The New Murrey and Blue blog

Reblogged from sparkypus.com

Its often been written that,  along  with so many children of the times he lived in, even those of the nobility, not a lot is known about Richard III and Anne Neville’s small son Edward.  There is even confusion about both his date of birth and death, although some very plausible suggestions have been made,  as well as his place of burial which is what I would like to focus on here.

King Richard and Queen Anne, The Beauchamp Pageant

The fullest account of Edward’s short life, as afar as I am aware , can be found in Peter Hammond’s book The Children of Richard III while Professor Pollard devoted a chapter with the the poignant title of Last Summer at Middleham in his book The Worlds of Richard III.   Both give details of expenditures covering the last months of Edward’s life some of which are quite charming including ’12d for Martyn the fole’.

Returning to Edward’s unknown  place of burial,  various locations have been suggested including Coverham , Jervaulx, Sheriff Hutton, York and Middleham.   I personally would plump on Middleham.  Rous, who would have been in a position to know states  quite clearly Edward was buried at Middleham which would make perfect sense.   In his Latin version of his Roll,  Rous states:

‘ Edward,  illustrious Prince of Wales,  only son and heir to King Richard the third and his honourable consort Anne , Queen of England,  but in fact heir to Heaven;  his sacred soul was never infected by the blemish of guilt and he died a child before his parents and was taken with honour to a grave at Middleham’ (1)

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