buildings
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I came upon this article 10 Forgotten Serial Killers From The Middle Ages – Listverse (there are many such lists to be found) and was rather intrigued that not one of the ten appears to have come from the British Isles. I also noticed that the infamous Gilles de Rais doesn’t make it to the…
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It seems there is a mystery about the birthplace of the saintly Sir Thomas More. Was it somewhere in Cheapside on 7 February 1478, as a plaque claims? Well, that was the belief for quite some time, but recently, according to this link The Mystery of Thomas More’s Birthplace | History Today it’s thought more…
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We’re all fascinated by and drawn to medieval castles. Whether, like Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, they’re still intact (albeit much “improved” over the centuries) or (like Harlech in Wales) simply some dramatic ruins that have us wishing to see their original complete selves in whichever period interests us the most. But although we see many…
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I do enjoy Country Life magazine, mainly for the beautiful old houses that come up for sale and are shown in detail. The actual history of the properties isn’t always mentioned, and so I try to find out more, in the hope of learning of some connection to “our” period. This time the 6-bedroom property…
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Poetry, architecture and journalism in their souls
“Tudor” rebellions, Annette Carson, architects, bob wyatt, bodyline, cricket, false allegations, Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk, Jane, Lord Guildford Dudley, MPs, peers, petronella wyatt, poets, Scotland, Sir Henry Wyatt, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Thomas Wyatt the Younger, Wallis Simpson, Woodrow Wyatt, Wyatt familyAt the moment, it looks as though there may be two separate Wyatt families. The first would start with Sir Henry, who the anti-historians claim to have been tortured on the orders of Richard III … except that we know, thanks to Carson et al, that it happened in Scotland. Sir Thomas the poet (left)…
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Ripley Castle for Sale-1st time in 700 years
Bosworth, Carthusian Monastery, Edward IV, Elizabeth Wydeville, executions, Henry Earl of Northumberland, Henry VII, john ingleby, katherine stillington, margery strangeways, Northallerton, property sales, Richard III, Richard Welles, ripley castle, Robert Stillington, Robin Hood, Sheen, william inglebyRipley Castle in Yorkshire will be put up for sale later in the year for the first time in 700 years. If you can scrape up the money in your piggybank, the sale also includes the Boar’s Head pub and several village houses. The castle has an interesting history. It became a possession of the…
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Nowadays the title of Dame is the simple female equivalent of a knight, a woman who has achieved a lot in science, business, sport, entertainment or charity. This was not always so. In the mediaeval era, a knight earned his title in battle and his female counterpart could not, however, it was the Anglo-Norman version…
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After he became King, Richard III leased the Manor of Chelsea to the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk for a red rose given each Midsummer. The Dowager Duchess was Elizabeth Talbot, the sister of Eleanor Talbot, Edward IV‘s secret wife. Elizabeth (and Eleanor) were also full 1st cousins to Richard’s wife, Anne Neville. Elizabeth, who had…
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I have to say that this 16th-century house A 400-year-old house that’s as romantic a country cottage as you could hope to find – Country Life is a feast for the eyes. “….King John’s Lodge is sandwiched between the villages of Ticehurst and Wadhurst in the High Weald National Landscape, Kent….” I can only sigh…