The New Murrey and Blue blog

It’s always interesting to know where archaeologists hope to thrust their trusty trowels next, and this article lists some sites in England. The heading Category England seems clear enough to me. Um, not so, because Scotland, Ireland and the Welsh Marches are well represented. So, incidentally are Lancashire and Yorkshire, but then they are in England, they simply have a prickly attitude toward each other! 🙄

Collyweston is first on the list and is described as a palace. This, of course was the residence of “Queen” Margaret Beaufort. I confess to not having heard it described as a palace before. But as she was never Queen Margaret I suppose I should write of her residence with quotes around it too. “Palace”. Fair do’s, as the saying goes.

However, when it comes to being in England, Druminnor in Aberdeenshire and Tarbert in Argyll certainly won’t appreciate being included. The same goes for Loughmoe in County Tipperary!

However, the link then goes on to include sites associated with magic and witchcraft. Chief among these is Leeds Castle in Kent….and its many royal connections, one of which was Henry IV’s “witch queen” Joan of Navarre. She spent two years of her house arrest being kept at Leeds Castle. Not that she lived in penury. Far from it. I can think of far worse places to be obliged to live in luxury.

The link doesn’t stop at magic and witchcraft, but goes on to include a number of other reports for a number of other reasons. It’s all well worth a good read.