buildings
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I find myself needing to research the sort of accommodation a weary medieval traveller might expect to find at an inn or hospice. Today we look at our picturesque 14th/15th16th century inns and have no trouble at all booking ourselves into handsome panelled rooms with low beams, latticed bay windows, fine four-posters etc. Oh…
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There are two articles in this series about Queens’ College, Cambridge. The first covers the college’s early history and can be read here and the second, which covers the later medieval period, is available here here The college received its name because no fewer than three 15th-century Queens of England became its patrons. Margaret of…
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At just 50 acres, Piel Island off Cumbria isn’t very big, as can be seen in the illustration above, and it has a tradition of ‘Kings of Piel’, which title is enjoyed by the landlord of the Ship Inn. He has his coronation too, so it’s all pukka! 😊 “….The title – according to that…
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The Cotswolds and the Wars of the Roses….
bigamy, Cirencester, Cotswolds, Edward III, Edward IV, executions, Francis Lovell, John of Gaunt, John Talbot Viscount Lisle, Lady Eleanor Talbot, Lancastrians, Lionel of Antwerp, Margaret of Anjou, Minster Lovell Hall, Mortimer’s Cross, Mortimers, Nibley Green, pre-contract, Richard III, River Windrush, rumour, sanctuary, St. John the Baptist, Sudeley Castle, Tewkesbury Abbey, Wars of the Roses, William Lord Berkeley“What role did the Cotswolds play in the 30-year Wars of the Roses?” A good question. There wasn’t a specific War of the Cotswolds, but there was (still is) a connection to the Wars of the Roses, as you’ll see in this article . For instance, there’s the wonderful Church of St John the Baptist…
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The above illustration is of Wingfield College, which is on the market for an incredible £1.75million. (Surely that’s an error?) Oh my, it’s a dream residence for anyone who loves things medieval. Even more desirable is the fact that it has some significant historic connections. It was first granted to Sir John de Wingfield,…
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One of Salisbury‘s claims to fame is that it was the place of execution of Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, infamous rebel and possible killer of one or both ‘princes in the Tower‘ (that’s if they were killed at all.) According to legend he was held at the Blue Boar Inn/Saracen’s Head and executed in…
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According to this article Heritage Britain there are apparently sixteen buildings/sites in Leicester that are at risk from disrepair or plain neglect. They include the church of St Mary de Castro: “….‘St Mary of the Castle’, this church once served Leicester Castle. King Henry VI was knighted there at the age of four, as was…
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Shrewsbury Battlefield and the memorial church of St Mary Magdelene
Alex Marchant, archers, Battle of Shrewsbury, book signing, Cheshire, Church of St. Mary Magdalene, College of Priests, Earl of Stafford, Flintshire, Fotheringhay, Henry IV, Hotspur, Manchester Picadilly, Milford Haven, Owain Glyn Dwr, Percies, re-enactment, rebellion, Tewkesbury Festival, trains, videosI have long wanted to attend the re-enactment of the Battle of Shrewsbury and also visit the church of St Mary Magdelene. In 2022 I finally managed it. It was touch and go, although I had booked my train ticket some weeks back. These days such an excursion demands a lot of effort and I…
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Well, I had heard before that medieval horses were much smaller than we imagine, and now it seems proof may may have been found. It’s a fact that for journeys medieval folk who could afford more than Shanks’ pony used small horses that could keep up a fast trot for a l-o-n-g time. They…
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I confess to not knowing much about almshouses, but this article soon explains it all.
