The New Murrey and Blue blog

Tewkesbury

The Decline of Villeinage

Oct 11, 2021

culture, law

Despensers, Elizabeth I, farms, Kent, Nigel Saul, Peasants’ Revolt, serfs, Tewkesbury, villeins

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 is well-known, and it is often thought that the decline of serfdom, or villeinage, began at about this time. The truth is more complex. Like most English traditions, villeinage took a long time to pass and outlived its usefulness by many decades. Indeed Queen Elizabeth I still owned serfs –…
Now available …

Sep 27, 2021

anniversaries, battles, Music Reviews

albums, biographies, Calais, Edward of Lancaster, George Duke of Clarence, Jasper “Tudor”, John Duke of Somerset, John Earl of Oxford, John Neville Marquis of Montagu, Readeption, Richard of Warwick, Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury battlefield website, The Legendary Ten Seconds

… on the Tewkesbury battlefield website: Wars of the Roses music by the Legendary Ten Seconds. Here is more information about the group and their output so far.
Gloucester’s contribution to the Battle of Tewkesbury….

Aug 31, 2021

anniversaries, archaeology, battles, buildings, Events

Alney Island, Andrew Armstrong, charter, drowning, Edward of Lancaster, executions, George Duke of Clarence, Gloucester, Henry VI, Henry VII, Lancastrians, Lord Protector of the Realm, Malmsey, Margaret of Anjou, processions, Richard Duke of York, Richard’s Wood, River Severn, Tewkesbury

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…
Some ghosts of Oxfordshire, but try Gloucestershire for size too….

May 9, 2021

battles, buildings

Edward II, Edward of Lancaster, Francis Viscount Lovell, ghosts, Gloucestershire, Littledean Hall, Margaret of Anjou, Minster Lovell, Oxford Mail, Oxfordshire, Tewkesbury

It seems that Oxfordshire is one of our most haunted county. Maybe. But I know of a few that would claim more ghosts. At the risk of irritating a whole bunch of folk, I’ll say my next-door county of Gloucestershire has the most ghosts of all. OK, OK, don’t all shout and wave your…
Medieval spies….

May 4, 2021

anniversaries, battles, buildings, religion

Bristol, Church of England, Churchdown, Edward IV, Gloucester, Ian Arthurson, Margaret of Anjou, River Severn, Robinswood Hill, spies, Tewkesbury

Thanks to a post on the Richard III Society Forum, I was steered to the following interesting Ian Arthurson article about medieval spying. We know that the Tudors excelled in this dangerous world, but it’s not so well known that it was quite rife during the Wars of the Roses as well. Royalty—and the Church—always…
New Wars of the Roses postage stamps showing Graham Turner’s magnificent paintings….!

May 1, 2021

anniversaries, art, battles

Barnet, Battle of Bosworth, Battle of Northampton, David Grummitt, First Battle of St. Albans, Graham Turner, stamps, Tewkesbury, Towton, Wakefield, Wars of the Roses

Wow! These new postage stamps are brilliant. So colourful and truly interesting. Well done whoever chose to do this, and well done even more Graham Turner for his amazing paintings. Among the other battle scenes depicted are Wakefield, Towton, First Battle of St Albans, Tewkesbury and Northampton.
The 550th anniversary of the Battle of Tewkesbury….!

Apr 17, 2021

anniversaries, art, battles

Graham Turner, paintings, Tewkesbury

Take note everyone, this is from the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society: “….In the run up to the 550th anniversary we are running a day by day information page on the progress of both the Yorkist and Lancastrian manoeuvres prior to the meeting at Tewkesbury. To find out more and to receive these updates visit our…
A CASTLE SAVED AT CODNOR

Feb 17, 2021

anniversaries, battles, buildings, genealogy

Barnet, Battle of Bosworth, Codnor Castle, Greys, Henry Baron Grey, Katherine Neville, Katherine Stourton, Katherine Strangways, Margaret Stanley, Nevilles, Second Battle of St. Albans, Sir John Woodville, Sir Thomas Strangways, Sir William de la Pole, Stoke Field, Tewkesbury, Tower of London

I first heard of Codnor Castle some 40 years ago…and never went there. At the time, the only info I had said it was ‘just foundations’ so I passed on by. It was only in the last two years I realised there was in fact large, standing masonry including towers of this once-imposing castle. However,…
Gloucester on 28th October, 1378, 1483 and 1967….

Oct 28, 2020

anniversaries, buildings, religion, travel

Brecon, Buckingham rebellion, coronations, Edward II tomb, Finchampstead, Gloucester, Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester Mourning Sword, Gloucestershire archives, Gnosall, Henry of Buckingham, John Morton, John Russell, Old West Gate, Parliament, Ralph Bannaster, Richard II, Richard III, River Severn, Royal Progress, royal visits, Saracen’s Head, Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury Abbey, Wales

28th October is a notable day for me because of three events in Gloucester’s history:- (1) It was the day my second favourite king, Richard II was in Gloucester and Tewkesbury—well, he was from 20th October 1378 until mid-November, so had to be in one or the other on the 28th. (2) It was also…
The Royal Progress of Richard III

Aug 29, 2020

anniversaries, battles, buildings, law, religion, sources, travel

“Arrivall of Edward IV”, “Princes”, Annales, Anne Neville, Anne Sutton, Black Death, Brecon, Bristol, Buckingham rebellion, Cambridge, Canterbury Cathedral, Catherine de Medici, Charles IX, Chief Justice, Compton Reeves, Cora Schofield, Coventry, Crowland Chronicle, Earl of Kildare, Edmund of Rutland, Edward II, Edward III, Edward IV, Edward of Middleham, Edward the Black Prince, Eucharist, execution, Fotheringhay, Francis Viscount Lovell, Gainsborough, George Duke of Clarence, George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury, Gloucester, Gloucester Cathedral, Grantham, Great Chronicle, Great Seal, Henry of Buckingham, Henry VI, Henry VII, investiture, Isabel Neville, Jamestown, John Fortescue, John Howard Duke of Norfolk, John Kendall, John Morton, John of Gloucester, John Russell, Katherine Hastings, Latin, Leicester, Lincoln, Lionel Woodville, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Louis XI, Ludlow, Margaret d’Anjou, Micklegate Bar, Middleham Castle, Minster Lovell, mystery plays, Nottingham, Oxford, Pamela Tudor-Craig, Peter Hammond, Pilgrims’ Way, Pontefract, Reading, reburials, Rhoda Edwards, Richard Duke of York, Richard Earl Rivers, Richard III, Richard of Salisbury, River Ouse, River Severn, River Witham, Rosemary Horrox, Royal Progress, Sandwich, Sir Baldwin Fulford, Sir John Woodville, St. George, Tadcaster, Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury Abbey, Thomas of woodstock, Thomas Rotherham, Thornbury, Titulus Regius, Wakefield, Wales, Warwick, William I, William Lord Hastings, William Waynflete, Windsor Castle, Woodstock, Worcester, York

Following his coronation, Richard III – like all medieval monarchs – went on his “royal progress” through the realm. Along with an entourage in excess of 200 household men, ecclesiastics, supporters, and administrative officials, he visited towns and cities as far west as the River Severn, as far north as the River Ouse, and as…