The Touchet/Audley Family in the Fifteenth Century.

James Touchet, Lord Audley, was born about 1398. He was not in the first rank of magnates but nevertheless had significant estates, notably Heighley Castle, near Madeley in Staffordshire, and the Red Castle (Hawkstone) in Shropshire, as well as two small Marcher lordships in Wales. His first marriage was to Margaret Roos, daughter of Lord Roos…

Sassanachs don’t Like Mondays (allegedly)

Ormond versus Desmond In addition to the canonical list of battles, the sporadic chaos of the Wars of the Roses spawned one or two encounters between the heads of rival aristocratic families, of which the best known is the battle between the Berkeleys and Talbots at Nibley Green in Gloucestershire in March 1470. What is…

People believe Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow was real….!

Oh, good grief…. This article proves what a dire black mark must be given to the teaching (or lack of it) in our schools! What are we to do when even the teachers don’t know what they’re teaching about? Nor does the writer of the article know anything, mentioning the battles of Bosworth Hill and…

Which Baron Hungerford was responsible….?

English Heritage has embarked upon the restoration of some wall murals in Farleigh Hungerford in Somerset. The photograph above shows an image of St George as a 15th-century knight, and has suffered over the centuries from damp conditions and misguided previous attempts to save it. You can read about the work here which describes it…

Ralph Neville, second Earl of Westmorland.

Ralph Neville (about 1406 to 1484) was the son of Sir John Neville and Elizabeth Holland. Sir John was the eldest son of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland by his first wife, Margaret Stafford, while Elizabeth was one of the late 14th Century’s answer to the Mitford Sisters, the Holland sisters who married anyone who…

Ashby de la Zouch Castle – Home to William Lord Hastings

Reblogged from Ashby de la Zouch Castle – Home to William Lord Hastings An intriguing doorway leads into the Great Chamber where the family would have entertained important guests.  A fine 15th century fireplace has survived as well as a 16th century window.  Photo from the English Heritage Guidebook book Following on from my earlier post…

New Wars of the Roses postage stamps showing Graham Turner’s magnificent paintings….!

Wow! These new postage stamps are brilliant. So colourful and truly interesting. Well done whoever chose to do this, and well done even more Graham Turner for his amazing paintings. Among the other battle scenes depicted are Wakefield, Towton, First Battle of St Albans, Tewkesbury and Northampton.

THE RISE AND FALL OF WILLIAM LORD HASTINGS AND HIS CASTLE OF KIRBY MUXLOE

Reblogged from A Medieval Potpourri sparkypus.com   The atmospheric ruins of Kirby Muxloe Castle, showing the moat, the gatehouse and the only tower to near completion .. Kirby Muxloe Castle, lies in Leicestershire countryside,  in ruins, the unfinished project of William, Lord Hastings.  Hastings was the epitome of a successful and powerful  15th century lord.…

Shadow King: the Life and Death of Henry VI

 Helen Rae Rants! Shadow King: The Life and Death of Henry VI by Lauren Johnson Head of Zeus Publications, 2020, paperback, 700 pages, £12.00 ISBN 978-1784-979645 <img class=”i-amphtml-intrinsic-sizer” style=”max-width: 100%; display: block !important;” role=”presentation” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”” aria-hidden=”true” /> Henry VI has gone down in history as one of England’s worst kings. Not for being cruel…

THE ROAD FROM FOTHERINGHAY-New Novel about Richard III’s Childhood

Richard’s childhood frequently gets some coverage in novels of his life, but THE ROAD FROM FOTHERINGHAY is the only novel, to my knowledge, that is ONLY about Richard’s youngest years, set against the wider backdrop of The Wars of the Roses. It is also one of only two in which the story is told from…