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Richard III and King’s College Chapel, Cambridge….

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Cambridge - RIII

Laura Robinson investigates the events being held to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the completion of King’s College Chapel by Laura Robinson

Friday 16th October 2015, 08:13 BST

An interesting article, but I was a little surprised to read: “The crowning of Richard III sang life back into Henry’s forgotten opus; he pressed on with the building in haste, and ordered the imprisonment of any individual who delayed it. By the end of his reign, the timber roof had been constructed, and the first five bays were in use.”

Imprisonment? It may well be true, I have no idea, but somehow this does not sound like Richard, unless….is it possible he had some personal plan for this chapel? For his family? This is just a wild guess on  my part.

http://www.varsity.co.uk/theatre/9006

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  1. Dianne Penn Avatar
    Dianne Penn

    Yes it is an interesting thought! I think he might have threatened imprisonment if he had found evidence of slacking or illegal goings on? He wouldn’t like that.

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  2. Colyngbourne Avatar
    Colyngbourne

    It would be useful to see the primary source reference and quote for where Richard “ordered the imprisonment of any individual who delayed [work on the chapel]”.

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    1. bloodofcherries Avatar
      bloodofcherries

      There’s a document in MS 433 ordering “any persone or persones wolle of wilfulnesse withstande or disobeie the same that than ye wolle committe them to sure warde soo to remayn unto the tyme they be confirmable to doo us service” but no mention of threatening execution, as was claimed at a talk I recently attended.

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  3. jrlarner Avatar
    jrlarner

    I found this: “Richard III

    After the death of Edward in 1483, Richard continued on the building work and seemed to be quite passionate about the chapel’s completion.

    In August 1484, he ordered ‘the building should go on with all possible dispatch’ and to ‘press workmen and all possible hands, provide materials and imprison anyone who opposed or delayed’.

    During his reign glass was bought for many of the windows, and by the end of his reign, we know that the first 6 bays of the chapel were completed with the first 5 being roofed and in use.” on this page: https://juliatales.wordpress.com/2015/09/14/kings-college-chapel-cambridge-the-chapel-built-by-kings/

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  4. hoodedman1 Avatar
    hoodedman1

    Looking at the money given to the college by Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III, it would seem Edward had given a substantial sum…but during his reign not a great deal of building had actually taken place. This may have been why Richard was so anxious to get the half-finished building completed. Richard and Anne were also associated with Queens college and he helped with the rebuilding of another of Cambridge’s churches. His relationship with Cambridhge went back to when he was Duke, and it was a good one.

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