British Museum

Let’s swap for a while. Your Bayeux Tapestry for our Sutton Hoo Treasures….

Aug 11, 2025

archaeology, armour, battles, buildings, history, research, Usurpers to throne

Bayeur Museum, Bayeux Tapestry, British Museum, Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwinson, Sutton Hoo Treasures, William I

If you go to this link https://tinyurl.com/5y5j2fwy you’ll read that after a number of failed negotiations in the past, Britain is at last to be entrusted with the Bayeux Tapestry. Not for good—Heaven forfend!—but on loan, and in return we are lending France the wonderful Sutton Hoo treasures. (Can they be trusted with our treasures,…
See “King Richard III” give a talk in Stamford, Lincolnshire….

Apr 30, 2025

anniversaries, archaeology, battles, buildings, culture, Events, history, medieval characters, Richard III, Uncategorized

Battle of Bosworth, British Museum, British Museum Curator Dr Garth Williams, Browne’s Hospital Stamford, medieval stained glass windows, Richard III, William Browne wool merchant of Stamford

There is a wonderful 550-year-old hospital in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and it is there due to the 1475 generosity of wealthy wool merchant William Browne and his wife. It was granted a charter by Richard III, not long before the king’s tragic death at the Battle of Bosworth. “….British Museum curator Dr Gareth Williams is helping…
Dear Catherine …,

Jun 25, 2023

anniversaries, art, buildings, heraldry, law, religion

“Tudors”, Anne Boleyn, annulments, Arthur “Tudor”, bigamy, British Museum, Catherine of Aragon, executions, Henry VIII, jewellery, Julius II, Leviticus 18:16, marriages, Mary I, metal detecting, non-consummation, pendants, popes, Warwickshire

… Here is a little something to thank you for being married to me for so long because you definitely weren’t married to my brother, as the Pope confirmed. Sorry, for not being validly married to me because you were really married to my brother, as I decided, despite you giving birth to my first…
MEDIEVAL POSY RINGS – GIVEN WITH LOVE…

May 10, 2023

anniversaries, archaeology, art, buildings, The play’s the thing

Ashmolean Museum, British Museum, Catherine de Roet, Dorset, engraving, gifts, gold, Hamlet, Joan Hanham, John of Gaunt, metal detecting, Museum of London, posy rings, romance, Thomas Brook, Victoria and Albert Museum

Reblogged from MEDIEVAL POSY RINGS – GIVEN WITH LOVE… ‘Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?’ ‘Tis brief, my lord’ * This beauty is reputed to have been given by John of Gaunt (1340-1399) to his mistress and subsequent third wife, Katheryn Swinford (1350-1403). The inscription reads ‘alas for fayte’ which was probably…
Richard III’s boar badge found at Chiddingly manor house in 1999….

Jul 13, 2022

archaeology, art, battles, buildings, Science

boars, British Museum, Chiddingly, country houses, metal detecting, noblemen, Richard III, silver, Sussex

“….in 1999 a metal detectorist made an extraordinary find that’s become known as the Chiddingly Boar: ‘The white boar badge was used by Richard III’s household and followers between 1472 and 1485,’ the British Museum explain on their website of the hat badge that is now in their collection….” “….The boar was Richard’s symbol, and thousands…
Found in Devon …

Jun 25, 2022

anniversaries, archaeology, art, buildings, religion

Africa, British Museum, coins, Devon, Eleanor of Provence, Fitzwilliam Museum, gold pennies, goldsmiths, Henry III, metal detecting, Spink Auctions, William of Gloucester

We often feature very old coins unearthed. This one was found by metal detecting in a field somewhere in Devon and dates from Henry III‘s reign. It was part of a special consignment of pennies, minted by William of Gloucester with African gold. It features the Great Pavement of Westminster Abbey, which he updated, and…
Lucy Worsley “proves” Richard III murdered his nephews….!

Jun 12, 2022

battles, buildings, genealogy, law, religion, Science, sources, television reviews, The play’s the thing

“Princes”, ambush, Battle of Bosworth, BBC2, bias, bigamy, bones, British Museum, Charles II, coins, Coronation, Dighton, Domenico Mancini, dressing-up box, Edward IV’s will, Elizabeth Wydeville, executions, Forrest, Henry VII, Hicks, illegitimacy, James Butler, JCB, Lord Protector of the Realm, Lucy Worsley, Ludlow Castle, Matt Lewis, More, Old St. Paul’s, pre-contract, Ralph Shaa, Richard III, Richard of Shrewsbury, scoliosis, Sir Anthony Wydeville, Stony Stratford, Tanner and Wright, Tim Thornton, Tower of London, Turi King, Tyrrell “confession”

Episode 3 of Lucy Worsley‘s latest TV series is about The Princes in the Tower, and from the outset it’s clear that Lucy is Lady Dracula, because she goes for Richard III’s jugular at every opportunity. The thought that he might be innocent doesn’t seem to occur to her because she’s utterly convinced of…
The Augustinian Priory of St Mary Merton and its Destruction.

Jun 10, 2022

anniversaries, archaeology, art, buildings, religion, Science

A24, Bishop of Winchester, British Library, British Museum, burials, Dissolution of the Monasteries, Gilbert le Norman, Henry I, Henry III, Henry V, Henry VI, John, Magna Carta, Mary I, Matthew Parris, Merantun Way, Merton Priory, River Wandle, Runnymede, Society of Antiquaries, St. Thomas Becket, Stane Street, Surrey, Walter de Merton, Westminster Abbey, windows

Reblogged from A Medieval Potpourri sparkypus.com One of Merton Priory’s gates. Possibly entrance to the guest accommodation or hospitium thought to have been located to the west of the priory. Rebuilt and resited in 1935 outside St Mary’s Church, Merton. Photo thanks to Mr Joel’s Photography. Merton Abbey, Colliers Wood, London, SW19 does not exactly…
ANOTHER PRECIOUS FIND TO ADD TO THE MIDDLEHAM JEWEL AND RING..

May 13, 2022

archaeology, art, buildings, religion, sources

Anne Beauchamp, Anne Neville, British Museum, Calais, Cheapside, childbirth, Coverham Abbey, Dennington, East Park, esses, gold bible, goldsmiths, Henry IV, Isobel Neville, Jervaulx Abbey, John Cherry, John of Gaunt, Lancastrians, London Bridge, Lord Bardolph, Middleham Jewel, Middleham Ring, Nevilles, Rous Roll, Sheriff Hutton, St. Leonard, St. Margaret, Suffolk, Ted Seaton, York Museum

Reblogged from A Medieval Potpourri sparkypus.com The Middleham Jewel, AD 1450-1500. Photo Anthony Chappel Ross, Courtesy York Museums Trust. Two metal detectorists have recently had a sumptous litte find. A tiny gold bible beautifully engraved. Which is great. But what makes their find super great is that it is yet another discovery made near the remains…
Returning to Sutton Hoo

May 8, 2022

anniversaries, archaeology, buildings, genealogy, religion, travel

“The Dig”, Anglo-Saxons, Basil Brown, Beowulf, British Museum, Bromeswell Bucket, burial mounds, cafe, Carey Mulligan, cornish pasty, Deben, Edith Pretty, exhibition hall, Greek, National Trust, Orford Castle, Raedwald, Ralph Fiennes, Richard III Society, Scandinavia, Seamus Heaney, ship burial, Suffolk, Sutton Hoo, viewing platform, Woodbridge, Wuffings

The Mid Anglia branch of the Richard III society met at Woodbridge railway station and drove to the National Trust’s Sutton Hoo. Sutton Hoo, made famous this year by the release of Netflix’s “The Dig”, starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan, is the site of the Royal burial ground of East Anglia’s 6th, 7th and…