been able to go on another holiday in which to indulge in my passion of church and castle crawling. I haven’t spent much time in Suffolk before–it’s just a little too far–but there were some places I really wanted to visit, so off we went, braving a crazed…