anniversaries
-
More Mythology of Richard III
“Beauforts”, “Tudors”, Battle of Bosworth, David Starkey, denialists, Edmund of Langley, Edward of Warwick, hair colour, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Isabel of Castile, Joan Hill, John Ashdown-Hill, John Holland, Lady Margaret Beaufort, Lord Strange, More, Rhys ap Thomas, sweating sickness, The Mythology of Richard III, Thomas Stanley, Turi King, Y-chromosomeThe Mythology of Richard III was one of the late John Ashdown-Hill’s fine and well-researched books, which tried to dispel some of the ingrained tall tales about the much-maligned King. Unfortunately, ‘MORE Mythology’ seems to come up all too infrequently, and I am not necessarily talking about Thomas More, although his name often arises still…
-
Sad to say, when I lived in a country cottage, the only things I ever found in the garden were broken clay pipes (a lot!) and fragments of pottery and china, of which blue and white were by far the main colour. Did I find one coin, let alone 63? Well, a well-worn penny…
-
The Audley Case of 1431 Redux
Alianore Holland, Caversham Park, Church courts, Constance of York, Despencers, Edmund Earl of Kent, Edward IV, Elizabeth Wydeville, English Common Law, Gandhi, Gian Maria Visconti, Henry IV, Isabel le Despenser, James Lord Audley, Joan of Navarre, Kathryn Warner, Lucia Visconti, Margaret Duchess of Clarence, Milan, Mortimer plot, Owain Glyn Dwr, possible bigamy, restored lands, Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, Richard Duke of York, Richard II, secret marriage, St Mary Overy, the Beauforts., WalesWe originally posted on this issue here. In summary, in 1431 or thereabouts, Alianore, Lady Audley, and her husband James were trying to demonstrate in the Church court that Alianore was legitimate and thus the heiress of her father, Edmund, Earl of Kent by Constance of York. Kent’s surviving sisters and the heirs of the…
-
I know there are different ways of spelling one word…especially when it comes to the British/US versions (we’re separated by the same language, right?) but sometimes I come across a word that I have only ever seen spelled one way, yet it suddenly pops up with an extra “s”. In this instance the word is…
-
Was the 3rd Duke of York like his youngest son in appearance….?
appearance, beards, churches, Cirencester, Edmund of Langley, Edmund of Rutland, Edward III, Edward the Black Prince, hair colour, Holands, Humphrey of Gloucester, Joan of Kent, John Earl of Shrewsbury, Richard Duke of York, Richard Earl of Cambridge, Richard II, Richard III, Sir Anthony Wydeville, stained glass, The Shrewsbury Book, Trinity College, William CaxtonWhen I posted on my Facebook page that it had been suggested to me I write an M&B article about the physical appearance of the 3rd Duke of York, a friend commented: “. . . .According to John Ashdown Hill’s biography of Cecily, he was probably tall because of some poem written about how…
-
England and Wales abound with saints who have never figured very highly—or even at all—in the estimation of Rome. British saints rarely seem to reach the hallowed list, unless they were of the calibre of Becket. But in their local area these saints were much revered and of considerable importance. One of them is…
-
Don’t have a drink in your hand as you read the following:- “ . . . Princess Anne Neville of Bohemia, who was looked to as the embodiment of virtue and modesty, rode side-saddle across Europe prior to her marriage to King Richard III in 1472. Their marriage lasted three years, as King Richard died…
-
“….Margaret of Anjou challenged all gender notions, defied her own banishment and even brought down Richard III‘s terrorising rule….” Er, Margaret of Anjou did what? She died in 1482, so how’d she manage that? Well, we are in Shakespeare Land here, where any lie is possible. Even poor old Richard’s “terrorising” reign. Perhaps they know…
-
In Wakefield Museum there is a rather unusual artefact–a late medieval chamber pot that was discovered in the ruins of Sandal Castle. This would be an unusual find at the best of times, but what makes this porta-potty even more interesting and special is that is is mounted with the large figure of a boar!…
The New Murrey and Blue blog 