Edward IV
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St Lawrence’s church in Hampshire is, from the outside, a rather unassuming parish church with an unsightly stucco exterior. Inside, however, it has several very interesting historical features that make it well worth a visit. The church is Norman, with later additions from the 13th and 15th c. It contains an even earlier Saxon font,…
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Recently, John Halle’s house in Salisbury, a 15th century building and home to the Odeon Cinema, went up for auction. John Halle was a local merchant and a rather fractious fellow–he upset Edward IV and ended up cooling his heels in the Tower for a while, after having a major dispute with Richard Beauchamp, Bishop…
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All that Ricardians and Yorkists need to know about this article is the following: “….Richard III (1483-1485): He was the brother of Edward IV. His ruthless method of removing all opposition and the alleged murder of his nephews made his rule very unpopular….” Ruthless? Richard? If he had been, Margaret Beaufort would have been…
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I am currently reading the new edition of The History of King Richard the Third by Sir George Buc. This is a massive tome, by any standards, and certainly, no light read. I have barely begun to absorb the contents, but one interesting discussion in the (very large) introduction is about the famous letter which…
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Monarchs and the perils of legitimacy….
“Lambert Simnel”, “Perkin”, “Princes”, “Tudor” rebellions, Battle of Bosworth, Black Prince, coronations, Edward III, Edward IV, Henry VII, illegitimacy, Jehan de Wavrin, John of Gaunt, Lady Eleanor Talbot, Margaret Duchess of Burgundy, relegitimisation, Richard II, Richard III, staircases, succession, Thomas of woodstock, Titulus Regius, Titulus Regius 1486, Toronto Sun, Tower of London“….In medieval and Tudor times, it was important for people to know that their king had actually died and that the succession was ‘safe’…. “….We all remember the story of the little princes in the Tower. The older of the two would have been King Edward V, had he lived. But no one ever really…
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My two favourite kings, Richards II and III, get a mention in this article Top 10 castles in England (readersdigest.co.uk). All ten castles are splendidly impressive, but there are so many more, equally splendid and impressive, that are omitted. As witness Arundel above. But if you’re selecting your own top 10 in England, these are…
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Some progress in Cairo, but not enough yet
“Princes”, “Tudor” propaganda, Anne St. Leger, Annette Carson, bigamy, Brittany, Buckingham rebellion, Constable of England, Council of the North, Daily Mail, de la Poles, Dominic Sandbrook, Edward II, Edward IV, Edward of Warwick, Elizabeth of York, Elvis Presley, executions, Henry of Buckingham, Henry VII, James Gairdner, Kathryn Warner, Lady Margaret Beaufort, Leicester, Margaret of Salisbury, mtDNA evidence, rescue plot, Robert Stillington, Royal Progress, same-sex marriage, Stoke Field, Thomas Lord Stanley, Thomas More, Three Estates, Titulus RegiusHere is the Mail article in question, by Dominic Sandbrook. He has now abandoned More as a source and the superficial coincidence of some bones being found within a quarter of a mile of More’s location – never mind that More’s priest is said to have buried the “Princes” below a thirteenth century staircase, let…
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Oh, is there no end to the groanworthiness of TV documentaries? I found myself watching Blowing-up History, series 8, episode 5, about the Tower of London. (My hand is cupped to my shell-like ear, and yes, I can hear your soaring chorus of groans!) You’re right, yet again it was Richard wot dunnit to…
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According to this link: “The Herefordshire home of the late John Challis – famous for playing Boycie in [the] iconic sitcom Only Fools and Horses – has been put up for sale.” Much as I love Boycie (I’m delighted when Only Fools and Horses and Green Green Grass of Home are repeated on TV), it’s…
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Various Goings on in the General Area of Cheshire.
Battle of Northampton, Battle of Shrewsbury, Blore Heath, Cheshire, Chester Castle, Chirk Castle, Clwyd, Coventry, de Bohun, Dee estuary, Duke of Norfolk, Edward IV, Edward of Lancaster, executions, fee-farm, Henry Duke of Somerset, Hexham, Holt, Holt Castle, House of Lancaster, Jasper “Tudor”, John Neville, John Paston III, John Southworth, Lancashire, Margaret of Anjou, Mold Fair, Nantwich, Redbank, Richard Duke of York, Richard II, Sir William Stanley, Skipton Castle, swan, Thomas Lord Stanley, Thomas NevilleAlthough Cheshire was fiercely loyal to Richard II, after the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403) that loyalty gradually transferred itself to the House of Lancaster. Cheshire was a royal earldom and palatinate, with the King (or the Prince of Wales when there was one) as its immediate lord. As in next-door Lancashire, there was no resident…