Events
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My reaction to Lucy Worsley’s Christmas Carol Odyssey….
“Tudor” propaganda, “Tudors”, Anglo-Saxons, bias, Catholics, Charles “III”, Christina Rossetti, Christmas carols, Christmas truce, Edward VI, Ely Cathedral, Father Christmas, First World War, French Revolution, Gustav Holst, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Jacobites, Lucy Worsley, Methodists, music, mystery plays, Napoleonic wars, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Reformation, Reverend Phillips, wassailingSometimes the stories behind our much-loved Christmas carols are quite disheartening, involving as they do national and international strife and religious rivalry that was both bloody and filled with hatred. Yet every year we sing the resultant carols with joy. The reactions of the human race are sometimes contradictory. To say the least! I am…
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While the traditional Yule Log is associated with Great Britain – as its television broadcast/DVD version is associated with America – it seems to have originated in the misty past of Central Germany and Westphalia. It is certainly of pagan origin as are many of our Christian customs. To quote Sir James George Frazer in…
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“….the beautiful, unspoiled Mediterranean town of Patara is the birthplace of the bearded gift-giver, who we look out for with such excitement on Christmas Eve. Or rather, the birthplace of the third century Christian saint whose life of kindness and miraculous do-goodery created a legend which has evolved down the centuries, and given us the…
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Well, I can’t believe poinsettias, pretty as they are, ever featured in medieval European Christmas festivities! Any more than turkeys, roast potatoes, cranberries, chocolate and other such delights that are due entirely to the New World. The above picture is from this article about the pagan origins of Christmas, and for all its New World…
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Being obsessed with all the books related to Richard III, I discovered a very interesting story I totally ignored. I bought a book titled “The Crowned Boar” published in 1971 and I soon discovered (after buying both of them for a small fortune) that there was another book titled “The Son of York” that told…
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This year is the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Tewkesbury, and—justifiably—Gloucester wants a piece of the celebratory action. After all, Gloucester did contribute a lot to the outcome, by ensuring Margaret and her forces were obliged to take a stand in a place they wouldn’t have chosen. The queen wanted to pass through the…
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… for exceptional service was presented to Pam Benstead of the Worcestershire Branch recently. Here is a video about it.
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Please Melton, don’t invite Henry VII….
2022, Anne of Cleves, Bank Holidays, celebrities, Elizabeth of Austria, Food, George IV, Great North Road, Henry VII, hunting, Leicestershire, Lord Cardigan, Maharani of Jaipur, Melton Mowbray, Platinum Jubilee, pork pie, Priories, Reformation, Richard I, roads, Stilton, Thomas Cromwell, William the LionOh dear, the whole idea was excellent until I read the dreaded name Henry VII. Will someone please advise them not to bother with that piece of Tudor crud? He’s a party-pooper and will rain on their parade for sure. Go to site this site to read about the event at Melton.
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The following extract is from site this site, which concerns various attractions in York. I have picked out the paragraphs that apply paricularly to Richard III. “….The Yorkshire Museum, meanwhile, is scheduled to re-open in late July – by which time it will have been closed for 16 months, thanks to the Covid pandemic. “….It…
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In the course of trying to find out about the medieval fairs of St Albans, I came upon this site, which covers the fairs and markets of the whole of England and Wales to the reign of Edward VI. It’s interesting and very informative, turning up all sorts of obscure long-forgotten fairs and markets. And…
The New Murrey and Blue blog 