This locomotive ‘Fair Rosamund’ was the only one of its class to carry a name. It was, of course, named after Rosamund Clifford and usually worked on the Great Western Railway’s Woodstock branch, near Oxford. Rosamund Clifford (mistress of Henry II) came from Clifford Castle near Hay in the Marches. This castle was associated with… Continue reading ‘Fair Rosamund’
Tag: Mortimers
The appointment of women to the Garter. (Medieval era).
I have been trying to make sense of the method by which women were appointed to the Garter in the middle ages, and have concluded there was no system. Of course, as with the knights, who were nominally ‘elected’ by the other knights, it all came down to royal favour. But with the knights, there… Continue reading The appointment of women to the Garter. (Medieval era).
‘Great magician, damned Glendower'(Part 4.)
It is not my purpose to describe the Glyndŵr Rising in detail. The story is far too complex to be contained within a blog post. The reader who is interested in the full tale would do well to consult (for example) The Revolt Of Owain Glyn Dŵr by R.R Davies, an excellent work. The initial… Continue reading ‘Great magician, damned Glendower'(Part 4.)
‘Great magician, damned Glendower'(Part 1.)
‘Great magician, damned Glendower’ is how Shakespeare makes Henry IV refer to his elusive Welsh adversary. Of course, we all know that Shakespeare was principally a dramatist and a great distorter of historical truth. Nonetheless, it’s likely that this quote accurately reflects Bolngbroke’s feelings of frustration as he struggled to deal with Owain ap Gruffudd… Continue reading ‘Great magician, damned Glendower'(Part 1.)
The Cotswolds and the Wars of the Roses….
“What role did the Cotswolds play in the 30-year Wars of the Roses?” A good question. There wasn’t a specific War of the Cotswolds, but there was (still is) a connection to the Wars of the Roses, as you’ll see in this article . For instance, there’s the wonderful Church of St John the Baptist… Continue reading The Cotswolds and the Wars of the Roses….
Diana Rubino on the Legendary Ten Seconds
As you will observe from their appearance on Diana Rubino’s blog , The Legendary Ten Seconds now have a book featuring information on some of their best-known songs about Richard III, his time and Devon, of course. My Review of The Legendary Ten Seconds for the Ricardian Register (magazine of the American branch) As a longtime… Continue reading Diana Rubino on the Legendary Ten Seconds
William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, otherwise ‘Black William’ was born in 1423, the son of Sir William ap Thomas ‘the Blue Knight of Gwent’ and Gwladys ferch Dafydd Gam the ‘Star of Abergavenny’. His main claim to fame is that he was the first Welshman to become an earl in the peerage of England, except for Henry VI’s… Continue reading William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke
The Yorkist Connection to Cranborne in Dorset
Cranborne is a little village tucked away in the Dorset countryside. The roads leading to it are small and narrow, with very high hedges, and driving there can be a bit of a nightmare if you should meet up with a farm vehicle or delivery lorry (frequent)! However, it seems to have been heavily visited… Continue reading The Yorkist Connection to Cranborne in Dorset
The White Lion of Mortimer….
It isn’t often that I like a new coin, but the addition of the White Lion of Mortimer to the Queen’s Beasts series is an exception. It’s beautiful. To read about it go here.
Spreading propaganda works both ways, as John of Gaunt discovered….
As we all know, the Tudors were masters of propaganda. The lies about Richard III poured forth throughout their usurpation, and still persist to this day. If they could say something unpleasant and derogatory about him, they did. Perhaps it was in their blood, of course, because they were descended (one way or another) from… Continue reading Spreading propaganda works both ways, as John of Gaunt discovered….
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