Ricardian Bulletin Is Produced by the Bulletin Editorial Committee, Printed by St Edmundsbury Press

Ricardian

Bulletin Winter 2007 Contents 2 From the Chairman 5 The Robert Hamblin Award 2007 6 Society News and Notices 14 Electronic Communications 15 In Praise of Elizabeth Nokes 17 John Audsley – A Tribute 18 Media Retrospective 20 The Real Richard III 21 News and Reviews 22 Bosworth Battlefield Archaeology Project Update: by John Knox 25 Bosworth Battlefield Exhibition Re-opens: by Jo Preston 26 Living History: The Order of the Boar Part 1: by Callum Forbes 30 The Man Himself: by Frederick Hepburn 34 The Wenlock Jug: by Peter Hammond 35 Fairford Parish Church: by Gwen & Brian Waters 38 The Real Reason Why Hastings Lost His Head Part 1: by David Johnson 42 ‘A Stately and dignified introduction to the city’: the Micklegate Bar of York: by Doreen Leach 45 Correspondence 50 The Barton Library 52 Report on Society Events 54 Future Society Events 57 Branch and Group Contacts Update 57 Branches and Groups 61 Obituaries 63 Recently Deceased Members 63 New Members 64 Calendar

Contributions Contributions are welcomed from all members. All contributions should be sent to the Technical Editor, Lynda Pidgeon. Bulletin Press Dates 15 January for spring issue; 15 April for summer issue; 15 July for autumn issue; 15 October for winter issue. Articles should be sent well in advance. Bulletin & Ricardian Back Numbers Back issues of the The Ricardian and Bulletin are available from Judith Ridley. If you are interested in obtaining any back numbers, please contact Mrs Ridley to establish whether she holds the issue(s) in which you are interested. For contact details see inside back cover of the Bulletin

The Ricardian Bulletin is produced by the Bulletin Editorial Committee, Printed by St Edmundsbury Press. © Richard III Society, 2007

From the Chairman

elcome to the Winter 2007 issue of the Ricardian Bulletin. Can it really be twelve months W since last I wrote about Christmas and the AGM, though not necessarily in that order? Members’ Day at the end of September went well and my thanks go to all who helped to make it a success. A lot of effort goes in to organising such a day and it is very gratifying when everything comes together successfully. Full reports of the Day can be found in this Bulletin. The event also gave me the opportunity of paying tribute to the work of two long-standing members Elizabeth Nokes, who resigned as the Society’s Secretary last year and to John Audsley who has recently retired as chairman of the Yorkshire Branch. Sadly I also had to report of the passing of Daphne Booth and there is heart-warming obituary from Diane Paterson. Once again, the editorial team offer us a veritable smorgasbord of good things, including a new bursary (it’s always nice when the Society is able to help finance someone’s research), the first in our occasional series about ‘Living History’ and a new take on the execution of Lord Has- tings. However, this issue to some extent wrote itself with several items of dare I say, breaking news. The possibility of a new telling of the life of Richard III, involving that splendid actor, Richard Armitage, is an extraordinarily exciting project with an additional twist, but you need to read the article for yourselves! Frederick Hepburn’s review of the Royal Academy’s exhibition Making History includes a report on the newly-cleaned panel portrait of Richard III which demonstrates the kind of prejudice that was Richard was subjected to posthumously. Incidentally, the owners of the portrait, the Society of Antiquaries of London, have generously allowed us to continue using the portrait on the website, in our forthcoming new brochure and in this issue of the Bulletin and have supplied a digital file of the cleaned and conserved portrait. Our thanks to them for their generosity. But the news doesn’t end here. Richard Knox, who gave the lecture at the AGM, has written a report on the on-going archaeology around the Bosworth site and can give us an indication of where the battle of ‘Redemore’ really took place! And finally the Royal Mail are producing postage stamps with a Lancastrian and Yorkist theme and one of which will feature the ‘Man Himself’. Since last I wrote to you, we have been to Bosworth and those of you who were there will know that the weather was disastrous. Although it is looking more and more as if the traditional site is not the exact site, I am very happy to tell you that the Society’s relations with the Battle- field Centre are growing ever closer and that we have had some input into the new arrangements there. Do read Jo Preston’s article about this. Next year, as you can see, there is already much to look forward to, including the Triennial Conference and a visit to Avignon. If you have not yet signed up for the latter, I suggest you stop reading this and do so - NOW - in the hope that the organisers might yet be able to squeeze you in. Coming out quarterly as it does, the Bulletin is not very practical when there is breaking news or there is something that requires an urgent response from members. So, in an attempt to speed up our communications with members, we have tried out an electronic newsletter. It is hoped that we can make it a regular feature. Read more about it further on and sign-up. Finally, let me congratulate Helen Cox and Mick Doggett on their marriage. How nice to be able to have your blessing in the Lead Chapel at Towton. Looking at the calendar for next year, I am reminded that I am supposed to be organising a visit in June. I had better get on with it then, but not before wishing you all the compliments of the Festive Season. Merry Christmas to you all. Phil Stone 2

The Chairman’s Keynote Address to the Society at the AGM

Back in London this year, once again in Staple Inn, and after all the events and excitement of our 50th anniversary year, it might be supposed that 2007 would have been a little quieter, and to a degree, it has, but that is not to say that we haven’t been busy. We have had the usual round of Society activities as well as having faced up to a number of important policy issues. Highlights of the year include  The continuing scholarly excellence of The Ricardian, and the lively, informative and entertaining Bulletin.  Another successful study research weekend. Participants studied medieval warfare and visited one of the bloodiest of battlefields, Towton.  The Visits Committee took members to Battle Abbey, to Rye, to Old and New Romney and to Winchelsea, whilst the long weekend was spent in the delights of King’s Lynn. There were the usual visits to Bosworth and Fotheringhay as well, of course.  The Society contributed to the restoration of a medieval stained glass window at the west end of the north aisle of Stratford St Mary Church, Suffolk, a church with connections to the de la Pole family. In June, there was the unveiling of a new plaque commemorating the arrival in Cromer of Edward IV and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in March, 1471.  Members in Australasia held a very successful Convention in New Zealand during April.  During the year we have continued to respond effectively to media coverage of Richard III and the Yorkist period. An episode of BBC 2’s ‘Castle in the Country’ series featured a letter, alleged to have been written by Richard which, if genuine, would have had serious implica- tions about Richard's part in the disappearance of the Princes. Fortunately, we were able to demonstrate that it was a forgery.  Also on BBC 2, there was involvement with ‘Flog It', the antiques programme. An edition in February was based in Leicester, and the BBC approached the Society to see if it could provide a member to be interviewed. Wendy Moorhen, our Research Officer, went up to Bos- worth to represent us. Running any organisation in these uncertain times is not an easy task, and you will be aware that we have had to make some tough decisions recently with regard to subscription rates. In order to be more effective, we must have more resources. I’m sure members will view the subscription increases as a necessary step towards raising the profile of the Society in its quest to seek historical justice for King Richard. In the context of reviewing subscription rates, we have looked closely at the rates charged to overseas members. Overseas subscriptions are always a minefield as postage costs and currency fluctuations make agreeing an equitable rate a challenge for all sides. I take this opportunity to thank the officers of the American Branch for their understanding as we work towards a resolu- tion of their subscription that recognises the cost of servicing their members as well as their great contribution to the Ricardian cause. If last year’s theme was celebration and this has been a year of consolidation, for the coming year, perhaps the theme ought to be that of expansion. Given the much improved financial position of the Society, and the further improvements anticipated by increased income from proposed subscription rate increases, we are in a position to plan a clear programme of future activities, all aimed at increasing the profile of the Society. Specific projects include:  Taking part in the prestigious high-profile ‘Who Do You Think You Are? - Live’ exhibition next May in Olympia.  The publication of the Education Pack, which will include a CD rom.  Publication of the results of the Wills Project – the Testator Index and the Logge Wills. 3

 Publication of the Proceedings of the 2006 Cambridge Triennial Conference.  A new bursary.  We have already purchased a portable marquee and associated display equipment to enable us to have a visible and effective Society presence at such historical events as fairs and battle re- enactments. We had planned to launch it at Bosworth this year, and, in view of the weather, ‘launch’ might well have been the appropriate word. We are working closely with the people at the Bosworth Battlefield Centre as they develop the site and the centre. As part of this, they are giving us somewhere to have an interactive electronic display in the Centre. Naturally, this will focus on the positive aspects of Richard III. April will see us in Cirencester for the tenth triennial conference, which will be taking a fresh look at that perennial Ricardian controversy: the fate of the Princes in the Tower. The Visits Committee have an exciting programme for 2008, including a return visit to Avi- gnon. What has Provence got to do with Richard III, you ask? The traditional answer to such a question is usually that he would have gone there if he’d had the chance. (We used to try it on Joyce Melhuish, suggesting she took us to the Middle East, saying that Richard would have if he could have, but it never worked.) Retaining existing members and recruiting new ones remains a constant focus. This said, we must always bear in mind that people today are more fluid in their loyalty to organisations and more conscious of what their subscriptions buy. Also, there is the constant challenge of making the work and purpose of the Society relevant to younger people. It is often emphasised that we are a serious historical society, something of which we are all very proud, and the maintenance of this hard-earned reputation will always be our first priority. However, we are also a campaigning society and to raise our profile here will be an additional need over the coming years. To campaign effectively in today's world, we have to understand how public relations works, to know the right people to influence and to know how the media operate. We also have to recognise that the best results are achieved by carefully targeting our efforts where they can have real impact. I greatly recommend that members read Richard van Allen’s article on Reputation Management in the spring Bulletin which sets out all these points very clearly. As always at the AGM, it is my pleasure to thank all the officers of the Society, at whatever level they serve. Not just those on the Executive Committee, but those in branches and groups and those who contribute as individuals. Though we still have to pay for a few services, the majority of the work is carried out on a voluntary basis and without that voluntary commitment we could not function, or, indeed, exist. So, my thanks to you all. On this occasion, I would like again to pay particular tribute to one of our Vice-Presidents, John Audsley, who, at the age of 85, has just stepped down as Chairman of the Yorkshire Branch. Does this mean that the precedent has been set for chairmen to carry on at least until their mid eighties? John has given exceptional service to Yorkshire and the Society over many decades and for all that he has done, we salute him. One other whom I will mention is Wendy Moorhen. It is no secret that Wendy has her hands on a great many aspects of how the Society runs and that she is very much responsible, along with others, of course, for the Society being in the good shape that it is today. However, Wendy plans to retire from work next year and then emigrate. She and Brian are planning to live in France. So that we don’t lose her services and her expertise, Wendy would like members to be thinking of how they might be able to help out and take on some her responsibilities. If you think that you could be that person or rather, one of those people, please contact Wendy and discuss it with her. Finally, it has been another good year for the Society. We are active, solvent and eager. The future holds much promise and we can face it with growing confidence in the knowledge that the case for ‘good’ King Richard is being increasingly listened to and acknowledged. Let me close

by reminding us all why this is a cause worth fighting for. The autumn Bulletin carried an article about King Richard’s very poignant concern for the fallen of Towton, something which tells us so much about the real man, his recognition of loyalty and his concern for others – a concern he took the time to address, even at a time when he must have had so many other pressing priorities. With certainty, this was the action of someone for whose reputation it is worth fighting. Next year, we will be back in York for the AGM, and I look forward to seeing you all then. Thank you.

The Robert Hamblin Award 2007

This year’s winner is Rita Diefenhardt-Schmitt

Rita Diefenhardt-Schmitt, the recipient of the 2007 Robert Hamblin Award for exceptional service to the Society, lives in Germany and was for many years the leading light, and, indeed, guiding light, of the Continental Group. That there should be members prepared to get together and discuss, etc., a long-dead king in a foreign country where they did not necessarily have any roots is impressive enough, but that they were prepared to travel quite long distances to do it as well is remarkable. It was Rita who set up the group, bringing these people together, and who made it live for a number of years. Sadly, in recent times, the number of members living on the continent of Europe has fallen, and a year or so ago the group was considered to be no longer viable – a story with which so many of our branches and groups can sympathise. It is in honour of her work with the Conti- nental Group and for her sterling work in bringing the name of King Richard and the Richard III Society to the notice and interest of the people of Europe that the Executive Committee felt that Rita Diefenhardt-Schmitt was a very worthy winner of the 2007 Robert Hamblin Award. When Rita learnt that she had been given the award, she telephoned the Chairman, Phil Stone, to tell him of her delight and pleasure. In typically modest form, she said that the certificate would be framed and hung somewhere where she could see it but not necessarily anyone else. Congratulations to Rita for a well-deserved award.

Society News and Notices

Minutes of the 2007 Annual General Meeting of the Richard III Society The 2007 Annual General Meeting of the Richard III Society was held at Staple Inn Hall, Hol- born, London, on Saturday 29 September 2007 at 3.00 pm. One hundred and twenty-three members were present. Apologies for absence were received from Helen Ashburn, John Ashdown-Hill, Julia Camp- bell, Ruth Gayfer, Janine Lawrence, Shirley and Roy Linsell, John Saunders, Richard Van Allen and Juliet Wilson. The Minutes of the 2006 Annual General Meeting, published in the winter Bulletin 2006, were approved and signed as correct. Chairman’s Remarks The Chairman welcomed members from the UK and overseas, including Livia Visser-Fuchs and Henk Van Valen from Holland. He then reported on another year of change, as fully reported in this issue on pages 3-5. Secretary Jane Trump reported to the AGM that she had sent a letter of greetings to the American Branch of the Society. Members’ Bursary: Wendy Moorhen announced that some of the new surplus funds the Society now enjoyed would be put towards a new annual bursary of £500 to be awarded to members of the Society who were working towards a higher degree on a medieval or early Tudor subject. Research Projects: Lesley Boatwright reported that the Logge wills publication was still to be completed due to complications with the numbering of the wills which had resulted in errors in the index, which she and Peter Hammond were working to correct. With regard to the actual publication, when the EC had an estimate of printing costs they would ask members to place orders in advance. Those ordering early would find their name included in the publication and be able to get it for a lower cost than those people placing orders at a later date. Logge needed to be published before May 2008 in order for it to be promoted at the Society stand at the Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2008 exhibition at Olympia. This would be a perfect opportunity to showcase the publication as many family, local and military historians would be attending. Other suitable publications to showcase would be the Testator Index (CD) and the Education Pack for schools. Lesley advised members to look in the spring 2008 Bulletin for further information on Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2008. She explained that work on the York wills had been temporarily suspended due to the time and effort having to be put in to complete Logge. Barley Hall: Lynda Pidgeon alerted members to the recent press release entitled A New Fu- ture for Barley Hall. She explained that the York Archaeological Trust (who owned Barley Hall) had taken the administration of Barley Hall back from the Barley Hall Trust. However, the Bar- ley Hall Trust would continue as an advisory group to the York Archaeological Trust and the staff and volunteers at Barley Hall would retain their posts and continue their work as before. The Friends of Barley Hall would be re-launched in a new format and this would need to be discussed with the York Archaeological Trust. She informed members that news on this would be forthcoming in due course. Treasurer Paul Foss said that he little to add to his printed report except that at 31 March the cash reserve was healthy with enough for 18 months’ expenditure. He reminded members of the vast amount of work put in by the EC and other members completely free of charge to the Socie- ty. Adoption of the Accounts for 2006-2007 was proposed by Heather Falvey, seconded by Kitty Bristow and carried nem. con. Motions (Please see separate section for details of the motions and the arguments in favour of and against Motion 1.) 6

Motion 1: Peter Hammond proposed the motion and drew members’ attention to the sheet they had received with the arguments in favour of and against Motion 1. The motion was seconded by Elizabeth Nokes, who reminded members that the motion was designed to maximise democracy within the global Society and that the Working Party had proved the feasibility of the motion. Debate ensued in which members raised the fact that it was unnecessary to use postal voting to influence Society policy because any member had the right to write to the EC who would give all suggestions serious consideration and the Bulletin also was a platform for members to highlight suggestions and opinions. Members also felt that postal voting would cause an unrealistic administrative burden on the Society whose resources could be better spent on propagating the aims of the Society. It was also pointed out that, with societies in general, members could not expect to be able to vote unless they attended the AGM. Those in favour of the motion reiterated Elizabeth Nokes’ argument that the motion was concerned with the principle of greater democracy to all members. One member suggested that the matter should be shelved in the short-term but should be reconsidered in the future once improvements in technology made on-line voting a more viable option. A vote was taken and the motion was defeated with only 3 people voting in favour. Motion 2: With Motion 1 being defeated, there was no reason to proceed with Motion 2. Motion 3: This motion was proposed by Jane Trump, seconded by Barbara Ellams and carried nem. con. Motion 4: This motion was proposed by Paul Foss and seconded by Joan Cooksley and was carried nem. con. Motion 5: This motion was proposed by Paul Foss and seconded by Terry Fawthrop. Paul explained that, although reserves were healthy as at 31 March 2007, in order for the Society to survive and to pursue its aims more vigorously and develop its activities, it was necessary to increase subscriptions. He pointed out that the Society had a history of not increasing its subscriptions greatly and that members were getting extremely good value for money. The motion was carried nem. con. Motion regarding the In Memoriam Notice: This motion was proposed by Jane Trump and seconded by Livia Visser-Fuchs. Jane explained that the In Memoriam notice placed currently in a national newspaper produced very little by way of return for the money spent on it by the Soci- ety. It did not bring in many new members and had not brought in any new members in the past few years. The EC considered that it would be better financially to honour those who fought at Bosworth on the Society website as, being free, the notice could be more substantial and it could have more impact in that it would probably reach a far wider audience with a greater age range. There was a debate from the floor with members arguing that many people still did not have access to the Internet so by restricting the notice to just the Internet would actually restrict the Soci- ety’s exposure to potential new members. Also it was pointed that that the notice would keep Richard’s name in the press which was important. It was also suggested that a cheaper option would be to put the notice into the local press instead of the national press, especially the Leices- tershire press. The vote after the debate went against the motion with a ratio of around 4 to 1 against the motion. It was agreed to continue submitting the notice to a national newspaper but also to have the notice on the website as well. Those members wishing to submit a notice to their local newspapers were reminded that they should liaise with Richard Van Allen first. Appointment of a Qualified Independent Examiner Paul explained that, as this appointment has first to be ratified by the AGM, the EC had not actually appointed anyone so he asked members to trust the EC to appoint someone in the near future and the information would be put into the Bulletin. Obviously from 2008 onwards, the qualified independent examiner would be voted on at the AGM as usual. Robert Hamblin Award On the fifth occasion of this award, the recipient was Rita Diefen- hardt-Schmitt for her services to the Society in Germany. Rita is an enthusiastic lady who had kept the Continental Branch going for some considerable time. Election of President The re-election of Peter Hammond as President of the Society was pro-

posed by Phil Stone, on behalf of the EC, seconded by Diana Lee and carried nem. con. Peter responded with thanks. Election of Vice-Presidents Phil Stone, on behalf of the EC, proposed that John Audsley, Kitty Bristow, Carolyn Hammond, Robert Smith and Isolde Wigram should be re-elected as Vice-Presidents of the Society for 2007-2008. This was seconded by Diana Powell and was carried nem. con. Phil commented that he had tried to find out how Isolde was but had not received any response prior to the AGM. Election of Committee for 2007-2008 Phil announced that John Saunders had decided to stand down from the EC. Nominations having been received for the following, it was agreed that these members be elected to the Executive Committee for 2007-2008: Lesley Boatwright, How- ard Choppin, Paul Foss, Marian Mitchell, Wendy Moorhen, Lynda Pidgeon, Phil Stone, Anne Sutton, Jane Trump, Neil Trump, Richard Van Allen and Geoffrey Wheeler. These were all proposed by Peter Hammond, seconded by Elaine Robinson and carried nem. con. Date of Bosworth and AGM 2008 The Bosworth commemoration would take place on Sun- day 17 August 2008 and the AGM would take place on Saturday 4 October 2008 in York. Any Other Business There had been 3 questions pinned to the Question Board during the day and these were answered by members of the EC: Why had the fund raising stall for the RCRF been restricted this year? Jane Trump explained that the venue was a beautiful one but small and she had to cater for extra stalls this year. Alt- hough the RCRF stall was extremely important, all aspects of the Society had to be catered for. On this occasion it was unfortunate that she had had to limit the size of the RCRF stall to accom- modate stalls for other groups within the Society. Would the Visits Team be organising a trip to see the new Bosworth Visitor Centre? Marian Mitchell pointed out that the Visits Team organised the official visit to Bosworth every year and in 2008 they would be visiting the new site. However, she said the team would bear in mind the possibility of a separate visit. Would there be DNA testing on Richard’s bones? Wendy Moorhen responded on the assump- tion that this question was regarding a general update on the work being done by John Ashdown- Hill on Richard’s family’s DNA. She said that John had given her an update in the morning: a strand of Edward IV’s hair was being examined in Mechelen and the results were to come in due course. Unfortunately the attempt to obtain the DNA from the hair of Mary Tudor (Henry VIII’s sister) was being frustrated because the hair was encapsulated in a locket in Bury St Edmunds but the locket was soldered shut and any attempt to melt the solder might result in destroying the hair. John was hoping to pursue the Woodville line which would be a very long and time- consuming project. He was hoping to proceed further with this after he had completed his PhD. Hopefully he would be able to give a more comprehensive update in 2008. Phil Stone imparted the sad news that Daphne Booth of the Bedford & Buckinghamshire Group and London Branch had passed away, having been in failing health in recent years. Phil said that many members would recall how Daphne used to bring home-made preserves to AGMs in years past to sell at the RCRF stall. Phil gave thanks to the Croydon Group for their work on reception; the London Branch for their work on the refreshment stall; Neil Trump for running the auction; members of the EC for their ongoing help and support and to Beth, his wife, for her ongoing help and support, especially when liaising with the American Branch. Finally Phil thanked the members of the Society for attending the AGM and reminded everyone that the Society would not exist without its members. Tribute to Elizabeth Nokes Phil completed the proceedings by giving a personal tribute to Elizabeth Nokes, who had been the General Secretary of the Society for more than 30 years. (This tribute can be found on pp. 15-16.) Elizabeth was presented with a fragrant bouquet of flowers, and thanked Phil for his kind words and everyone for the flowers. There being no further business, the meeting was then closed.

Motions Presented at the AGM Motion 1 This AGM agrees that the Constitution of the Society be changed to allow postal voting for substantive* motions and for membership of the Executive. (* Substantive: The word usually used in these circumstances means a self contained motion not dependent on anything else; one which will change something if passed, i.e. make a substantive change.) Although the Working Party set up to look into the motion did sterling work in outlin- ing the feasibility of adopting postal voting, the EC felt that it was important that members voting at the AGM should receive as much information as possible – covering positives and negatives. Therefore attached to this motion is a summary of the ‘pros and cons’ of adopting postal voting.

Arguments in favour of voting for Motion 1 The main argument for postal votes is that it brings greater democracy into the Society in that the franchise would effectively be extended from those who managed to get to the AGM to potential- ly every member. This enables those who for a variety of reasons cannot make the AGM to participate in the Society’s decision-making process. This is particularly relevant to overseas members of course, but also to UK members living far from the AGM site. Postal voting will also encourage members to become more involved in the Society's business because it offers influence to all members and not just those who are in a position to attend AGMs. The impact of the Internet on the Society is another factor in the desirability of postal voting in that our worldwide membership can all be almost simultaneously up-to-date with Society business. This inevitably means more members wanting to be able to influence and have a say in the running of the Society. It can also be said that postal voting would enable an issue to be argued more widely and deeply. This is because a substantive case would have to be made when first presenting a motion earlier in the year and a longer period for reflection for all members would be given, culminating in the AGM debate. Thus postal voting would offer a better informed and more inclusive way to deal with major issues.

Arguments against voting for Motion 1 Postal voting would add to the administrative burden on the Society officers. Among the changes necessary would be the need to check that anyone voting by post did not inadvertently vote a second time at the AGM. Ballot papers would have to be used in voting for motions and counted afterwards, a time consuming and tedious process. There may also be occasions when any additional voting at an AGM would have no impact on the result because postal votes outweighed the AGM votes and the motion is automatically accepted. The process of voting would be very drawn out. Anyone proposing a motion would have to submit it for publication in the spring Bulletin and so have to start thinking about it soon after Christmas. Any amendment or amendments would have to be submitted for publication in the summer Bulletin together with the ballot papers. Comments on the motion would have to be published in the summer Bulletin if they were to influence those who send in postal votes. All of this is a poor substitute for personal debate Those who are voting by post might be tempted to submit and collect votes for an unrealistic/unaffordable proposal. It is easy to propose and vote for something if you do not have to argue your points before an audience as at the AGM. Expensive unrealistic proposals, if passed, could mean that the Society would have to cut down on core Society issues such as the Bulletin and The Ricardian. Members would no longer be able to put forward non-urgent motions for debate at the AGM 9

because they would have to be proposed in the spring Bulletin. Emergency motions, which can be needed, would have to be put to a vote at the AGM and then to a later postal vote. This could delay a decision. Postal voting is not necessary for influencing Society policy. Anyone who wishes to do so can always put forward a motion for debate at the AGM as they can now or write to the EC suggesting that something be done. The EC will always give such letters serious consideration. If desired a suggestion or motion can also be publicised by means of a letter to the Bulletin, thus enlisting wider Society support. If the EC thought it of sufficient importance they would also publicise it in the Bulletin. In the case of a motion for the AGM it would indeed be better if a member submitting a motion wrote to the Bulletin as well as submitting it to the EC so that members know about it before the AGM. The new electronic newsletter will aid spreading news and publicising initiatives.

Motion 2 This AGM agrees to the following changes to the Constitution to allow postal voting. Article 10(h) to become 10(i) and current 10(f), (g) (i), (j) and (k) be deleted and replaced by (f) Substantive motions for discussion at the AGM must be received by the Secretary on or before 15 April and shall be published in the Summer issue of the Bulletin, (see 12(d) below) together with a ballot paper to allow for postal voting. The motion must be proposed and seconded in writing. If desired a note in support by both proposer and seconder may accompany the motion. (g) Substantive motions published as above shall be discussed and voted on by a show of hands at the AGM. Postal votes on these motions must be received by 15 September to be valid. They shall be counted by a teller or tellers appointed by the EC, the results announced at the AGM and added to the votes at the AGM. (h) Emergency motions may be proposed after 15 April by the EC for debate at the AGM. If so decided by that meeting the motion may be published in the winter issue of the Bulletin for voting by post. (j) Nominations for membership of the EC, duly proposed and seconded in writing, must reach the Secretary on or before 15 April for them to be published in the summer Bulletin together with a ballot paper. They shall be valid only if the person nominated has consented to the nomination in writing, the consent also to be received by 15 April. (k) Nominations for membership of the EC shall be voted on at the AGM. Postal votes for membership of the EC must be received by the Secretary by 15 September to be valid. They shall counted by a teller or tellers appointed by the EC and the results announced and added to the votes at the AGM. (l) If 15 or fewer valid nominations have been received those so nominated shall be declared elected at the AGM. If fewer than 12 have been nominated the AGM shall be required to make additional nominations to bring the number up to 12. If the number of valid nominations so received exceeds the number of vacant places a ballot shall be held at the AGM between these nominees for the number of places vacant. This ballot shall be conducted by the outgoing Com- mittee in the customary manner. Article 12 to be altered to read (d) The majority required to pass any substantive motion shall be two-thirds of those voting. Article 16 to be changed to read A rule or rules of the Society may be proposed for change, or a new rule may be proposed for adoption, on the proposal of at least eight members of the Executive Committee or of eighty other members by voting at a GM and by postal voting as for other substantive motions according to articles 10(f) and 12(d). Motion 3 That all references to the Committee in the Constitution shall read ‘Executive Committee (EC)’

Motion 4 That allowance be made to allow the Society accounts be audited by a qualified independent examiner instead of by a chartered accountant. To allow for this, the following changes to the Con- stitution be made: Article 7 to be altered to read 7(f) [second sentence] The Treasurer shall put draft accounts to the Executive Committee for approval, before arranging for the accounts to examined by a qualified independent examiner or examiners appointed under Article 10(b)(iv); and duly inspected copies shall be circulated to members of the Society before the AGM. Article 10 to be altered to read (b)(iii) Receive and adopt if thought fit, the independently examined accounts of the Society for the financial year ended 31 March; (b)(iv) Appoint a qualified independent examiner or examiners. Motion 5 It is proposed to raise the annual subscription to be implemented immediately for new members and from October 2008 for existing members, according to the figures detailed in the summer issue of the Bulletin. The EC also propose the following motion: That the Society refrain from submitting the annual In Memoriam notice to commemorate the fallen at the Battle of Bosworth into a British newspaper but replace it with a more substantial In Memoriam notice on the Society website.

Membership Matters Subscriptions The subscription renewals are rolling in nicely but as always there is the plea that if you haven’t renewed please do so at your earliest convenience. The winter Bulletin will be sent out to all members on the database but if payment has not been received by the end of the year you will be deemed as lapsed and no further publications will be sent. Reminders will be sent out in January but this does incur costs which we would prefer to avoid.

Donations A number of members have made donations to the Society along with their subscription payment and on behalf of the Executive Committee we would like to thank those members for their generosity which is very much appreciated.

New Subscription Rates and Standing Order Forms As you will have read earlier in the Bulletin the proposed increase in subscription rates, detailed in the summer issue, were approved at the AGM. The new rates are applicable to existing members from 2 October 2008. As previously reported, we are looking into the practicalities of oper- ating a direct debit system (whereby we can automatically update your subscription payments) but if we cannot offer this service in time for next year’s subscription renewal, the standing order arrangements (whereby you need to advise your bank that the rate of payment needs to be changed) will need to be adjusted and we will be writing direct to all members next year to expe- dite this. It would be helpful if you could respond to that communication rather than requesting new standing forms in the interim.

Late Delivery of the autumn Bulletin There was a short delay in the delivery of the last Bulletin due to our mailing agents going into voluntary liquidation (the managing director decided to retire) and an alternative service provider needed to be sourced. Apologies to members for this inconvenience though fortunately it was only for a very short duration. 11

Missing Bookmarks The Executive Committee hope you liked Geoff Wheeler’s bookmarks included in the autumn Bulletin. Sadly, machine processes let us down in a few instances and a few of you didn’t receive your bookmarks. If this happened to you please let us know and we will send them out to you. Brian and Wendy Moorhen

Executive Committee – the Low Down The last two meetings have seen feverish activity by the EC with regard to the AGM and the motions. It is amazing just how much work goes into arranging the AGM, from finding a lunch venue, estimating the number of chairs required and how many biscuits members will eat, through to the more formal business. When there are motions to be debated too, there is even more admin and discussion. It certainly kept some us very busy. Wendy Moorhen has had yet another headache regarding the Bulletin distribution. To find out, almost by chance, just a day or so before the Bulletin was due to hit the door mats, that your dis- tributor had gone into liquidation, is no joke, but Wendy, being Wendy, rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in, with the result that most people received their Bulletins only about a week late. It is not all doom and gloom for Wendy, however. The Australasian postal problems are slow- ly becoming resolved – with great help from those down under. Helen Hardegan has been working with Wendy and has successfully distributed the journals to the NSW members in addition to the smaller branches and non-branch members. Julia Redlich has made enquiries with the Aus- tralian post office to see if she can ascertain where the problem lies but their response has left us as much in the dark as before. The EC were delighted when we were able to award one of our bursaries to a Society member. Toni Mount received the IHR bursary this year. However, it got us thinking about how many other closet Society academics could benefit from some assistance from their Society and we were delighted to announce a new Members’ Bursary at the AGM this year. A sum of £500 may await any member who is studying for a higher degree in a subject covering the later medieval or early Tudor period. The AGM also gives the EC the pleasure of deciding who will receive the Robert Hamblin Award. It is always a difficult decision as there are just so many members who give sterling work to the Society but it is an enjoyable task to talk through who deserves acknowledgement, and a good reminder that the Society is nothing without its members. This year we were pleased to give the award to Rita Diefenhardt-Schmitt for her tireless work for the Society in Germany. Our PR officer, Richard Van Allen, has been going into over-drive lately and the results have been staggering. He has cultivated a mutually beneficial arrangement with those running the Bos- worth Visitors Centre. They are keen on our ‘seal of approval’ on their work and approach, and we are keen to have a presence there which they are in agreement with. We are currently working on a permanent console to give information on Richard himself in an entertaining way and a way which we hope will promote the Society and attract many new – and hopefully young – members. All this is great stuff, but one of the livelier debates is what to call the new stand that the Soci- ety has just purchased (and which would have been show-cased at this year’s Bosworth celebrations if the weather had not intervened). EC members have been referring to it as the pop-up stand, the gazebo, the pavilion, the tent, the awning – the phrases were numerous and some more colourful than others. At the time of typing, I still cannot remember the official phrase. No doubt I will get reminded when I put the wrong phrase in the next set of minutes. Jane Trump

2006 Schools’ Competition Sam Davis, who won our 50th anniversary schools essay competition, has written to me with an update on his academic career. 12

He writes, ‘I thought I’d drop you a line to let you know that the 50th anniversary essay competition the Society ran in 2006 has continued to be very helpful to me. I used it as one of the two pieces of written work that I had to submit with my Cambridge University application. It became my main topic of conversation in one of the interviews and one tutor remarked on my ‘enthusiasm for the medieval period – especially Richard III’ in the feedback to my school. I did eventually get a place at Downing College, Cambridge to study history and I start there on 29 September. I wanted to thank you and the other organisers again for running something which was not only enjoyable to write at the time but also very useful to my long terms plans to study history. I’m hoping to do plenty of medieval history at uni. The interviewers did have to ask if that was all I was going to do and although I want to explore other periods I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in the 15th century. Thank you once again and keep up the good work.’ I responded with a letter of congratulations and remarked that ‘it’s funny how the topic of Richard III can be very useful at interviews. In those now distant days when I was still applying for jobs – as a junior doctor – I always put my membership of the Society down as an interest and I could almost guarantee that one of the interviewers would pick up on it. Well done Sam, and best wishes.’ Phil Stone

A New Bursary As I am sure most of you are aware from the Annual Report, the Society funds two bursaries. The first is administered by the Institute of Historical Research in London and which is open to those studying for higher degrees throughout the country and the second is administered by the University of York’s Centre for Medieval Studies and is open to those studying for an MA there. The Executive Committee is aware that there are many members who are studying for higher degrees and we would like to recognise and encourage their researches. The EC, therefore, has decided to fund a third bursary in the sum of £500 which will be open to members of the Society whose theses will be related to medieval and early Tudor history. We wish to keep the rules simple and they will be:  The bursary is open to members who are graduates and whose dissertation or thesis is related to the later medieval and early Tudor period, c. 1399-1509  The applicant must have been a member of the Society for not less than two years  The bursary will only be awarded to members who have not previously received any bursary funded by the Society including those administered by the IHR and the Centre of Medieval Studies, York  If unsuccessful an applicant may apply in future years  The EC reserves the right not to make an award if the area of study is deemed unsuitable  The application must be supported by a letter of recommendation by the student’s tutor together with the name and address of a second referee. As with the recipients of our other bursaries, winners will be encouraged to contribute an article to The Ricardian and, if geographically possible, to give a talk at a Society event. The application form is available from the research officer and the closing date for applications is 31 July and the winner will be announced at the AGM. The recipients of the bursaries for 2007 are Toni Mount (University of Kent) who is studying the Physician’s Handbook (MS8004) dated 1454 and Alison McManus (Centre of Medieval Studies) who is studying the cultural shift from medieval ideologies toward early modern preoc- cupations, focusing on the writings of Sir John Fortescue and Sir Thomas Malory, among others, to see how literature shaped individuals’ reactions to the epoch’s turbulent political and religious culture. Wendy Moorhen, Research officer 13

Electronic Communications

The Ricardian Newsletter

The first issue of The Ricardian Newsletter was e-mailed to members on 2 October and the leading story covered the rejection of the new voting system motion at the AGM. A number of members responded with their appreciation of receiving up-to-date news and so we would like to continue with the newsletter on an ad hoc basis, i.e. when it is appropriate to communicate news quickly to members. This in no way means we wish to disen- franchise those who not have easy access to the internet. All items in the newsletter will be covered in the Bulletin but with distribution fixed to quarterly issues obviously news can be stale and in some instances, for exam- ple notice of the transmission of a television programme, completely out-of-date. An e- communication is a quick, cheap and effective way of disseminating information, particularly to overseas members who in some parts of the world have had a disrupted service in the delivery of the Bulletin. We do, however, need to build up our distribution list. The list for the first newsletter was a one-off, quickly pulled together by a colleague using a variety of sources – branch and group contacts, membership database and personal contacts – but a number of e-mails were returned as un-deliverable. E-mail addresses tend to change quite frequently as we change service providers so if you would like to be included in the next mailing, regardless of whether you received the first one, please take a few moments to register your interest by e-mailing me at richardvanal- [email protected] Richard van Allen

Ricardian Roundup

This is an electronic quarterly edited by John Ashdown-Hill and con- taining short selections of extracts from Richard III Society Branch and Group publications. It is sent to Branch and Group secretaries, and to any Society members who have requested it.

Anyone who has an e-mail address can receive it on request. It’s FREE!

If you would like to receive Ricardian Roundup just send details of your e-mail address to [email protected]

In Praise of Elizabeth Nokes

he official part of the AGM ended with T the Chairman, Phil Stone, giving a very personal tribute to Elizabeth Nokes who had resigned from the Executive Committee at the beginning of the 2006-2007 Society year. He began by explaining how, thanks to a certain film, he had first been led to believe that Richard III was a rotter but had later learnt otherwise. As a result, he had joined the Soci- ety and the London Branch, where he first met Elizabeth. With the passing of time, they became friends though that didn’t stop Eliza- beth asking him to join the Branch committee and making him chairman. When he protest- ed, he was offered the post of secretary instead, but knowing which was the better option he took the chair. This was his introduction to the powerful force that was Elizabeth Nokes. At that time, she was secretary to the Society, secretary and treasurer of the Lon- don Branch and editor of the Bulletin. As Phil said, this society attracts women who can do a multitude of jobs – the late Joyce Melhuish was another and one could think of others today. During her time as secretary of the Society, a post she held for over thirty years, Elizabeth helped to steer it through some very stormy waters, death-threats not withstanding, as well as arranging and participating in many more joyous occasions. Few who were there will forget the dinners in the Guildhall and the House of Lords, and prior to these, there had been fund-raising for the Leicester statue, followed by the unveiling, which was performed by HRH the Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the late mother of our Patron. As ever, much of the work fell on Elizabeth’s shoulders. In more recent times, the Society has been less expansive and less expensive in its works, but that didn’t mean that Elizabeth has been less busy. She was secretary and treasurer to the London Branch. Phil remarked that he may have been chairman, but he knew who ran the Branch! Referring to the work of the Ricardian Churches Restoration Fund of which he and Elizabeth are the unofficial trustees, Phil spoke about the craft sales which he, Elizabeth and Joyce Melhuish attended to raise money. There was one, at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon, when Joyce was away, leaving Elizabeth and Phil to do the sale on their own. Unfortunately, Joyce hadn’t taken into account that he was moving house the day before, so that, every time Elizabeth looked round, she found him asleep. Then there was the memorable time when Joyce was fitting an ‘action man’ with some very tight leather trousers in order to make him into Lord Nelson – a sight to make even Emma Hamilton blush. Until last year, Elizabeth was the editor of the Bulletin, taking it from a single foolscap sheet newsletter to the multi-paged folded A5 effort full of views and reviews, etc., of a few years ago. Now, there is the superb glossy journal we know and love. As Phil said, it had to be good to replace the old one.

For many years, Elizabeth has been a member of the Visits Committee – another of Joyce’s legacies. During that time, she has organised and helped to organise a number of trips both here and abroad, and of course, she has run the annual Bosworth commemoration for more years than anyone would care to recall. Phil said that it was a very great shame that this year she had totally lost her usual tight grip on the weather, but hoped for better luck next year. There is little about the running of the Society that Elizabeth doesn’t know and her attendance at Society events can almost be guaranteed. Phil could recall only two occasions that she’d missed, one being the time when they both decided to opt out of one of Joyce’s day visits. Need- less to say, they only did it once! Although this had been a personal memoir, Phil closed by explaining that, when Elizabeth left the Executive Committee last year, she had said that she didn’t want any fuss, and so the Execu- tive had taken her at her word. However, it could not let over thirty years of loyal service go un- marked and in consequence, he asked her to accept a bouquet of flowers, white roses included, as a token of our thanks. He finished by thanking Elizabeth for her help, her guidance and, above all, for being a good friend.

Copy for Stamp story

John Audsley: A Tribute

or over thirty-five years John has de- F voted his energies, his time and his money and above all his enthusiasm, to the service of the Yorkshire Branch, the Richard III Society, and the cause of Richard III. John and his wife Jean joined the Society and the Yorkshire Branch in 1969, about the same time as such stalwarts as the late Arthur Cock- erill and Pauline Routh, and Mary O’Regan. It wasn’t long before such keen new members were dragged willy-nilly on to the Com- mittee, David Murgatroyd, the then Chair- man, recognising that anyone keen enough to turn up to two or three Group meetings and trips was probably committed enough to have some work thrust upon them. John himself became Treasurer without any warning when he was nominated and elected as such at the 1969 AGM in the afternoon, and expected to take over right away by collect- ing the payments at the Medieval Dinner in the evening. He succeeded in this because he is a con- scientious man, and what he took on he always did to the best of his ability. When later organising Medieval Dinners he went into every detail himself – the venue, the catering, the music, the other entertainment, as well as the booking and financial side. John had been an excellent Treasurer of the Branch and he later became the Branch Chairman. From the late 1970s John and Arthur Cockerill divided the Chairmanship between them, with two or three terms served by Mary O’Regan, but John was Chairman for by far the longest time. He steered the Branch excellently, being very much a ‘hands on’ Chairman, not only chairing Committee meetings but feeling it an absolute duty to be visible at all Branch events, even if he was feeling under the weather or tired at the time. John has very high standards. He only resigned this year at the Yorkshire branch AGM not because (after 38 years) he is fed up with it all, which would be understandable, but simply that he felt he could not physically do the job as well as he considered it should be done. He will be greatly missed by the Branch but he will also be missed by the Society at large because the Committee (now the Executive Committee) always knew that there was someone in the north who could be relied upon to cope with emergencies or problems, or to appear as a competent Society representative before the media. John is thorough- ly dependable. In recognition of this they proposed his election as a Vice President of the Socie- ty, which was unanimously passed at the AGM in 2002 and he has been re-elected ever since. To thank him for his dedicated service to the Branch and to the Society, many of his friends contributed to a gift which was presented to him by Moira Habberjam, Branch Secretary, at the Branch AGM on 8 September.

Media Retrospective

From Geoffrey Wheeler: strict rules about conveying messages to the The Independent (13 August) ‘A jolly wicked outside world, when museum worker Jonty (a fellow’: Charles Nevin. late arrival to the proceedings, and immedi- ‘English Heritage’s “Festival of History” has ately dubbed by the press a ‘sweet natured been debating Britain’s Greatest Monarch. buffoon and closet intellectual’) was, on a Creditable, but for me, less exciting than Brit- number of occasions transmitted around 26 ain’s Worst, Nastiest and Most Rascally Mon- August, seen to be wearing a white T-shirt archs. Fellow feeling for dithering blunderers with the design, in black, of a mounted ar- and the awe of the timid for the really bad moured knight, and the Gothic-lettered legend behaviour draw me to the likes of Ethelred, ‘King Richard III’. However in the interest of Richard III and any number of Henrys and equality and balance, on the following day he Georges. But for amoral charm and insouci- sported one with the Welsh Red Dragon flag. ance, the non-pareil is John.’ From Mrs Margaret Jones, Birmingham The Independent (21 August) ‘Tales of the BBC Radio 4’s Brain of Britain on 1 October City’: John Walsh. proved that Richard III is still a perennially ‘Who’s to say that rethinking history along popular subject with its question setters, as patriotic lines mightn’t be a boon for pupils?’ this broadcast included a brace of them, one After Vladimir Putin’s complaint that the on the Battle of Bosworth and the other ask- depiction of the Soviet past in school text ing ‘Whose queen was Anne Neville’? books is too negative, he suggests exam questions for English History might include ‘For From Patsy Conway: what is Richard III best known? A) Setting up Guardian, 15 September 2007: review of an emergency succour service for children in ‘Making History’ exhibition at the Royal danger from members of their family? B) Academy, discussing the portraits of British Passing the Spinal Deformity Non-Humour monarchs lent by the Society of Antiquaries: Bill, to impose taxes on anyone caught laugh- ‘Many of them had once been in the posses- ing at hunchbacks? C) Coining the phrase sion of the Paston family, famous now for the “You’re Never Fully Dressed ‘til You Wear a letters they wrote in the 15th century. Among Smile”?’ them are two of the earliest portraits of the brothers Edward IV and Richard III, painted Daily Telegraph TV and Radio Supplement on wood from the same tree, and a later por- (29 September) Scriptwriter Michael Hirst trait of Richard III that shows how much Tu- defending his ‘sexing-up’ and reshaping his- dor propaganda influenced the king’s image. tory for his new series on Henry VIII The It depicts him with a broken sword, an exag- Tudors: gerated hunchback and a deformed arm.’ ‘Ultimately these are the demands of drama. Editor: See pp. 30-33 for a full report on the Nobody comes out of Shakespeare’s Richard Exhibition III and complains that Richard never really said “Now is the winter of our discontent”. From Jan Ogilvy: I’d like to turn discussion of The Tudors into In Britain (the official magazine of Visit Brit- whether the drama is powerful.’ ain), Oct-Nov 2007, in an article about Lon- don hauntings entitled ‘London’s X-files’: Channel 4 TV’s flagging reality-show Big Since its construction by William the Con- Brother (series 8) demonstrated that, for the queror in 1078, the Tower has been a palace, initiated at least, it was possible to subvert the prison and fortress and has seen its fair share

of violence; King Henry VI was murdered in Duke of Buckingham and was heavily in- the Wakefield Tower by, legend has it, Rich- volved in the War of the Roses. He was exe- ard, Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III), cuted by Richard III in 1483 and is referred to the man also responsible for locking the two in Shakespeare’s play about the king. ... He is princes in the Tower, after which they were also one of the primary suspects in the disap- never seen again ... perance – and presumed murder – of the Princes in the Tower. ... Some historians ap- From Derek and Jean Tooke: parently claim the duke’s deliberate plotting Caterham Mirror, 28 June 2007, in an article to seize the throne started as early as the reign by Mark Davison entitled ‘Harnessed to royal of Edward IV. history’: A horse harness decoration thought to have From Beth Stone: belonged to a lord of the manor at The Deccan Herald (an e-newspaper from the Bletchingley more than 500 years ago has subcontinent of India): been unearthed in a field. ... David Williams, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all the Surrey County Council’s finds liaison officer, king's horses and all the king’s men couldn’t has revealed that the small circular bronze put Humpty together again! Scholars tell us disc may have been a personal belonging of that this rhyme is five hundred years old and Henry Stafford, who held the manor of became famous in 15th-century England. Bletchingley in the late 15th century, or one They even feel that this rhyme mocked a of his retinue. Specialists at the British Muse- great man, or a nobleman who fell on bad um studied the style of lettering of the initials times and was shunned by his king! “HB” on the decoration and said that they They also say the real Humpty could even were of the type used between the 1470s and have been the fifteenth-century monarch about 1510. ... Henry Stafford was the second Richard III.

Your Society Needs You

We are looking for a new stock holder(s) for some of the books sold by the Society, particularly those published by the Richard III and Yorkist History Trust. The Trust books are published by Shaun Tyas, who is based in Lincoln, and it would be of enor- mous benefit if a local member would be prepared to house this stock (therefore sav- ing money on expensive delivery costs). Quantities are not large and other than stor- ing the stock all that is required is sending out orders. Some of the other lines sold by the Society also need a new home and again stocks are not large nor the fulfilling of orders onerous. If you think you can help the Society with doing a little voluntary work please contact me.

Howard Choppin

The Real Richard III – a new TV Series is ‘in development’

everal members contacted the editorial team about the

S Radio Times interview with Richard Armitage to promote the new series of Robin Hood in which he plays Sir Guy of Gisborne. What caught members’ eyes however were ‘his plans to rehabilitate one of history’s great villains with a proposed TV series on Richard III – “Shakespeare wrote a piece of Tudor propaganda really” ’. Could we at last be seeing the real Richard III on the small screen? Over the next few days Richard gave further interviews on both television and radio, again promoting Robin Hood, but in which he took the opportunity to express his enthusiasm for the Ricardian project and his desire to play King Richard. However, what will be of greatest interest to members is that the scriptwriter for the series is our own Philippa Langley. Philippa is of course the secretary of the Scottish Branch and she wrote the script a couple of years ago after seeing Richard in North and South. She felt he was an actor who could really do justice to the role and portray the king as she envisaged him. In more ways than one Richard Armitage seems almost predestined to play the role, as he was born on 22 August, in Leicester, and named after Richard III by his father who had Ricardian sympathies. The project is now at the delicate stage known in the trade as ‘in development’ where two of the most critical positions need to be filled: director and producer. Whilst the former will bring the artistic content to the series, the latter will need to raise the necessary funding, never an easy task, particularly in view of the recently announced BBC cuts. However, with a viable script and sympathetic scriptwriter, together with an enthusiastic leading man on board eager to see the project succeed, we can all hope that the real Richard will hit the small screen in a couple of years. It would of course be a little premature to disclose too many details about Philippa’s script and the way she will present King Richard, but she has admitted to abandoning novels to concentrate on the non-fiction sources to help her write it. We are sure everyone will be eager to know more and we shall keep you all up to date in the Bulletin and via the new electronic newsletter (see p. 14). In the meantime we all need to let Philippa get on with her writing, so please do not inundate her with questions; she has a busy time ahead and needs to stay focussed on the project. In the meantime, if you have something pressing to say on the subject please contact the editorial team in the usual way and if appropriate we will liaise with Philippa. And finally, for those members who are not too sure who Richard Armitage is, if you are online you can visit his fan site www.thearmitagearmy.co.uk and for those who are not, his major roles have been in the dramatisation of the Elizabeth Gaskell book North and South, Geraldine’s suitor in the 2006 Christmas special of The Vicar of Dibley, as well as roles in Inspector Lynley, Cold Feet, Sparkhouse, Casualty and Ultimate Force. At 6’2” Richard may seem rather tall for our Plantagenet king, but with his dark good looks we are sure he will give a memorable, and much desired, performance. This is a very exciting prospect for all those who care about the reputation of King Richard, so let’s all keep our fingers crossed for a successful outcome. Wendy Moorhen

News and Reviews

Bobby Fishkin’s Richard III Members may recall the review of the play staged at the University of London in 2005. The writ- er, Bobby Fishkin, has moved on to pastures new, having obtained his degree, but a documentary of the production is available online on-line at http://www.fishkin.net/bobby/richardiii/ documentary.html Wendy Moorhen

What the Butler Saw! This was the title of a lecture given to the Friends of the National Army Museum recently. The clue to its possible interest to Ricardians is in the title since the lecture was given by James Butler RA, the sculptor of our statue in Leicester. It was very interesting to see a broad spectrum of his work through his eyes and he told his story well and with a natural wit. The monumentality of some of his work might be linked to his first career as a stonemason. Certainly some of the larger-than-life bronzes of African leaders have this feeling of something first conceived in stone. That of Jomo Kenyatta was especially impressive. He said that he had had much trouble trying to take pictures of some of his works – telling armed guards that he had created the statue had little effect on them pointing guns at him to stop him do so. He also said that one sculpture of Nkrumah for Tanzania (yes, I know he was President of Ghana) rested in his studio for three years paid for but unclaimed until a state visit led to an urgent shipping order. It is probable that many will have seen his work without noticing the author. Bronzes like the Lace Girl in Leicester or the statue of Field Marshall Alexander at the Guards Barracks are unassum- ing works of great sympathy with their subject. His statue of Greathead, in the City of London, is more visible because it stands on top of the ventilator plinth for the Ladies toilets in Bank station. This was a statue that the Lord Mayor failed to unveil because the rope broke and the flag stayed in place. The statue of that champion of freedom, John Wilkes, which is in the Strand, was un- veiled without problem but only three people attended including James. Nevertheless he is free- man of the town of Wilkestown, in the USA, who commissioned the piece. One more recent royal commission than our own was the design and sculpting of the masters for the new Great Seal of the Realm. Before a new Great Seal can be used the previous one must be defaced by the Sovereign and for this the Royal Mint had had specially made a silver hammer (in fact two – ‘just in case’) and James was present at Westminster when the new seal was delivered. The Lord Chancellor had then to drive to Buckingham Palace with the old seal and the hammer for the defacement. On his return James examined the old seal and could find no mark on it, so defacement was obviously by symbolic tap. He showed slides and talked with some pleasure about the statue of Richard. He naturally referred to the need to re-supply swords at regular intervals in the early years but was glad that his concept of the King, only part armed, was eventually accepted. When talking to him afterwards he said he had enjoyed being a member of the Society for a number of years and remem- bered donating a maquette of the statue to an AGM raffle. All in all a most interesting talk by a still working and distinguished artist. Bill Featherstone

Bosworth Battlefield Archaeology Project Update

RICHARD KNOX

Following his talk at the Society AGM, Richard Knox, Leicestershire County Council’s Assistant Keeper of Archaeology, has kindly provided us with a summary of this exciting archaeological project.

he Battle of Bosworth was first recorded in the York City Records the day after the battle, T where it was called the ‘Field of Redemore’. The battle saw the defeat and death of Richard III, the last English king to die on the battlefield, and the birth of the Tudor dynasty. According to tradition the crowning of Henry Tudor as Henry VII took place on Crown Hill in Stoke Gold- ing. In 2005 Leicestershire County Council (LCC) was awarded a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund to investigate the numerous theories as to where the battle was fought, to ensure that the new visitor experience provided the most accurate information about the battle. (See spring Bul- letin 2005 pp. 11-12.) To do this a team of experts was brought together under the direction of Glenn Foard of the Battlefields Trust, a specialist in battlefield archaeology, to attempt to locate the site. The project runs over three years. What we know so far When the Battlefield Centre opened in 1974, the generally accepted theory put forward, by the historian Danny Williams, was that the battle took place where you can see the standards flying today, on Ambion Hill. The new research indicates that this is incorrect. All interpretations depend on locating ‘Redemore’, and on finding the site of the marsh, which Henry used to protect the flank of his army as he attacked Richard. The evidence collected by the project team has shown the marsh could never have existed near Ambion Hill. Instead they have narrowed the search down to an area within the medieval manor and chapelry of Dadlington, though we now know that the extent of Dadlington then was somewhat different from today’s parish. How do we know this? The medieval landscape The medieval landscape has been mapped using evidence from both ground and aerial survey, showing land use as it probably was in around 1300. This map shows which areas were ploughed in the typical strip field system of the period and those which were meadow, pasture or settle- ments. Marsh could only have existed in the meadows. In parallel to this the soil itself has also been studied. This work has been done to complement works already published by the Soil Survey of England and Wales, by Cranfield University. It involved taking a series of 10cm plugs of soil down to a depth of as much as 1 metre from hun- dreds of locations across the area. Different types of soil indicate where a marsh could and could- n’t have existed. In just two locations, both in Dadlington’s former meadow land, this augering has also found peat deposits, which are now being subjected to further analysis to establish if they were open marshland and of medieval date. Historic Documents Historic maps have been reviewed and areas with relevant names such as fen or marsh have been

Richard Knox (left) with Society President, Peter Hammond, at the AGM plotted. There are only two areas where these names concentrate and they correspond closely to the peat deposits found in the soil survey. Other documents in local and national archives are also being studied. Those from the mid seventeenth century and earlier are predominantly written in Latin with each individual document having to be read, translated and then interpreted. This is a challenging task but is producing important new evidence as some of these documents are being studied for the first time. Sadly, our study area has shown this to be a poorly documented landscape in the medieval period, possibly due to a lack of monastic or other great estates. However we have had one lucky break: many of the records of the medieval manorial court for Dadlington do survive. These court rolls and other documents show that ‘Redmore’ lay within the land of Dadlington. The team are also reviewing other well known sources, one of which refers to Henry VIII supporting the establishment of a chantry at Dadlington to pray for the souls of those killed in the battle. These documents prove that the battle must have taken place partly or wholly within Dadling- ton, supporting an existing hypothesis first developed by Peter Foss. Metal Detecting Survey Guided by this evidence, a systematic archaeological survey using metal detectors is under way. The team is searching for small clothing and armour fittings, such as buckles, strap ends, rivets and harness mounts.This survey has recovered some objects which may relate to the battle but it has so far failed to find the density of artefacts that have been recovered from the Towton battlefield. At Towton, a battle fought just 24 years before Bosworth, an impressive array of medieval artefacts have been discovered, including over 200 arrowheads. However, it is not just at Bos- worth that problems have arisen in the archaeological survey. Other medieval battlefields like Bannockburn and Shrewsbury have also so far failed to yield evidence similar to that from Tow- ton.

This raises two questions:  Are we looking in the right place ?  Or is Towton unusual? The Next Step We need to discover why so many battle-related artefacts survive at Towton. Are there perhaps special conditions, of soil chemistry, land-use history, etc., on that site which are not repeated at Bosworth and other medieval battlefields? To answer this question we have carried out analysis of the soils at Towton to compare them to soils at Bosworth. Interim results suggest the conditions are very special at Towton, but it does not seem to provide the whole answer. To try to resolve these problems it was decided that there was a need to repeat our metal detecting survey methods on sample areas of another accurately located medieval battlefield. Flod- den, fought in Northumberland in 1513 between English and Scottish armies, was chosen as it was the last big medieval battle to take place in England and where the site of the battle was known with considerable confidence, but would a survey of this site provide the same pattern as identified at Towton or would the comparisons be stronger with the findings at Bosworth? Bosworth to Flodden Before work could be undertaken at Flodden, appropriate permissions were sought from local landowners. Once these were granted a team worked in the fields using the same techniques that have been used at Bosworth. Systematic metal detecting revealed limited finds. There were a handful of finds that may relate to the battle. The most exciting find was a coin of Henry VIII, quite rare, and initially thought to date from the time of the battle. Sadly it has now been shown to be almost ten years too late to belong to the battle itself. Is it too fanciful to suggest it was lost by a veteran of the battle visiting the site a decade later? What we do know for certain is that we were on the battlefield because we recovered two cannon balls that are of a type typical of the Tudor period. They are approximately 5cm in diameter, and subsequent research by the team on the munitions from the Mary Rose has shown that there are identical roundshot from Henry VIII’s flagship, which sank in 1545. The small number of finds discovered at Flodden is unexpected on such a large medieval battlefield. However, it is comparative to the limited finds unearthed at Bosworth, and again raises important questions as to why Towton is so different. It is planned to visit Shrewsbury to repeat the same exercise as at Flodden. If this study yields the same results as Bosworth and Flodden then we will know that providing definitive archaeological evidence as to the exact location of the action at Bosworth will be far more difficult than everyone has previously thought. Conclusion The archaeological survey here at Bosworth still has another year to run. It has brought together specialists from many disciplines and has taken expert advice from battlefield archaeologists working in various other countries. The current project has narrowed down the search for the battlefield to very specific areas of Dadlington and its immediate environs. We have proved where the battle could not have been fought. What we aim to do over the next year, is to prove exactly where it was fought. The project has proven an unexpectedly difficult challenge, for it has shown that some of the accepted assumptions about the archaeology of medieval battles may not be correct. It is also forcing battlefield archaeologists to rethink the validity of Towton as a benchmark for the study of medieval battlefields. For this reason, whatever the final results of the project as regards the exact location of the Bosworth battlefield, it is already clear that it will have an important impact on the future study of medieval battlefields across Europe.

Bosworth Battlefield Exhibition Re-opens

JO PRESTON

The new exhibition at the Bosworth Heritage Centre and Country Park is due to open in- November. The Centre’s Marketing Manager, Jo Preston, shares with members her vision of the new Bosworth experience.

tep back over 500 years and walk in the footsteps of a king. Historic Bosworth Battlefield S where on a balmy August day in 1485 the royal army of King Richard III faced the smaller mercenary army of Henry Tudor. The Battle of Bosworth was the dramatic final chapter of the 30-year power struggle for the throne of England known as the War of the Roses, and marked the beginning of the powerful Tudor dynasty. Although another battle and further challenges to the Tudors followed, the result of Bosworth was never to be reversed. At the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park, in rural Leicestershire, follow King Richard’s fateful journey into battle, meet the characters who find their lives entwined in this battle: Alice the publican’s daughter, John the farmer and Collette the French mercenary’s wife. Join Henry’s army and stand in the ranks of soldiers as Richard’s royal army advances and attacks – will you survive? Once the victor is crowned, visit the Tudor rotunda and meet all of the members of this all- powerful dynasty, including the best known Tudor, Henry VIII, and his six wives. Time it right and you could enjoy one of the many events held here, a guided walk, history alive or the renowned Medieval Festival Weekend, with jousting knights, falconry displays and the mayhem and gore of battle. The programme of events has something for the most energetic or relaxed visitors. Guided walks and strolls sometimes return via boat or steam train from the nearby canal and railway line, history and heritage events are hosted in the reconstructed medieval village, Ambion Parva, and there are performances and activities to match the seasons. The special Medieval Festival Week- end in August is a visual treat - two days packed with events with a medieval theme for all the family. Alternatively, visitors can simply relax and enjoy the natural beauty of this historic site, enjoy lunch in the reclaimed medieval timbered ‘Tithe Barn’ licensed restaurant and browse in the gift shop. The Country Park is open all year and the Heritage Centre daily, November – January 10am to 4pm and February to October 10am to 5pm. Website: www.bosworthbattlefield.com

Living History: The Order of the Boar Part 1

CALLUM FORBES

We announced in the summer Bulletin that we would begin an occasional series on the theme of living history and, with tournaments being the subject at both the Australasian Convention and the York Study Weekend, it seemed a very natural step for this aspect of living history to feature as the first of the series. It was also appropriate to invite Callum Forbes of the Order of the Boar to be our contributor for several reasons. He was the speaker at the Convention and the Order strongly support the ethos of living history, but there is the added slant that the tradition of this very European sport is being continued so far away from its roots. And, then, of course, there is the Order’s name and emblem – the boar.

our vision is restricted (by your helmet). skills have carried you through and you have Y You can’t hear anything. The horse un- defeated possible injury or even death. der you is fired up and ready to go. You have Callum Forbes (in a article in trouble holding him back while you wait for Capital Times, 2 January 2003) the ‘go’ signal. In front of you is a guy with a big stick who wants to hit you as hard as he The Order of the Boar is a medieval re- can and your system is full of adrenaline. enactment group based near Upper Hutt in The signal flags go up. You are both New Zealand who recreate aspects of the me- ready. You take off as fast as you can to seize dieval tournament along with related living any advantage that you can over your oppo- history activities from the second half of the nent. Your perception becomes living in the fourteenth century. The group specialises in moment, you are entirely focused and every- jousting and its development as a modern thing unfolds in slow motion. You lock your sport. We are organised along historical lines lance on the opponent’s target and you are as a small retinue of mounted men-at-arms, rewarded by the explosion of flying shards infantry, family and servants at a tournament. and by the familiar recoil through your arm This is portrayed in a living history setting and shoulder as you continue to push the bro- which includes period tents, camp furniture ken end of your lance into the target to drive and other equipment. We are also among the home your hit and hopefully to rattle your founding members of the International Joust- opponent’s composure. ing Association (IJA) which sanctions our Simultaneously you feel a hit like that of a competitions and issues grading certificates sledgehammer on your target as your oppo- for our members who regularly compete in nent drives in a good hit as well. You are tournaments both in New Zealand and off- forced back in the saddle and then suddenly it shore. is over. You regain control of your horse as Living history is an important but often you approach the end of the lists and prepare neglected aspect in many jousting and medie- to return to your end for another run. The val combat groups. Living history is a snap- dull roar of the crowd filters through your shot into a period of history. It can involve helmet and you know that that pass was a the accurate portrayal of just a single activity good one. You feel exhilarated because your or a range of activities. This allows people to 26

Callum (2nd from left) and colleagues at Omaka Classic Fighters 2007 experience long forgotten crafts and skills – two main forms of the joust were the ‘joust of providing us with some idea of what life in war’ where sharp weapons were used and the the Middle Ages may have been really ‘joust of peace’ where blunt weapons were like. We do not view living history and joust- used. Our joust represents the latter. The ob- ing as separate activities but instead we try to jective of our style of jousting, however, is to use one to enhance the other in order to pro- shatter a lance on the opponent while he or vide a more complete medieval experience she is trying to do the same to you, rather than for both ourselves and for the public. Living trying to dismount your opponent. Historical- history allows us to challenge many of the ly the head and torso were considered to be misconceptions that the public have about the legitimate targets, with a strike to the head medieval life. being regarded as the most difficult to pull Jousting, however, is the most spectacular off, so it was awarded the most points. Unlike and the most dangerous activity that we en- other martial sports there is no defensive as- gage in. Along with other members of the pect – you are going to get hit! Any defensive International Jousting Association, we have movement with your shield, called an revived jousting as a modern equestrian com- écranche, will open you up to a direct strike petitive sport that also has a mass public ap- to the torso or a deflection to the head. Nowa- peal. days it is generally inappropriate to target the The historical sport of jousting originally head so we target the torso from the waist evolved in the early Middle Ages as a training upwards instead, which is protected by the exercise for war. As the Middle Ages pro- écranche. The purpose of the shield is to help gressed, jousting was gradually made safer by spread the area of shock before it is transmit- the introduction of specialised armour and ted to the rider rather than to actually absorb rules. During the Middle Ages there were the full force of a blow. However, the impact many forms of jousting, each with its own from a good hit is like being smacked by a specialised rules and items of armour. The sledgehammer. Points are awarded on how

well you strike your opponent, with maxi- skills required to take part in jousting tourna- mum points being awarded for shattering the ments offered by other jousting organisations. lance. Usually you need to spend at least two years Today, most people understand jousting as as a Level 2 rider before you can be graded to being two riders engaging each other with Level 3. long spears called lances, as popularised by Rider Level 4 is jousting instructor. In addi- such films as A Knight’s Tale and Ivanhoe, tion to the skills above, the rider must demon- although technically this activity is more ac- strate skills in training others to Level 3 as curately referred to as tilting. However, to well as in organising tournaments and in avoid confusion, we also refer to jousting as training horses. He or she must also have tak- just being the engagement between two ar- en part in at least one overseas competition to moured riders using lances. qualify for the grade. Usually you need to The International Jousting Association spend at least three years as a Level 3 rider Joust training in the Order of the Boar follows before you can be graded to Level 4. a progressive grading system that we original- There are two further grades that are not ly developed for local riders. This system has often used by other IJA groups but we use since been adopted by the International Joust- them in our Order. ing Association as its worldwide training pro- Foot Fighter grade trains foot combatants to gramme. Locally we also require that all of stage mock combat with/or around horses. our riders be IJA qualified footmen as well. Members of other re-enactment groups that Footmen are our ground support crew, whose wish to take part in integrated foot and primary role is to ensure that our riders have mounted combat displays with us must obtain everything that they need in order to do their this grade. job effectively. So the job of the footman is Supporter grade introduces people who wish not that of a servant or ‘gofer’ but more of a to support us in an indirect role to our activi- multi-skilled problem solver with a thorough ties and safety procedures. knowledge of armour, weapons, horses, joust- Skill-at-Arms ing and event management. Riders must also This involves using weapons from horseback complete this grade and also serve as foot in a number of exercises designed to test both crew as and when required. the rider's horsemanship and weapon- Rider Level 1 is the first riding grade. This handling skills. In North America skill-at- introduces mounted skill-at-arms exercises as arms is known as Games and in the UK and well as mounted combat with hand weapons Europe simply as Skills. against other riders and footmen. Skills in There is no element of direct physical both riding and basic horse care are also re- competition with another rider such as occurs quired. A qualified Level 1 rider is eligible to in jousting or mêlée so skill-at-arms is an take part in skill-at-arms competitions. This ideal activity for people who do not want to is the only Grade that we allow members un- joust or engage in physical competition with der 16 to complete. another person. However, in our group all the Rider Level 2 builds on the skill-at-arms riders must be competent in skill-at-arms if skills learnt in the last grade and jousting they wish to progress to jousting as all the skills are also developed. Further develop- core horse- and weapon-handling skills re- ment of both horse care and riding skills are quired for the joust are developed from the also required. A qualified Level 2 rider can skill-at-arms exercises. We practise a number take part in jousting competitions. Usually of skill-at-arms exercises. While the modern you need to spend at least 12 months as a format of these may or may not be period, Level 1 rider before you can be graded to they allow us to demonstrate the other mount- Level 2. ed combat skills required by a medieval Rider Level 3 builds on the jousting skills knight. learnt in the last grade. A qualified Level 3 There are several basic exercises but I will rider is sufficiently well equipped with the just cover two of them. Probably the most

important exercise for people learning to joust jousting and is not used in skill-at-arms com- is ‘Rings’, as it develops accuracy and control petitions. The other exercises are tent peg- with the long spear. Rings can be set up either ging, moor’s head, spear throwing, mounted singly or in multiples, at varying heights and archery and races. to the rider’s left or right. The rings can be Mêlée Combat captured with dagger, sword or spear so the As well as jousting with lances, another ele- possible combinations are almost endless. We ment of our combat activities is mounted and train with rings set at 60 cm, 165 cm and 210 foot mêlée combat. This is derived from the cm. The lowest height simulates a footman very early tournaments or behourds. These crouching behind a shield, the middle height a were mock battles between teams of mounted standing footman and the highest height an and foot combatants rather then individual incoming rider. The second is ‘Quintain’. The contests between knights which evolved later. quintain was a medieval training device that We train or horses and riders to engage in consisted of a target (usually a shield) fixed to close-in mêlée combat with swords, axes and a revolving beam that pivoted on top of a other medieval hand weapons. These require centre post. Often a bag of sand was attached a great deal of skill as the unpredictable na- to the opposite end of the beam. The objective ture of combat means that each combatant was to hit the target cleanly and at speed. If must also be aware of where everybody else the rider didn’t do this then he received a is at the same time so that a mistimed blow painful clout on the head from the bag of does not strike a horse. sand. We use the quintain to teach accuracy We can also add in foot fighters to the and timing when placing a lance-strike, and in mêlée to make it even more dramatic and competitions the points are awarded for the interesting. Not only are the foot fighters try- number of times the target rotates after being ing to capture ‘knights’ for ransom but they struck. We also use a heavier quintain called are also fighting among themselves. Because the ‘shock’ quintain. This is a modern innova- of the very real risk of a horse being acci- tion and is designed to provide some signifi- dentally struck by a weapon, foot fighters cant resistance. If it is not well struck then the must be trained by us before we allow them to rider can be dismounted by the recoil. It is participate in this activity. intended to teach people how to deliver and receive strong hits in actual competition To be concluded

Meanwhile at the Tower of London …

Medieval artist and Society member, Graham Turner, (our ‘Jousting Artist’, see autumn Bulletin 2004) partic- ipated in a tournament held in the moat area of the Tower of London on 1/2 September which was a re- enactment of the famous joust held to celebrate the marriage of Margaret of York to the duke of Burgun- dy. This was the first joust I had ever seen and it was scary to see those lances splintering. Graham wrote to me after the event – ‘if you thought that was violent you should have seen the final joust on Sunday!’ Graham has promised to write up his experiences of his ‘hardest joust’ so far and these will be published in the Bulletin next year. Wendy Moorhen Graham aka the Duke of Clarence

The Man Himself

REVIEW: MAKING HISTORY EXHIBITION

For the Man Himself feature we are taking a different approach in this issue and bringing you a review of the Making History: Antiquaries in Britain, 1707-2007 Exhibition at the Roy- al Academy of Arts, 15 September – 2 December 2007. The logic behind this decision is that the panel painting of Richard, owned by the Society of Antiquaries and displayed in the Exhibition, has recently been cleaned and conserved and it appears that this is yet another painting of Richard that been tampered with, alongside the Broken Sword portrait and the portrait of Richard in the Royal Collection. The review is written by Society member, Fred- erick Hepburn, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and author of Portraits of the Later Plantagenets. He is currently updating his article, ‘The Portraiture of Richard III’, published on the Society’s website, in order to take account of the recent cleaning of the Anti- quaries’ portrait. Our thanks to the Society of Antiquaries of London for allowing us to reproduce the portrait though the black and white images do not do it justice.

s was noted in the autumn Bulletin, this six main miniatures are attributed to William A splendid exhibition was held in celebra- Abell, who was certainly in the front rank of tion of the tercentenary of the founding of the English limners at the time. The low level of Society of Antiquaries of London in 1707. lighting, necessary for the preservation of Among the extraordinary array of objects on these delicate tinted drawings, sadly made it view, illustrating the history of the Society difficult to see them at all clearly, and their and the many achievements of its Fellowship quality is more easily appreciated in the ex- in studying the material remains of the past, cellent colour photographs in the exhibition were a number of items of particular interest catalogue.1 Here one can see details such as to Ricardians. the fact that Eve is eating two apples while In the first room we were immediately Adam chokes on his. transported back to the time of the Wars of In the same room Henry VI was also the the Roses: in a long display case in the centre subject of one of a group of early royal por- of the room was an illuminated roll chronicle, traits. These belong to the remarkable collec- written and drawn in coloured inks on vellum, tion of 26 fifteenth- and early sixteenth- charting the descent of Henry VI from Adam century paintings which were bequeathed to and Eve (no. 1). This elaborate and, to mod- the Society by the Revd Thomas Kerrick in ern eyes, impossibly fanciful work of geneal- 1828. Almost all are portraits of English and ogy is one of a group of such rolls which European rulers, and together they constitute were produced in the mid-1450s, the years the most important body of such works in this which saw the onset of the king’s mental ill- country outside the Royal Collection. The ness and then the defeat of his forces at the Henry VI (no. 51) is in fact derived from a first battle of St Albans. Their purpose was to portrait which still exit in the Royal Collec- demonstrate the rightfulness of Henry’s king- tion, and belongs to a group of paintings ship of England. The Antiquaries’ roll, which which date probably from the 1530s. was here exhibited in public for the first time, (Another of the group, which like this one bears a dedication to the king and was per- shows Henry against a scarlet background, is haps therefore actually presented to him; its in the National Portrait Gallery.) By this time,

of course, ‘Holy King Henry’ had been a fo- traits themselves have not been seen in public cus of widespread popular devotion in Eng- since the National Portrait Gallery’s Richard land for over half a century, and in these III exhibition in 1973. A campaign of clean- paintings his face is made slightly rounder ing and conservation undertaken earlier this and more youthful than in the Royal Colleci- year (of which there is, curiously, no mention ton portrait, his lips parted in a beneficent in the catalogue) has transformed their ap- smile and his hands folded in a gesture ex- pearance. No longer do the faces peer out of pressive of his characteristic meekness. the darkness, the contours of their hair and While Henry VI had become a royal saint, hats indistinguishable in the surrounding it was Richard III’s fate to be demonised by gloom; what we saw in this exhibition were his successors. In a painting which almost two luminous paintings with intense, jewel- certainly comes from the same workshop, like colours – gold, magenta and black set though it is appreciably larger than the Henry against blue backgrounds. It ought not to be VI and somewhat later in date (no. 50), Rich- surprising that such brilliant colours lay hid- ard is shown holding a broken sword, sym- den beneath the accumulations of grime – bolic no doubt of his defeat at Bosworth and they are wholly characteristic of the Nether- perhaps also of his having broken the Sword lands tradition to which these portraits belong of Justice through disinheriting his innocent – but what a revelation this was! The cleaning nephews and then ordering their murder. has also made it clear that, while Edward’s Many Ricardians will remember that, in the eyes are brown, Richard’s are a greyish blue. book which accompanied the television pro- And Richard’s complexion is paler than Ed- gramme The Trial of Richard III in 1974, ward’s, though this may perhaps be partly due Pamela Tudor-Craig published a photograph to the painting’s slightly less good condition: of this painting together with a very interest- whereas the Edward looks pristine, the Rich- ing infra-red photograph which showed that ard appears at some point in the past to have the king’s left shoulder was originally painted lost a little of its paint surface in the area of higher than it is now, in order to give the ap- the face. It is noticeable that the outline of the pearance of a hump-back, and his left arm nose is not as well defined as that in the Ed- was made to look unnaturally short.2 The pre- ward, and elsewhere too, in the nostril and sent, more normal, appearance of this shoul- around the mouth, the shading lacks depth der and arm is the result of overpainting and definition. which was carried out probably in the eight- Perceptible also, if one compares photo- eenth century, at a time when the rehabilita- graphs of the Richard before and after clean- tion of Richard’s character had begun. Never- ing, is a distinct difference in the mouth. The theless, the stunted and awkwardly-placed central horizontal line of the mouth has fingers of the left hand still give a clear indi- moved to a slightly lower position than be- cation of the deformity which was intended. fore, with the result that the upper lip has be- Alongside this image of Richard as a pan- come more pronounced than the lower and tomime villain hung two portraits which the mouth as a whole looks less firmly set. were, for this reviewer, the highlights of the The expression of the face has therefore lost entire exhibition. Through Kerrich’s bequest something of its ‘grim determination’, though the Society of Antiquaries owns the earliest the eyes still have troubled alertness about surviving panel portraits of Edward IV and them which contrasts sharply with Edward’s Richard III: painted on oak panels which were bland gaze. One would like to know when cut from the same tree, the two portraits are and why the deliberate alteration was made to now dated by dendrochronology to ‘probably Richard’s mouth. It seems probably enough soon after 1510’; and there is every reason to that, whenever the change was made, its pur- believe that they are good copies of contem- pose was to make this portrait conform more porary originals which are now lost (nos. 48 closely to the appearance of other portraits of and 49). Although photographs of them have Richard. The general prototype for these was, been reproduced quite frequently, the por- as Dr Tudor-Craig has convincingly shown,

Before … and after the portrait in the Royal Collection. In the of Henry as the heir of the ancient British latter painting the mouth is very tightly kings as well as of the house of Lancaster, closed, and through the many copies which they reflect the actual red rose which Henry is were derived from it this feature clearly be- shown holding in the portrait. Two further, came accepted as a facial characteristic which much larger panel paintings on show here was ‘standard’ in Richard’s portraiture.3 The were also probably produced during Henry’s fact that the Antiquaries’ portrait is different – reign (nos. 47. 1-2). They represent Saxon and different also in showing only a slight kings and, though sadly mutilated, they nev- unevenness in Richard’s shoulders – serves to ertheless convey something of the visual rich- underline its independence from the tradition ness and grandeur of the series to which they based on the Royal Collection portrait, and once belonged. It is a pity that information hence its importance. We must now become about them is so sparse. They were discov- accustomed to thinking of Richard in terms of ered in 1813 at Baston House in Kent, but this newly-revealed image. their earlier history is unknown. Were they In this same group of exhibits also was the originally commissioned for a royal palace? Antiquaries’ earliest portrait of Henry VII, How many kings were represented altogether, which is now thought probably to date from and were they all Saxon? If so, what would the sitter’s own lifetime (no. 52). It has also have been their meaning and purpose? Such been recently cleaned (though again this is questions remain, for the moment, unanswer- not mentioned in the catalogue), and this has able. brought to light a striking ‘barber’s pole’ dec- Further on in the exhibition, and displayed oration painted along the top and sides of the to stunning effect, was the much-discussed integral picture frame in green and white, the ‘Bosworth Cross’, the gilt bronze crucifix Tudor livery colours. Also, in the upper cor- which was found in 1778 when it was ners of the painting itself two hitherto- ploughed up in a field, supposedly on the site concealed red roses have emerged; symbolic of the battle of Bosworth (no. 83). In the cata-

logue it is pleasing to see John Ashdown- work on the face was to blame; but surely the Hill’s 2004 article in Transactions of the marketing team could have allowed us to Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical have postcards of both portraits? I for one Society cited among the ‘selected references’, think they have missed a significant sales though there surely ought to have been some opportunity. mention in this entry of the recent controversy Frederick Hepburn concerning the actual site of the battle. Next to the crucifix was a no less evocative object, Notes 1 a spur found on the site of the battle of Tow- Catalogue: Making History: Antiquaries in Brit- ton (no. 83). It dates from the first half of the ain, 1707-2007, edited by David Gaimster, Sarah McCarthy (Managing Editor) and Bernard Nurse. fifteenth century and is clearly a quality Published by the Royal Academy of Arts, London, piece, gilded, with ornate engraved decoration 2007. £40 (hardback ISBN 978-1-905711-03-1; and an inscription: en loial amour tout mon £22.95 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-905711-04-8. coer. One could not help wondering whose it Available online at www.royalacademy.org.uk was, and what became of him on Palm Sun- 2 Richard Drewett and Mark Redhead, The Trial of day, 1461. Richard III (Gloucester, 1984), pp. 110-11. See Finally in a section entitled ‘Opening the also P. Tudor-Craig, Richard III (exhibition cata- Tomb’, we were able to have a really close logue, National Portrait Gallery, London, 1973); look at Henry Emly’s large watercolour draw- 2nd edn, 1977, no. P40, pp. 90-1 This portrait was exhibited in March this year ing (50.6 x 43.3 cm), made in 1789, of the at the galleries of Philip Mould Ltd. The infra-red burial vault of Edward IV in St George’s photograph was reproduced again in the catalogue Chapel, Windsor Castle (no. 71). This was of that exhibition, Lost Faces, Identity and Discov- later engraved by James Basire senior and ery in Tudor Royal Portraiture, edited by Bendor published by the Society of Antiquaries, and Grosvenor (Philip Mould Ltd, London, 2007), no. the engraving has been reproduced more re- 2, pp. 22-5. cently, of course, together with a comprehen- 3 For the Royal Collection portrait of Richard see sive exposition of the whole episode of the Tudor-Craig 1977 (cited above), no. P44, p. 93, discover and description of Edward’s re- and pl. 26. Many of the later paintings which are copies, or copies of copies, derived from this mains, by Anne F. Sutton and Livia Visser- 4 source are reproduced ibid., pls. 27-39. As Dr Tu- Fuchs. In the original drawing Edward’s dor-Craig points out, an X-radiograph of the Royal hair, lying on either side of his skull, is very Collection portrait indicates not only that Rich- clearly visible. It caused a frisson to realise ard’s right shoulder was initially painted at a low- that next to the drawing was a locket contain- er, more normal level than it now appears but also ing some of the actual hair (no. 72). that his right eye was first drawn in a less slit-like Amid all these wonderful things, two fashion. I would add to this that the outline of his small disappointments. By a strange aberra- nose seems to have been enlarged, and I amnow tion the dates of Richard’s reign were given still more mistrustful than I was about the present appearance of his mouth. I suspect that, when it in the labels in the exhibition as 1482-5, and was first painted as a copy of a lost original, the this error is repeated in the catalogue. Else- Royal Collection portrait was (apart from the de- where in the catalogue too the proofreading of tails if its costume) similar to the Antiquaries’ dates leaves something to be desired: no. 50 portrait as it now appears. It was then deliberately (Richard III with the Broken Sword) is de- altered, probably by the copyist himself (though scribed as dating from probably soon after acting on the instructions of someone in authority), 1523’, but then, lower down in the same en- in order to bring it more into line with the early try, we read that the panel ‘came from an oak Tudor view of Richard as a deformed villain. A tree felled in the eastern Baltic region after tightly-closed mouth with thin lips would help to make the murderer look more unscrupulous. 1550’. Secondly, while I was able to stock up 4 Anne F. Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs with R.A. with some excellent postcards of the Edward Griffiths, The Royal Funerals of the House of York IV, the exhibition shop had no postcards of at Windsor (Richard III Society, London, 2005), the newly-cleaned Richard for sale. I can only pp. 111-24, esp. 114. suppose that the poorer condition of the paint- 33

The Wenlock Jug

PETER HAMMOND

he Wenlock jug is a large bronze jug. It officer, the Duke of Somerset. The jug is dec- T is about 12 inches tall and holds six orated with the form of the royal arms of Eng- quarts, and was bought by Luton Museum in land used between 1340 and 1405, together 2006 following a campaign to raise the cost with shields of the arms of St Edmund (or and to stop its possibly St export to New Etheldreda), both York. It is a associated with very rare exam- East Anglia, and ple of medieval with crowns. It metal work but was clearly not is of interest to made for Lord us because it is Wenlock and the inscribed ‘MY suggestion has LORD been made that it WENLOK’. was made for Lord Wenlock Wenlock’s great was a prominent uncle, a cleric, politician and who died in soldier who after 1391, although serving every there seems to be king from Henry V to Edward IV ended on no evidence for this. It seems likely that it the battlefield at Tewkesbury commanding was made for use in the royal household, per- the right wing of the Lancastrian army. He haps that of Richard II who venerated St Ed- was killed in the battle, possibly, or possibly mund. It is so large that it must have been not, executed for treason by his commanding meant for ceremonial rather than domestic use and it once had a lid which makes this more likely. It could have come into the possession of Lord Wenlock when he became Chief Butler of England in 1460 and the addition of his name made at any time from 1461 when he became a peer. There is evidence that changes were made later to the inscription. The jug was not amongst the possessions which Wenlock left in the safe keeping of the Abbot of Glastonbury before Tewkesbury and its whereabouts was unknown until it came to light in the possession of the earl of Pomfret in the early nineteenth century. It is fitting that it is now in Luton since the Wenlocks held much land in Bedfordshire and Lord Wenlock himself may be buried in the Wenlock chapel in St Mary’s Luton.

Fairford Parish Church

GWEN & BRIAN WATERS

t Mary’s, Fairford, is surely one of the There is a row of very lively images along S most visited of all the lovely churches of the exterior walls of the church including a the Cotswolds; it is a fine, cruciform church dragon, the all-important sheep, and a delight- largely rebuilt by the Tame family between ful little figure, possibly a jester, who is ap- about 1490 and the early 1500s and it is a parently about to climb over the parapet and treasure house of craftsmanship in stone, leap down. wood and, above all, in stained and painted One enters the church by the south porch glass. The present building replaces an older and through the original, studded inner door, church that had been in the demesne of the and then one is immediately faced by the earls of Warwick, and for a short while, striking clerestory windows opposite in which through inheritance from his wife, Isobel Ne- the martyrs and confessors of the faith are ville, the manor had been owned by George, portrayed. Twelve of these are honoured Duke of Clarence. On his death and attainder throughout the building and even the persecu- it reverted to the Crown and so, at the time of tors of the Church are there for the window the rebuilding, it was in the possession of the sequence illustrates the ‘Christian faith as in king, Henry VII. John Tame, a wealthy wool the pages of a picture book’. (Church Guide). merchant, had moved his business from Ci- The brilliance of the windows is offset by the rencester to Fairford and settled there with his restrained nature of the interior stonework wife, Alice Twyniho, who was of a local gen- and the piers of the nave arcades are compo- try family. In 1479 the royal manor of Fair- site, slim, and elegant. The vista through from ford was leased to John Tame and his father- west to east is partially obscured by the sturdy in-law, John Twyniho. John’s fortunes pros- arches of the central tower and here traces of pered and he and his family rose in the social original wall painting may be seen. The font, scale, his son, Edmund later becoming a too, is from the old church and must be at knight and serving at the court of Henry VIII. least fifteenth-century as the sun badge of When, in 1520, Henry visited Fairford, he Edward IV is carved on one panel. stayed for over a week with the Tame family The stalls in the choir are also medieval Some parts of the earlier church were in- and probably came from Cirencester Abbey corporated in the new structure, notably the after the Dissolution; the misericord seats lower portion of the tower where the arms show delightful little cameos of life at the and badges of Warwick, York, de Clare and time, depicted with rather mischievous hu- Despenser may be seen carved on the south, mour. The very fine choir and parclose north and east faces, with local trades are also screens are of the early Tudor period and the represented, in the form of scissors, horse- pomegranate badge of Katherine of Aragon shoes, etc. The corners of the tower are can be found among the richly-decorative guarded by four large and rather grotesque vine and floral carving. The beams of the figures, sword-bearing and impressively- splendid oak roof are supported by carved hatted, and, on the west face, there is an unu- angels bearing scrolls or shields, one of sual reproduction of the ‘Christ of Pity’ sculp- which, in the South Chapel, has the Tame ture (just visible if one stands well back in the family arms. churchyard); this is believed to be fifteenth- The impressive marble tomb of John and century but seems to have been deliberately his wife, Alice, with their memorial brasses, carved in a more primitive style. is situated between the choir and the Lady 35

installation? Opin- ion is divided about this, some publications stating, with certainty, that the Tames were the donors and others that Henry VII ‘probably’ may have been. There are facts in support of the latter: (1) Fairford was a royal manor; (2) the East Window glass at Great Malvern (also a royal possession) was almost certainly given by Henry; (3) similarities can be found in the Fairford Church Fairford glass with Chapel. John is shown attired, not as a wool the glass in Westminster’s Lady Chapel and merchant, but as an esquire in armour and in King’s College Chapel, which, in both cas- wearing spurs; Alice has the fashionable ken- es, is known to have been the work of Bar- nel head-dress. She predeceased her husband nard Flower, Henry’s Master Glass Painter; by many years but he never married again. (4) figures in the Biblical stories illustrated in Inscribed beneath their feet is a request for the windows are supposed to be likenesses of prayer ‘That my paynys Relessyd may be.’ members of the Tudor Court and of the Royal The ‘pains’ meant are those of Purgatory, for Family – the ‘Queen of Sheba’, for instance, death and judgement were very much a sali- may resemble Elizabeth of York; these so- ent part of religious thinking at the end of the called ‘hidden portraits’ are referred to in a medieval era. John had been born about 1431, church pamphlet; (5) the inclusion in several so he was about sixty years of age when he windows of the ostrich feather motif, the em- began his great church-building project. It is blem of the Prince of Wales, which is thought possible that, following the quite common to be a celebration of the forthcoming mar- custom of the time, he made this great endow- riage between Prince Arthur and Princess ment with the hope that such a gift would Katherine of Aragon. If this is so, why was earn him some respite of the years he feared Fairford singled out for such an honour? he would spend in Purgatory. Certainly Unless further information comes to light Judgement is the theme of the spectacular these questions are unlikely to be answered, west window where the righteous ascend the but whoever designed these windows had the golden stairs to heaven and sinners are vision to plan a scheme that would provide a wheeled off to where a splendidly fierce Dev- complete pictorial record of the main features il awaits them at the jaws of hell. of the Gospel narrative. The series begins There are twenty-eight windows in all, with scenes from the Old Testament which comprising ‘one of the most important glaz- foretell the coming of the Messiah, continues ing schemes in England, if not in Europe’ with a number of incidents from the life of the (The Medieval Stained Glass of Fairford Virgin (to whom the church is dedicated and Church, Brown and Macdonald, p.xi); did the who was considered paramount among all munificent Tame also cover the cost of this intercessors), and then illustrates the life of

Christ from the Incarnation to the Ascension, concluding with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The panels reflect the late- medieval world in which they were designed; the men and women portrayed wear contemporary costume, the background details are more suggestive of early Tudor Fairford than of the Holy Land, and the stories and events are interpreted very literally. The small details in the windows repay study. Moses, for instance, in the ‘Burning Bush’ scene is shown taking off his sandals, and his head is horned – in accordance with an early misconception of the text describing his radiant appearance after having been in the presence of God; in the Nativity window one of the kings has taken off his crown and placed it on the floor before the infant Christ. The windows in Fairford Church are all so rich in interest that each repays careful study; that such a unique collection has survived, almost entirely intact, is nothing short of a miracle.

The Jester

The Caption Competiton

Many thanks for your entries. The Editori- al Team rather liked the one from Elsie Watson of Co. Durham who contributed:

Methinks I’ve quaffed o’er much of the malmsey and I still have the Chairman’s letter to write!

Of course those of us who know Phil well would stoutly deny that he over imbibes!

The competition will return next year with another unfortunate shot of a member of the Executive Committee

The Real Reason Why Hastings Lost His Head – Part 1

DAVID JOHNSON

he summary execution of the King’s History of King Richard III. T Chamberlain, William Lord Hastings, In describing the tempestuous Tower of on Friday 13 June 1483 is often cited as the London council meeting at which Hastings first tangible evidence of Richard of Glouces- was accused of conspiracy and executed, ter’s dark ambition to usurp the throne of More provides an invaluable account of the England. In this traditional version of events Lord Protector’s version of events. ‘The lord Hastings is portrayed as the incorruptibly chamberlain, and other of his conspiracy, had loyal defender of Edward V’s rightful claim contrived to have suddenly destroyed him to the throne, a gentle knight whose trusting [Richard of Gloucester] and the duke [of nature made him easy prey for the ruthless Buckingham], there the same day in coun- machinations of the evil Lord Protector. cil,’1 and in a slightly more detailed procla- While this rather stark interpretation has ad- mation issued a few hours later, ‘the lord Has- mittedly benefited from a degree of modifica- tings with divers other of his traitorous pur- tion, it nevertheless retains much of its origi- pose, had before conspired the same day, to nal influence: an influence, it will be argued have slain the lord protector and the duke of here, that is fundamentally misleading. In its Buckingham sitting in the council.’2 Of place I will attempt to reconstruct what I be- course, More distorts the context of these lieve to be the real relationship between the passages so that Richard’s explanations ap- two men during April, May and June 1483. It pear flimsy and utterly unconvincing. He is is the story of a callous and self-interested naturally portrayed as the arch dissimulator, determination to resurrect a lost political pre- while the execution itself is nothing more eminence. Sensationally, Hastings combined than a premeditated murder, the removal of a scarcely suspected capacity for unbridled the one man who stood implacably between malevolence with a conspiracy so audacious the Lord Protector and the crown. Yet despite and incredible that it has never before been More’s best efforts to the contrary, there re- properly considered. mains in this depiction of a narrowly failed That the Lord Chamberlain went to his assassination a ring of authenticity that is death without any form of trial or hearing has almost impossible to dismiss. An attempt on undoubtedly left a stain on Richard’s charac- Richard’s life is, I suggest, the only plausible ter. Though successfully exonerated from explanation for the immediate beheading of many of the crimes levelled against him, it is Hastings. The plot itself was only discovered generally felt that the execution of Hastings at 10 o’clock on the morning of the council represents the one occasion where Richard let meeting. Afterwards Richard and Bucking- himself down. Surprisingly, perhaps, the an- ham dressed in hastily donned armour in case swer to this apparent lapse of honour is to be other conspirators remained undetected.3 found in an often-overlooked section of a Clearly it was the shock of the attack, allied well-known hostile source: Thomas More’s to the unsuspected identity of the perpetrator

that prompted so furious a response. After all, tensify it still further. Even the most perfunc- Richard was betrayed and almost killed by a tory examination of Mancini, Crowland and man he had every reason to trust. And it Virgil makes it abundantly plain that there should not be forgotten that he had only just could never have been the slightest possibility avoided some kind of Woodville threat to his of any such alliance.6 This cannot be over- life at Northampton in April 1483. The Pro- emphasised, and is in fact confirmed by Has- tector was quite literally fighting for his life. tings’ reaction to events once Richard, Buck- Richard’s protestation made it absolutely ingham, and the future Edward V entered clear that Hastings had attempted to assassi- London on 4 May 1483. The Crowland con- nate both himself and the duke of Bucking- tinuator revealed how Hastings was ‘bursting ham, and that the conspiracy involved others with joy over this new world, and was assert- who were present at the meeting. This will be ing that nothing had so far been done except returned to below, but it is important to un- to transfer the government of the kingdom derline the point that Richard was not the from two blood-relatives of the queen only intended victim, for, as we shall see, the [Anthony Woodville, earl Rivers and Richard elimination of Buckingham was just as essen- Grey] to two nobles of the blood-royal tial for the successful outcome of the plot. Yet [Richard and Buckingham] and that without this, incredibly, is only half the story. What any killing.’7 No wonder Hastings was beside we now have to consider is precisely why the himself; his arch enemies, the Woodvilles, conspirators believed the assassinations to be had been comprehensively defeated, while the necessary, and how news of the deaths was to young prince was now safe in the hands of his be managed and subsequently exploited in trusted ally Richard of Gloucester. Indeed, accordance with their wider objectives. But to upon his arrival, Gloucester had caused the do this we must return to April 1483 and the lords spiritual and temporal plus the mayor unexpected demise of Edward IV. and aldermen of London to swear fealty to the The most immediate consequence of the new king.8 With the threat to his personal king’s death was a desperate power struggle safety now removed, the Lord Chamberlain between Hastings and the Woodvilles for contentedly looked forward to assuming once control of Edward V’s person. Virgil de- more his rightful position at the very heart of scribed how Hastings exhorted Richard to royal government. take possession of the prince as soon as possi- It is at this point that a further problem ble, on account of the great hatred that the emerges, one that has similarly clouded a Queen’s family bore the Lord Chamberlain.4 proper appreciation of Hastings’ true motives A hatred, according to Mancini, that was ex- and behaviour during this critical period. The acerbated by Hastings’ friendship with the confusion has arisen from a misunderstanding Duke of Gloucester, and which placed the of the exact terms upon which Richard was Lord Chamberlain in even greater danger appointed Lord Protector. The council meet- once Richard’s active support in opposing the ing held on 10 May fixed a new date for the Woodvilles had been secured.5 It is clear that coronation: Tuesday 24 June (subsequently in the aftermath of Edward IV’s death a state modified to Sunday 22 June), and agreed that of open warfare existed between Hastings and Richard should be made protector. However, the Woodvilles, yet the possibility that at it has been argued that the tenure of the pro- some later stage these erstwhile enemies tectorate was not discussed at this meeting, might have conspired together against Rich- and that Richard’s appointment would there- ard has unfortunately prevented a proper un- fore last only until the coronation itself, there- derstanding of the Lord Chamberlain’s subse- by compelling the Protector ‘to break with quent behaviour and motives. What is abso- precedent’ and seek an extension to his term lutely certain is that Hastings and the Wood- of office.9 The implication of this version of villes were irreconcilable enemies. Their hos- events is that Richard’s actions were some- tility was long-standing and deep-seated, and how unconstitutional, and that they provided the passing of Edward IV served only to in- the first occasion upon which the suspicion

and opposition of Lord Hastings and others cellor, crucially, would have delivered his was aroused. This conjecture, which has address three days after the coronation. The served only to muddle the real relationship draft sermon reveals that the most important between Richard and Hastings, is, I believe, a council decision to be urged upon the parlia- complete misreading of events. It assumes the ment – that Richard be confirmed as protector inconceivable: that having appointed a protec- – was fully intended to establish the protector the council meeting of 10 May then omit- torate until Edward V came of age. The rele- ted to decide precisely how long that protec- vant section is worth quoting in full as it un- torate would last. This not only defies belief ambiguously presents the council’s arrange- but is also at variance with the available evi- ments for post coronation government: ‘In the dence. It is possible to demonstrate that Rich- meantime till ripeness of years and personal ard had no need to request such an extension rule be, as by God’s grace they must once be, because his appointment carried with it a term concurrent together, the power and authority of three to four years – until the twelve-year- of my lord protector is so behoveful and of old Edward V came of age. reason to be assented and established by the First, the Crowland continuator described authority of this high court, that amongst all how the ‘more foresighted members of the the causes of the assembling of parliament at Council thought that the uncles and brothers this time of year, this is the most necessary on the mother’s side should be absolutely first to be affirmed’ (my italics).13 And final- forbidden to have control of the person of the ly, government documents created in the new young man until he came of age (my ital- king’s name carried the qualification ‘by the ics).’10 This conclusion was reached before advice of our dearest uncle, the duke of Richard arrived in the capital, and, while it Gloucester, Protector of this our realm during demonstrates a clear antipathy towards the our young age’ (my italics).14 Woodvilles, it also indicates the council’s Thus it is clear that nothing other than a early concern to safeguard the young king full term of office was envisaged. After the until he became an adult. Second, and on the destabilisation of the Hastings/Woodville back of these considerations, Crowland re- power struggle it was absolutely essential to vealed how on 10 May Richard ‘received that re-establish a properly constituted administra- solemn office which had fallen to Duke tion. The most recent precedent available to Humphrey of Gloucester who, during the the council concerned the minority of Henry minority of King Henry, was called protector VI. As Henry assumed the full authority of of the kingdom. He [Richard] exercised this kingship just before his sixteenth birthday authority with the consent and the good-will there is every reason to believe that Richard of all the lords (my italics), commanding and would have continued as protector until Ed- forbidding in everything like another king.’11 ward V reached a similar age. The evidence There is here no indication of tension or dis- strongly suggests that Hastings supported sent, that the council sought to limit to a few these developments, for his position as Lord weeks the duration of the protectorate, or that Chamberlain provided both weight and influ- the protector himself attempted to negotiate ence in council. We must therefore assume an extension to his period of office. Third, the that he endorsed a re-dating of the coronation most telling testimony was that provided by to 22 June, a three- or four-year protectorate, the ‘draft sermon prepared by the new chan- and a ratification of the council’s decisions at cellor, Bishop Russell of Lincoln, for the the forthcoming parliament. The conclusion opening of the parliament which had been that Hastings entered willingly into a restruc- summoned on 13 May to meet on 25 June: the turing of government, based upon Richard’s chancellor’s sermon was then the equivalent protectorate, is difficult to escape; indeed, as of a modern speech from the throne, and may we have seen, it must have formed an essen- be regarded as official government policy’ tial element of what has been described as (my italics).12 This is highly significant, for Hastings’ ‘new world.’ Tragically, for all had events progressed as intended the chan- concerned, this harmony of common purpose

was not to last. 6. Dockray, Richard III A Source Book, pp. 43-46. 7. Ibid., p. 51. To be concluded 8. Charles Ross, Richard III (London, 1988), p. 74. 9. Ibid., pp. 74-75. Notes 10. Nicholas Pronay & John Cox (eds.), The Crow- 1. Sir Thomas More, The History of King Richard land Chronicle Continuations 1459-1486 (London, III, ed. R. S. Sylvester (Complete Works, Yale 1986). edn, II, 1963), pp. 52-53. 11. Ibid., p. 157. 2. Ibid. 12. Ross, Richard III, p. 75. 3. Ibid. 13. Ibid. 4. Keith Dockray, Richard III A Source Book 14. Ibid., p. 76. (Stroud, 1997), p. 46. 5. Mancini, The Usurpation of Richard III, ed. C. A. J. Armstrong (Gloucester, 1984), p. 73.

A Society Wedding

Society member Helen Cox married her partner Mick Doggett at a civil ceremony at Wakefield Registry Office on 2 October followed by a blessing at the Lead Chapel (St Mary’s), Towton on 6 October. Helen and Mick were presenters at the study weekend in York back in April this year and Helen has been responsible for the archaeology section of the Society’s website. As members of the Court of Palm Sunday they were at Barley Hall in October 2006 as part of the 50th anniversary Members’ Weekend celebrations. As serious historical re-enactors it will come as no surprise that for the blessing at the Lead Chapel the wedding party was is medieval costume. We are sure members will join the Committee in sending its best wishes to Helen and Mick for their future happiness.

‘A stately and dignified introduction to the city’: The Micklegate Bar of York

DOREEN LEACH

f the four major Bars or gates into the ers and leading citizens in red gowns. Rich- O city of York (Bootham, Monk Bar, ard, however, had left nothing to chance, hav- Walmgate and Micklegate), it is the latter ing sent his secretary, John Kendall, on ahead which appears most frequently in the histori- of him to impress on the city the need for a cal record. Located on the south side of the lavish welcome for their new monarch. They city, it was the major entrance from London seem to have taken heed of this request. Pass- and the scene of many ceremonial occasions ing St James’s chapel on the approach to when royalty and other distinguished visitors Micklegate Bar the king was greeted ‘joyfully were formally received by members of the by the citizens of York’ and three separate city corporation. Such visitors would be es- pageants were staged for his benefit inside the corted to the Bar from outlying areas of the city, but frustratingly we do not have any city’s jurisdiction such as Tadcaster Bridge to details. Much more is known of the reception the south or Skip Bridge near Green Hammer- accorded Henry VII in 1486. At Micklegate ton in the west, on the road from Bar he was met by Ebrauk, the legendary Knaresborough. The more important the visi- founder of York, and given the keys to the tors the further from the city centre they city as well as being ‘treated to an elaborate would be met. Micklegate (from the Viking display of flowers bowing to the red and words ‘mickle’ meaning ‘great’ and ‘gate’ white Tudor rose’. Henry’s reception was meaning ‘street’) was the start of the formal perhaps even more effusive than usual. The processional route into the city and arrival at city recognised that they had backed the loser the Bar would be the opportunity for an offi- at Bosworth and felt a need to ingratiate cial welcome and the first of a series of pag- themselves with the new monarch. On Ouse eants designed to entertain but also to im- Bridge Henry was greeted by six kings, repre- press. According to Wilson and Mee, the Bar senting the six previous Henries. They passed would have been ‘cleaned, repaired and a sceptre to Solomon who presented it to the adorned with suitable heraldic devices and king. The procession moved on to the Com- allegorical schemes painted on wood and can- mon Hall where Henry received a sword of vas’ in readiness for the occasion . victory. In August 1483 Richard III and Queen The area around Micklegate Bar also Anne entered the city through Micklegate Bar played an important role in the Corpus Christi at the start of three weeks of celebration play cycle. Located just inside the Bar, the which included the investiture of their son gates of Holy Trinity Priory were the tradi- Edward as Prince of Wales in York Minster. tional setting for the first performance in the As was to be expected, the royal party had cycle. The pageant waggons were kept at Toft been met at Tadcaster by the sheriffs bearing Green close by and participants would assem- their rods of office. Further down the road ble there before setting off down Micklegate. they were greeted by the Lord Mayor and The Corpus Christi Guild, which counted Aldermen wearing scarlet, and the city offic- Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and his wife 42

fleurs de lys). Above is a lion-crested helmet. These have been dated to c. 1350-75 which means that two smaller shields placed either side but lower bearing the arms of the city of York are a very early depiction of the city’s arms. All three shields are carved in relief and appear to be suspended by straps below a canopy. Because it was the most frequented entrance Micklegate Bar was the best site for the display of authority and a warning to potential wrong-doers. Although stocks and a whipping-post were located close to each of the Bars, Micklegate was the more usual place for exhibiting heads and quarters of traitors and rebels. It is not known how the tenants of the gatehouse reacted to this but perhaps they were paid a small sum to help prevent theft of the body parts. During peaceful times each Bar only employed one or two watchmen to lock the gates at dusk and open them at dawn. (Anyone wanting to get in or out overnight was expected to tip the watchmen). Removing a head without permission was considered a serious crime. As late as 1754 the disappearance of two Jacobite heads among its members organised the procession. was treated very seriously even though they The Guild also maintained a hospital for the had been on display since 1746. The Lord poor just outside the Bar. Mayor climbed to the top of Micklegate Bar The appearance of the Bar would have to view the place from where the heads had been quite different from how it looks today. been removed (no mean feat as anyone who The three-storey rectangular gatehouse was has climbed the ladders in the modern Bar formerly fronted by a long (c. 50 ft) Barbican Museum can testify), the King was informed, similar to that which can still be seen at and large rewards were offered leading to the Walmgate Bar (much restored) on the east arrest of the perpetrators. In due course the side of the city. The Bar has a passage with offender, a tailor of York, was sentenced to arches at each end on the ground floor and is two years’ imprisonment and a fine of £5. lit by narrow windows and arrow slits. Re- In 1403 Sir Henry (Hotspur) Percy’s head used Roman sarcophagi can be found in the had been displayed on the Bar after the battle walling of the passage. On the outer face are of Shrewsbury. When Hotspur’s father, the small, projecting towers (bartizans) supported earl of Northumberland, was summoned to on corbel courses. A gatehouse was recorded York by Henry IV the earl had to ride into the at Micklegate in the twelfth century but the city under the Bar where his son’s head was barbican with a portcullis was not added until on show. Two years later it was the turn of Sir the fourteenth century. A house over the Bar William Plumpton, who was executed with was occupied from 1196. This property gen- his uncle, Archbishop Scrope, and in 1415 erated a higher rent than those over other Bars another member of the Scrope family suffered probably because of its more prestigious sta- the same fate. On the point of setting sail for tus. The façade of the Bar facing south con- France, Henry V had Thomas, Lord Scrope of tains a shield of Edward III bearing the royal Masham, executed at Southampton. The king arms with France ancient, (that is with many sent an order to the Lord Mayor of York to

seize and confiscate Scrope’s estate and ef- the Earl of Devon, Lord Kyme, Sir William fects. Accompanying the order was Scrope’s Hill and Sir Thomas Foulford. head which was ordered to be placed on top Today traffic from the south still enters of Micklegate Bar. the city centre through Micklegate Bar and After the battle of Wakefield in December when Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of 1460 the duke of York’s head was crowned Edinburgh visited in 1971 they were greeted with paper and placed on top of Micklegate at the Bar by the Lord Mayor. Bar with his face to the city. Shakespeare has Margaret of Anjou say ‘Off with his head, Reading List and set it on York gates; So York may over- 1. B. Wilson and F. Mee, The City Walls and Cas- look the town of York’. The Duke’s head was tles of York: The Pictorial Evidence, York Archae- accompanied by the heads of Richard, Earl of ological Trust, 2005. The quotation in the title of Salisbury, Sir Richard Umbrick, Sir Ralph this article is taken from this book. Stanley, John Harrow, (a London mercer), 2. B. Wilson and F. Mee, ‘The Fairest Arch in captain Herrison and others. All had been England’, Old Ouse Bridge, York and its Build- taken prisoner at Wakefield and beheaded at ings, York Archaeological Trust, 2002 Pontefract. A few months later on the day 3. N. Murphy, ‘Receiving royals in later medieval after the battle of Towton Edward IV arrived York: Civic Ceremony and the municipal elite, 1478-1503’, Northern History, vol. xliii, 2006, pp. at York to be confronted by the sight of the 241-255 heads still in place. He took his revenge by 4. E White, The York Mystery Plays, York Archi- executing the more prominent of his prison- tectural and York Archaeological Society, 1991 ers, replacing the Yorkist heads with those of 5. F Drake, Eboracum, or the History and Antiqui- Lancastrians. These included Lord Clifford, ties of the City of York, 1736.

An extract from the Comic History of England by Gilbert Abbott A’Beckett with illustrations by John Leech

The Marriage of Edward the Fourth

The king, while hunting at Stony Stratford, pursuing a stag, came suddenly upon a pretty dear, who literally staggered him. The young lady was the widow of Sir Thomas Gray, and the daughter of Jacquetta of Luxemburg by her second husband, Sir Richard Woodville, afterwards, Earl Rivers. There is not the smallest doubt that Lady Gray and her mamma had arranged together this accidental interview. The young lady, who seems to have been a finished pupil in the school of flirtation, en- treated the king to reverse the attainder passed on her late husband, to which Edward replied, that ‘he must be as stony-hearted as Stony Stratford itself if he could refuse her anything’. This rubbish ripened into a real offer of marriage, which was, of course, accepted, and La- dy Gray was crowned Queen of England in the year following.

Correspondence

Will contributors please note the letters may be edited or shortened to conform to the standards of the Bulletin

The tomb of Richard III (Duffy, p. 52). Similarly, Stephen (d. 1154) From Bill White was buried at his own Cluniac establishment ‘Richard III’s burial: the saga continues’ by at Faversham. Again, the abbey was de- Richard van Allen will have been read with stroyed at the Dissolution and Stephen’s some relief by Society members (Bulletin Au- bones were scattered (Duffy, p. 53). Thus, tumn 2007). It was useful to learn that the one may discern, regarding even these royal current, limited excavations will not trans- tombs from such an early date, that a pattern gress the area of the car park where Richard’s is emerging. remains may yet lie. Most pleasingly, it is The first two Plantagenet monarchs, Hen- clear that this part of Leicester is under con- ry II (d. 1189) and Richard I (d. 1199), died in tinuous scrutiny, so that any excavations pro- France and their tombs at Fontevrault Abbey posed will be fully publicised. may be visited today. However, these are but However (and most unfortunately), this the sculptured effigies of these kings (and article repeated the old chestnut that Richard their queens); the bodies were lost when the III was ‘the only (crowned) English king tombs were broken into during the French without an identified tomb’. Richard’s ene- Revolution (Dodson, pp. 57, 60). Only with mies are wont to make this point as mute tes- King John (d. 1216), at last, do we find an timony to Richard’s unique malevolence. In undamaged tomb, lying where it was built in fact, the implication that Richard’s tomb was Worcester Cathedral and within which the singled out for special disparagement is far body was confirmed present in the sixteenth from the truth, as a little reflection will reveal. and seventeenth centuries. William I (d. 1087) was buried in Normandy Subsequently, we have the long series of in the abbey he had founded in Caen. Howev- the burials of Plantagenet kings in Westmin- er, his tomb was desecrated by Calvinists in ster Abbey, from Henry III to Henry V. The 1562 and his bones scattered. His monument series is broken by Edward II, buried at now is merely a flat stone inscribed during Gloucester Cathedral, although some have the nineteenth century (Mark Duffy, Royal raised doubts suggesting that his tomb is emp- Tombs of Medieval England, Tempus (2003), ty or occupied by an imposter (Michael Ev- p. 44; Aidan Dodson, The Royal Tombs of ans, The Death of Kings: Royal Deaths in Me- Great Britain, Duckworth (2004), p. 50). The dieval England, Hambledon and London other Norman kings fared worse. The tomb in (2003), pp. 156-7). Similarly, others have Winchester Cathedral, considered hitherto to doubted that the male occupant of the double be that of William II (d. 1100), is now be- tomb of Richard II and Anne of Bohemia in lieved to be that of Bishop Henry de Blois Westminster Abbey was the king (ibid., 169.) and it is thought that William’s remains were Henry IV was buried in Canterbury Cathedral scattered during the Commonwealth and are and his body was examined in situ in the now mingled with those of the Saxon kings in nineteenth century. Henry VI and Edward IV the mortuary chests above the choir screen were buried in vaults in St George’s Chapel, (Duffy, pp. 46-47; Dodson, p. 52). Henry I (d. Windsor. Edward’s tomb was never complet- 1135) died in Normandy and his body was ed, but its superstructure and that of Henry brought back to England for burial in the Clu- VI’s were destroyed during the Common- niac abbey that he had founded at Reading. wealth (Dodson, pp. 78-9). The destruction of Reading Abbey after the Regrettably, it has been necessary to go Dissolution encompassed Henry’s tomb into this matter at great length, but this ex- 45

haustive survey plainly shows that Richard III evidence securely identifying either Kath- was not alone in having his tomb despoiled. erine’s mother or father, the information Indeed, of 17 kings of England from the Con- would be most gratefully received. My ad- quest to 1485, only seven may be regarded as dress is 74 Manawatu Street, Palmerston having tombs that are substantially intact North, New Zealand; e-mail address (chiefly the tombs in Westminster Abbey). [email protected]. Although effigies remain at Fontevault, the royal remains are lost, whereas, although we The Crown of Castile know that the remains of Henry VI and Ed- From Angela Moreton, Leeds ward IV lie at Windsor, the original tombs With reference to Maria Torres’ most inter- above their vaults are long-vanished. Detailed esting letter in the autumn 2007 Bulletin, even evaluation thus shows that the chances of the though Enrique IV of Castile agreed to name tomb of a medieval English king surviving Isabel his heir in the treaty of Los Toros de until the twenty-first century were around Guisando (1468), he very soon tried to renege 50:50. Thus, there is nothing sinister or unu- on the agreement. The terms of the treaty in- sual about the loss of the tomb of Richard III. cluded the grant to Isabel of several castles This is an important point because it gives the and cities ‘to sustain her estate’ – but he did lie to the implication that Richard’s grave not hand them over. Enrique swore to send alone was singled out for special destruction his scandalous queen back to Portugal within because he was uniquely reviled. Instead his four months – but he made no effort to do so. case appears more like a matter of chance, He summoned the Cortes to approve Isabel’s experiencing random destruction akin to that succession – but then attempted to dismiss of half his forebears. Now, please may we them before they had achieved anything. In abandon the old chestnut that Richard is the short, he made every effort to nullify the trea- only English king without a tomb? ty. According to one chronicle, the Incom- pleta, ‘none of the things sworn and promised The Parents of Dame Katherine Harcourt by him did he wish to fulfill’. From Alison Hanham, New Zealand It should be noted that Isabel did not base In his will of 25 September 1486, Sir Richard her claim to the crown of Castile entirely on Harcourt named his second wife, Katherine, the bastardy of Juana ‘la Beltraneja’. She also as an executor. According to C.L. Kingsford maintained that Enrique’s marriage to Juana (Stonor Letters and Papers, No. 110) their of Portugal was invalid, not only on the marriage took place after the death of Kath- grounds of his impotence (Enrique is ascribed erine’s previous husband, Sir Miles Stapleton, the cheering nickname of ‘El Impotente’, in October 1466. Kingsford cited no evidence which even our Henry VI managed to es- for his statement that Katherine was the cape), but because it was actually illegal. daughter of ‘Sir Thomas de la Pole’ – pre- There had been a papal dispensation issued sumably the younger brother of William, earl due to the consanguinity of the parties, but and later duke of Suffolk. William was cap- apparently no proper instrument of execution, tured near Orleans in 1429 and Thomas stood without which the document was null and hostage for payment of his ransom, and died void. The text of the treaty of Los Toros de in captivity before 15 July 1433. Some online Guisando states flatly that the king ‘non fue genealogies make Katherine Stapleton- nin esta legitimamente casado’ (he neither Harcourt the daughter of Sir Thomas de la was nor is lawfully married). In other words, Pole (whose death they date wrongly to 1420) even if Juana was really Enrique’s daughter, by Anne, daughter of Nicholas Cheney. But she would still have been illegitimate. when writing to Thomas Stonor about 1470 In this context it is instructive to learn that Sir Richard Harcourt calls Stonor’s wife Jane Ferdinand and Isabel themselves needed a ‘my mother’. The obvious deduction is that dispensation to marry in 1469 but apparently Jane was the mother of Harcourt’s wife Kath- went ahead without one (there is a tale that erine. If any reader knows of documentary various documents were forged at the time)

and did not obtain Papal sanction until two tin, ‘A Proclamation against Henry Tudor, 23 years later. June 1485’ includes a transcript of Richard’s After the treaty of 1468 Isabel, as princess proclamation. It begins with the usual pream- of Asturias, became an eligible heiress. There ble: ‘Richard, by the grace of God, King of is a persistent story that ‘a brother of the king England, France, and Lord of Ireland greets of England asked for her hand’, yet when Isa- you’. King of England, yes, of course; Lord bel’s envoy, de Sasiola, met Richard III at of Ireland, well, probably. But king of Warwick in 1483 the king was told that Isabel France? Wasn’t there already a king in had been ‘turned against England’ because France? Edward IV had refused her hand and married In fact, the monarchs of England (and sub- Elizabeth Woodville instead (P.M. Kendall, sequently Great Britain) had styled them- Richard III, 1955, p. 253). If the first story selves as kings (or queens) of France since has any basis in fact (and the dates fit better 1339, with just a couple of brief periods when than if Edward, who married in 1464, had they dropped the title. Edward III was the first been the prince concerned, Richard as the to adopt it when he claimed the French throne consort of the queen of Castile, perhaps in- on the death of his uncle, Charles IV of dulging his wish to go on crusade in fighting France, and incidentally precipitated the hun- the Moors of Granada in the 1480s, is surely dred years war. In 1360 he renounced his one of history’s more intriguing ‘might-have- claim after the Treaty of Brétigny – strange- beens’. ly, from a position of strength, though he did Incidentally, surely the heading in the au- gain substantial property in France: however, tumn Bulletin should not have referred to Jo- he reclaimed the title once more in 1369 anna of Portugal? She isn’t mentioned in the when the two countries went to war again. In letter. 1420 at the Treaty of Troyes the English recognised (the French) Charles VI as the legiti- Another incorrect Joan? mate King of France, but (the English) Henry From Susan A. Russell, Wisbech V, Charles’s son-in-law, was made ‘Heir of On page 17 of the autumn Bulletin, Joan France’, thereby disinheriting the latter’s son, Beaufort is referred to as Richard II’s niece. the dauphin Charles. The two kings died This is of course incorrect. She was the within a couple of months of each other, and grand-daughter of John of Gaunt, who was the (English) infant Henry VI, Henry’s son himself Richard’s uncle. She was married to and Charles’s grandson, duly mounted the James I of Scotland. throne of both countries. Henry VI was there- A very enjoyable Bulletin this time – fore the only English king who was de facto many thanks. king of France rather than an apparent usurper of the throne. By 1429 the dauphin Charles [Research Officer: Whilst Susan is absolutely had declared himself to be Charles VII, king correct in stating that Joan Beaufort is the of France, and with the aid of Joan of Arc grand-daughter of John of Gaunt, Gillian Laz- succeeded in driving the English out of most ar was more or less correct in stating she was of the country, leaving us in occupation only Richard II’s niece – strictly speaking, she was of Calais as our last possession there. Never- his great half-niece which is a bit of a mouth- theless, kings of England (and later of Great ful. Joan’s father John, Earl, and subsequently Britain) continued to style themselves as Marquis, of Somerset was married to Marga- kings of France for another 380 years. Quite ret Holland whose father Thomas, Earl of how this affected relationships between the Kent was half-brother to Richard II, their two monarchs is hard to establish – after all, mother being Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent.] the two countries were not always at war with

each other. During peace discussions near King of England – King of France? Amiens in 1475 the two self-styled ‘kings of From Mark Dobson France’, Edward IV and Louis XI, actually David Candlin’s article in the summer Bulle- met each other to sign a treaty on the bridge

at Picquigny; in 1516 the same thing hap- Burgundy, and may reflect the official atti- pened when Henry VIII met Louis’s succes- tude of the Habsburg regime in the Low sor Francis I at the ‘Field of the Cloth of Countries. Then again, this may be a Gold’. ‘conspiracy theory’ circulating on the Conti- It was at the Conference of Lille in 1797 nent to ‘explain’ what had happened in Lon- that the French government finally demanded don. Both the Low Countries and, increasing- that Great Britain drop its illusion of ruling ly, Portugal had developed close trade links France, as a condition of peace between the with England and would have exercised care two countries. They had, after all, got rid of not to indict its ruling monarch. Thus, Rich- their own monarchy with the beheading of ard needed to be ‘excused’ and, after Henry Louis XVI in 1792 and had been a republic VII had come to power, implicated. The ever since. And the (French) pretender to the strange and confused story which blames throne, the Count of Provence and future Buckingham, and than adds Richard’s guilt Louis XVIII, was actually living in exile in into the mixture, may reflect the chronologi- London at the time. The British negotiators cal development of the story. The ‘starvation’ refused to discuss this any further and the ne- of the princes, which Mr Marques describes gotiations fizzled out. It took another few as ‘an improbable notion’ is, in this light, ra- years before we finally gave up the title, and ther more likely: one could not expect to es- it was indirectly due to the Irish that this hap- cape the killing of a king. Readers may be re- pened at all. In 1801 the Act of Union gained minded of the de facto canonisation of Henry royal assent, and in the creation of the United VI in this respect. Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland the title I appreciate the speculative nature of this of king of France was quietly dropped. A year explanation, but one thing is inescapable: it is later we finally recognised the French Repub- impossible to read the Continental sources in lic at the Treaty of Amiens. a way in which Richard escapes any blame whatsoever. Then again, such is the need to Portuguese sources tell a story that is acceptable to whatever re- From Dr Harry Schnitker gime is in power in London, that one may ask I cannot have been the only one both to wel- whether these sources have anything to tell us come the publication of a new, Portuguese, about the events of 1483 at all. Instead, they source for the riddle of the ‘princes in the inform us about the need to placate whoever Tower’ and question its validity. It is highly is king in England, the flexibility of the con- unlikely that we will ever find new material cept of truth even in the late fifteenth century, on this question in England, and any light that and about the fact that on the Continent at may be shed on this from abroad is, therefore, least, many were convinced some evil had more than welcome. António Marques, cer- befallen the sons of Edward IV. tainly, has done us all a favour. However, reading the source carefully I came to a rather different conclusion from that reached by Mr More on Richard in Scotland Marques. Indeed, I fail to see how he uses the From Dave Fiddimore, Scottish Branch source to plead Richard III’s cause. It repeats As if the Scottish Branch hasn’t had enough the comment in the Dutch Divisiekroniek that luck lately, another little piece of history has the princes were starved to death, and, like just dropped into our laps. the Dutch source, places the blame squarely Local records determine that when Rich- with the duke of Buckingham whilst at least ard’s small army left Edinburgh after the res- suggesting Richard’s complicity. toration of James III they camped on a piece One needs to treat these Continental of high land overlooking the city known as sources with caution. Molinet and the author the Borough Muir (a piece of moorland in of the Divisiekroniek, Cornelis Gerard, better common ownership used for common graz- known as Aurelius, were both close to Rich- ing). This was a traditional camping place for ard’s sister, Margaret, the dowager duchess of armies outside Edinburgh, and the place of

the king’s muster when he was raising an ar- A strange name for a nursery school? my. In the centre of the Borough Muir (now From Linda Treybig, American Branch Boroughmuir and the home of a more than When the American party was in Leicester in half-decent Rugby club) was a large glacial the summer, we chanced upon the Richard III erratic stone full of holes, like a bar of Aero Nursery School, and were rather taken by the chocolate, into which the standards of the irony of a school for toddlers being named for gathering divisions would be thrust alongside one of history’s supposedly most notorious the king’s. More importantly, it was adjacent child killers. to several sources of clean water. The Bor- ough Muir has long since been built upon to ‘Richard’s himself again/Richard comes provide the Victorian suburb of Morningside, out of the closet’ but the old stone remains. There is no reason From Fiona Price, London Branch to suppose that Richard’s army camped any- Fellow London Branch member, Jeanette Un- where except where the armies had always derhill, and I visited a National Trust proper- camped, so I went up to photograph it today. ty, Fenton House in Hampstead recently to I found to my delight that a Victorian sign attend a demonstration of keyboard instru- underneath it points out that the last muster ments (virginals and harpsichords) and to see held there was for the Battle of Flodden in some of the dresses from the BBC drama of 1513, and at that time it was already known Jane Eyre. as – wait for it – ‘The Bore Stone’ – and Whilst looking in one of the rooms, which ‘bore’ of course is one of several old Scots also contained some paintings acquired by spellings for ‘boar’. The stone itself is from actor Peter Barkworth and left to Fenton no angle theriomorphic, so I think that we House, I turned around to see a very familiar may now have the beginning and end of Rich- image of a portrait of Richard III (standard ard of Gloucester’s Edinburgh adventure. image similar to NPG/Royal Collection). I assumed that is might have been one of Peter Barkworth’s collection but on asking one of the guides I was told that it was a painting owned by the NT but had not been on display for some years and had been in a cupboard. It had now undergone restoration and was back on public view. I introduced myself as a society member and the guide recalled a lady coming to see the painting some years ago (could it have been Elizabeth Nokes or Joyce Melhuish?) I couldn’t find the portrait listed in the 1973 National Portrait Gallery Exhibition catalogue and would be intrigued to find out where the picture came from. [Technical editor Lynda Pidgeon contacted Fenton House and received the following re- ply: ‘I’m afraid that it is a rather poor anony- mous copy of the portrait of Richard III holding his ring finger in the NPG. The picture came to Fenton House with the Benton Fletcher Collection of early keyboard instru- ments in 1952, but we do not know how Ma- Just like with the Gloucester Gate I jor Benton Fletcher came by it. We do not thought you might like to see a photograph of currently have a photographic image of the it: a nice little piece of coincidence. picture.’]

The Barton Library

From the Non-fiction Librarian: Grateful thanks to all who took part in the Book Auction, either by contributing items for sale, or by placing bids: 22 volumes have gone to new homes and over £200 has been raised for Library funds. Look out for an auction of Ricardian novels next year. I should also like to thank Rollo Crookshank for keeping me informed of new and forthcoming books and dissertations for the Library.

From the Fiction Librarian: Please note that the Fiction Library will be closed between 20 February and 2 April 2008 – my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Latest Additions to the Library Listed below are a selection of books, papers and audio tapes that have recently been added to the Library. Please contact the relevant Librarian to borrow any items. Their names and contact details are on the inside back page of the Bulletin.

Non-fiction Books CLARK, David Barnet 1471: Death of a Kingmaker (Pen and Sword Military, paperback, 2007). On 14 April 1471 the forces of Lancaster under the earl of Warwick clashed with those of York under Edward IV at Barnet in Hertfordshire in one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses. In this new guide to the battle, David Clark, a leading battlefield historian, gives a grip- ping account of the fighting and of the intrigue that led up to it, and he also provides a full tour of the battlefield itself. Interestingly perhaps, part of a chapter is given over to a Marxist interpretation of the Wars of the Roses. BRAMLEY, Peter The Wars of the Roses: a field guide and companion (Sutton Publishing, hardback, 2007). This beautifully illustrated book focusses on the rich legacy of physical remains associated with the Wars, which have survived for over 500 years in the form of castles, houses, battlefields, and brasses and tombs in churches. This unusual guidebook provides details of the events and people linked with each historical site together with background on the causes of the Wars, the main events and personalities involved.

Non-Fiction Papers DRIVER, Tom ‘John Forster Esquire, c.1425-c.1488: Hertfordshire gentleman and servant to the crown under Edward IV’, (Herts Past and Present, 3rd Series, No.8, Autumn 2006). Traces the career of John Forster, who served the crown in many widely varying capacities, but, as an associate of the Woodvilles and William Hastings, was imprisoned in the Tower in June 1483. DRIVER, Tom ‘John Sturgeon, 1430-1494: the career of a Hertfordshire parliamentary knight during the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III’, (Herts Past and Present, 3rd Series, No.7, Spring 2006). Another loyal servant of the crown, although his loyalty to Edward IV lost him some offices during the reign of Richard III which he then regained under Henry VII.

Audio-Visual Collection BBC Radio 4 In Our Time: Melvyn Bragg chairs a discussion on fifteenth-century England and France, focussing on Henry V and Joan of Arc, featuring leading writers on the period Matthew Bennett, Ann Curry and Prof. Malcolm Vale. BBC Radio 3 Sunday Feature: Malory: a Tale of Two Texts. This offers a fascinating and wide 50

ranging survey into the background of ‘Le Morte d’Arthur’, the only surviving MS text, and Cax- ton’s printed version, including revelations as to the author’s true identity (with contributions from our own Anne Sutton and her new evidence on his imprisonment), Richard Barber on Cax- ton’s ‘civilising’ of the text, which leads to the battlefield of Towton (with Tim Sutherland), and how the Caxton, printed three weeks before Bosworth, shows editorial signs that he was ‘laying bets’ on the Tudors. At Winchester Martin Biddle explores the ‘Round Table’ and its myths, concluding with the Victorian ‘Gothic’ revival of the tales. Richard III (Sourcebooks Shakespeare Series, Methuen Drama, 2007). This claims to be a ‘remarkable new way of exploring the play’. Narrated by Derek Jacobi, the audio CD contains a series of recordings offering a chance to compare interpretations of the role and specific scenes by notable actors. The accompanying paperback book contains the full text of the play and also includes essays on the staging of Richard III through the years, ‘The Actor Speaks’ (Anthony Sher’s account of playing Richard), a voice coach’s perspective on speaking Shakespeare, and ‘Richard III in Popular Culture’ (a brief summary of other notable productions, parodies, various film and TV spin-offs and even Ricardian novels and plays – at least five of those by Society members rate a mention). A good selection of photographs appear throughout amongst the ex- planatory notes and glossary, printed opposite the text pages.

Report on Society Events

Mid Anglia Group Colchester Bosworth Commemoration On Saturday 25 August, the anniversary of Richard III’s interment at Leicester, a total of more than forty people attended some or all of the various parts of the Mid Anglia Group’s Bosworth commemoration in Colchester. Many of the participants were not (yet) members of the Richard III Society, and this was as it should be. The Society always needs to be reaching out to those who have an interest in history, but who are not yet Society members. Indeed, this commemora- tive event was specifically planned to attract people who have an interest in the local history of north Essex and south Suffolk. Throughout the day Richard III’s white boar banner flew from the flagstaff which rises above Colchester Castle. Permission for this had been specially given by the Castle Muse- um, underlining the importance of the Mid Anglia Group’s good relationship with this museum. Our formal proceedings opened in the shadow of the castle (and the flag), at the Castle Methodist Church Hall, a pleasant and well-equipped modern building where the Mid Anglia Group has held meetings on previous occasions. Following a welcome by the group chairman, Dave Perry, John Ashdown-Hill gave a talk about the battle of Bosworth and its connections with Colchester and the surrounding area. These arise chiefly through John Howard, who commanded the vanguard of the royal army in the battle, and John’s knowledge on the subject arises directly from his current PhD research on John Howard’s client connections in north Essex and south Suffolk. The names of men from north Essex and south Suffolk who served John Howard during the 1480s are recorded, and, using them, John had produced a paper ‘war memorial’ for the battle of Bosworth, which was on display. John then focussed specifically on a selection of named individuals from Colchester (together with one from Harwich) about whose lives and families he was able to give fuller details derived from local archive sources. In addition to the Howard/Yorkist men-at-arms, the lives and careers of two possible Lancastrian/Tudor supporters from the Colchester area were also considered. During the lunch break items were on sale in aid of group funds. These included the new, second edition of Ricardian East Anglia and Essex, the Mid Anglia Group’s definitive guide to places of Ricardian interest in the eastern counties. After lunch local re-enactor and commander of the Colchester Town Watch, John Morgan, gave a very lively presentation on the weapons of the Bosworth period, during which we discovered the importance of silk underwear as a defensive weapon! John (M) displayed and demonstrated a very wide range of arms. His explanation of how to use a chain mace to break an opponent’s shield arm was particularly striking. At the end of John’s talk we were joined by the mayor of Colchester, Councillor Ray Gamble and his ceremonial guard, the Town Watch. The mayor was wearing his gold chain of office, from which hangs a replica of the fifteenth-century Colchester borough seal. With the soldiers of the watch trailing their pikes in mourning for the Bosworth dead, the mayor and his escort led us along Colchester’s High Street, through amazed crowds of Saturday shoppers, to Colchester’s war memorial. There the mayor gave a short address in which he emphasised the importance of the participation of men from Colchester and the eastern counties in the battle of Bosworth. He

then laid a tribute of roses – mostly white, since the majority of the men from this region who fought at Bos- worth would have been on the York- ist side, but with a sprinkling of red roses (the badge of Henry Tudor) forming a St George’s cross amongst the white flowers. A further short walk through Col- chester led us out through Scheregate (the town’s only surviving medieval gateway) to St John’s Abbey Gate- house. This is a very fine fifteenth- century building. Together with the abbey precinct wall, it is the only intact structure to survive of Colches- ter’s once great abbey. At various times this abbey played host to Rich- ard III himself (on a visit to Colches- ter as a teenaged duke of Gloucester) to John Howard (who not only regularly visited the abbey, but also took sanctuary there in 1470), to Lord Lovel, and possibly to Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. English Heritage and Colchester Borough Council had given special permission Cllr. Ray Gamble, Mayor of Colchester for the use of the upper room of the and his Town Watch gatehouse on this occasion for the celebration of Vespers for the Dead. This is believed to have been the first celebration of any part of the Divine Office at the abbey site since the monks were expelled in 1538. Prioress Teresa Lenahan of the Colchester Priory of the Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre, together with five members of her community, led us in this simple but moving service, which was celebrated in a mixture of modern English and medieval Latin plainchant. After Vespers we made our way to the Red Lion Hotel in Colchester’s High Street. There we enjoyed a delicious tea in the upstairs restaurant. During tea, John Ashdown-Hill said a few words about the evidence for John Howard’s ownership of this building (once his Colchester home). John had uncovered this evidence as part of his PhD research, and was able to name the carpenters, brick-makers, tile-makers and others from Colchester, and from the surrounding villages of Mile End and Horkesley, who worked on this ‘great upper hall’ in the 1480s. The day ended with thanks from the group chairman to all those who had taken part in the commemoration in any way, and to all who had made the event possible. The weather smiled on us throughout, and many of those who attended the commemoration commented, before they left, on what a memorable occasion it had been, and how lively, varied and moving they had found the different events of the day. John Ashdown-Hill

Future Society Events

Event News

The Society’s 10th Triennial Conference – 28-39 March 2008 The conference is now fully subscribed.

Join Our Trips! Support the Visits Committee This year, your Visits Committee has organised four day trips which have been reasonably well supported. These were to Brixworth/Grafton Regis, Battle Abbey/Rye and Old and New Rom- ney/Winchelsea. We also visited King’s Lynn for our long weekend. The Committee is cautiously optimistic that applications for trips are increasing, but we could still do with more members to join us, especially travelling on the coach. The great advantage of travelling on the coach is that you get to know other members and to make friends – and, of course, a bonus is that the driving is done for you so you can just relax and enjoy the day. Our most important trip each year is our day at Bosworth Battlefield. This is our annual act of remembrance of King Richard III and, in effect, is what the Society is all about. Please make an effort to take part in this trip. The day usually consists of a short memorial service at Sutton Cheney church and we go on to the Battlefield for the afternoon, where there is plenty to see nowadays; the new exhibition will be up and running for our visit in 2008. Take time to walk round the Battlefield; visit the death stone and leave a few white roses in Richard’s memory. It is a very moving experience. The booking coupons for the trips usually include a last date for applications. However, if you miss this date, it is well worth telephoning or e-mailing me, or the organiser of the trip, to see if there are any vacant seats. The trips are open to everyone. If any of our overseas members are visiting the UK and your visit coincides with a trip, please think about booking – payment can always be made on the day. Costs are always a big issue and I think it is very important for me to stress that our trips are not subsidised by the Society; each trip is costed to pay for itself and, furthermore, every member of the Visits Committee booking for a trip will pay exactly the same amount as any other member. Although we try to keep costs as low as possible, hire of a coach and entrance fees rise each year. However, with a group, entrance fees are usually at a special discounted rate, so that is another incentive to join the coach party. Membership of the Visits Committee is entirely voluntary – we all freely give our time to organise these outings for your enjoyment – please support us. Marian Mitchell – Visits Officer

Bookable Events

Annual Requiem Mass Clare Priory, Suffolk, Saturday 15 March 2008 On Saturday 15 March 2008 the Society’s annual requiem mass will be celebrated for King Rich- ard III and Queen Anne Neville, on the eve of the anniversary of Anne Neville’s death. This year we shall be returning to the quiet and peaceful beauty of Clare Priory in Suffolk for this commemoration. 54

Clare is a house of Augustinian Friars which has the strongest possible historic links with the House of York. Indeed, it rivals Fotheringhay as a mausoleum of the dynasty, since various an- cestors and relatives of Richard III and Anne Neville (including both Lionel, Duke of Clarence, and Edmund Mortimer – through whom the Yorkist kings derived their claim to the throne) lie buried at the priory. Richard III’s mother lived at neighbouring Clare Castle. It is known that Edward IV visited her there on at least one occasion, and it now seems probable that Richard III (as duke of Gloucester) himself came to Clare during the 1460s. This year’s requiem mass will be a special occasion, since we shall also be commemorating the 700th anniversary of the death of Joan of Acre, daughter of Edward I, ancestress of both Richard III and Anne Neville, and one of the chief patrons of Clare Priory, where she lies buried. Coach transport will be provided from London. This year’s proposed programme includes a lunchtime visit to Sudbury – a town held by both Cecily Neville and her granddaughter, Eliza- beth of York, and whose shrine of Our Lady of Sudbury was patronised by Elizabeth of York, and John Howard, Duke of Norfolk. In Sudbury members will have the opportunity to take part in a visit to some of the town’s medieval places of interest, and make their own arrangements for lunch, before continuing, in the afternoon, to nearby Clare. The Requiem Mass at the priory will begin at 3 pm, and will be a blend of modern English with medieval Latin and Greek plainchant. It will be followed by afternoon tea at the priory.

Planned Programme 9.15 sharp London coach departs Charing Cross Embankment 11.45 arrival at Sudbury: visit and free time for lunch (own arrangements) 2.15 depart Sudbury for Clare 3.00 Requiem Mass, Clare Priory 4.00 Tea, Clare Priory (cost £1 per head, payable on the day). 5.15 coach leaves Clare for London

If you would like to join us for the 2008 Requiem, please complete the form in the centre pages, and return it to John Ashdown-Hill by the closing date of Saturday 9 February. Please note that material for the visit will not normally be sent out to participants until February, so if you require immediate confirmation of your booking please either supply a second SAE or give an e- mail address. John Ashdown-Hill

Future Events

Annual Wreath-laying, Queen Anne Neville’s Tomb, Westminster Monday 17 March The annual Requiem Mass at Clare Priory will be followed on Monday by the annual wreath- laying at Queen Anne Neville’s tomb, at 2.30 pm. This is a very short ceremony, but any member who can do so is welcome to attend, and you are encouraged to do so if possible. Please meet at the west door of the abbey at 2.15. There is no booking form for this event, but it would be very helpful if you could contact John Ashdown-Hill, 8 Thurlston Close, Colchester CO4 3HF (e-mail [email protected]) if you intend to come, so that we have some idea of how many people to expect. John Ashdown-Hill

The Ricardian Rover Travels with King Richard III June 16 - June 27, 2008

Ready for a delightfully different travel experience? Then, come join our friendly little band of Ricardians as we explore the England of Richard III! This marvelous tour fits the bill perfectly if you are a sociable person with a keen interest in Richard and in medieval England! Sites we will visit having associations with Richard III include, among others:  the castles at Middleham, Carlisle, Warkworth, Framlingham, Barnard Castle and Cas tle Rising  the parish churches of Middleham, Sutton Cheney, Fotheringhay and Wingfield  Lincoln Cathedral  the city of Norwich with its lovely cathedral  Walsingham Abbey (still very much a shrine)  Old Gainsborough Hall (where Richard was once a guest)

You’ll have an entire day at leisure in the wonderful city of York and, of course, we will make our annual pilgrimage to Bosworth Battlefield where Richard lost his crown and his life. Included in this special day will be a stop to hang our annual memorial wreath at Sutton Cheney church, and an opportunity to view the fascinating medieval village of Ambion Parva being con- structed by medieval methods adjacent to the Battlefield Centre. Also featured in the tour will be choice selection of Britain’s other gems – famous Hadrian's Wall, the mystical island of Lindisfarne (the birthplace of Christianity in the north of England), mighty Durham Cathedral (one of the greatest Norman buildings in Britain) – plus much more! To top it all off, we plan a visit to the venerable Society of Antiquaries, where we will be treated to a close look at the first known portrait of Richard III, the Bosworth processional cross, and other interesting relics associated with Richard III and his era. Our journey will take us through some of Britain's loveliest scenery, from the rugged north of England to the gentle, pastoral countryside of East Anglia. During the course of our travels, we will often be warmly welcomed and accompanied on our sightseeing by Ricardian friends from various English branches and groups – always special occasions for all of us! A truly unique tour, The Ricardian Rover offers you a happy alternative to the large, imper- sonal ‘package’ tour or the hassle of self-drive. Just sit back and enjoy 11 days of leisurely touring and real camaraderie in our comfortable, mid-size coach, as well as a quite special morning in London. Our lodgings, mainly located in attractive market towns or villages, will be in charming smaller hotels and coaching inns where you’ll be met with a cordial welcome, a comfortable room with full amenities, and delicious meals. Most of our lunches will be at picturesque village or countryside pubs that are recommended for their tasty food. Your enthusiastic tour coordina- tor/escort and host will be long-time member Linda Treybig, who has planned and led 16 previous Ricardian tours. Group size is limited to a maximum of 14 (minimum of 8) with space available on a ‘first- come, first-served’ basis. Preference will be given to members of the Richard III Society, but other interested persons are welcome as well. Several members are already committed to the 2008 tour, so please register as early as possible and join us for a truly memorable tour! More information and a reservation form can be found at www.r3.org/travel/tours/2008 Laura Blanchard

Branch & Group Contacts - Update

Croydon Group Miss Denise Price, 190 Roundwood Rd, London NW10 Tel: 0181 451 7689 Lincolnshire Mrs J.T. Townsend, Westborough Lodge Farm, Westborough, Newark, Notts. NG23 5HP.Tel: 01400 281289. [email protected] Scotland Juliet Middleton, 49 Ochiltree, Dunblane, Perthshire, FK15 0DF Tel: 01786 825665. [email protected]

Branches and Groups

Lincolnshire Branch Report The Lincolnshire Branch continues to thrive in these eastern wastes of England. There have been numerous outings, meetings and social events, including two successful fund-raising activities. In April we high-tailed it down to the capital and enjoyed a historic tour of London. Our guide was excellent and led us into some unknown nooks and crannies. At the end of April we were pleased to welcome Geoff Wheeler, who gave us an illustrated talk on the National Portrait Gallery Quincentenary Exhibition. In May those who are fortunate not to be school-teachers enjoyed a long weekend at the Swan Hotel near Alton in Hampshire. They sampled the wayfarers’ dole at St Cross, visited Winchester Cathedral, had a tour of the historic dockyard at Portsmouth, saw Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose, and got soaked in a downpour at the watercress festival – to name but a few entertaining moments. May is always a busy month. The Denton Street market proved very lucrative once again, and the Grand Auction, whilst somewhat reduced in size, also helped Branch fund-raising. The coach outing to Bury St Edmunds and Columbine Hall was also memorable in that it rained, and roadworks delayed us, but Columbine Hall proved an absolute little gem. It dates back to the late 1300s, is fully moated and retains a lot of the original interior. The Zarosh Mugaseth Memorial in July was well-attended and we were pleased to welcome, once more, Dr Jonathan Foyle from ‘Time Team’ and Hampton Court, who gave us a highly entertaining talk entitled ‘Digging the Dirt at Buckingham Palace’. He talked about the Time Team royal dig and then traced the history of all the buildings on the site of Buckingham Palace. On the following weekend Jean took the group to Versailles to see the historic fountains floodlit for the Son et Lumière. There were also fireworks, and, as it was Jean’s birthday, she celebrated it with a bang. In August, the table-top sale at Dry Doddington increased the charity funds for the Branch, and the next day saw cars from all parts of Lincolnshire heading for Stanford Hall near Lutter- worth. Sadly, the portrait thought to be Elizabeth of York is now thought to be a later portrait of one of the family’s ancestresses. It was a beautiful sunny day. We picnicked on the lawn in front of the house before having a guided tour. It was also great to meet Sally Henshaw and members of the Leicester Group, who joined us for the tour and the tea. An additional Branch event in September came about because a certain Branch member com- plained it was a long time till the end of September for the AGM and she would miss seeing eve- 57

rybody. So Jean came up with the idea of a mystery trip. Ian Townsend owns a super London bus, the Routemaster, and he offered the loan of it. So we jumped at the chance. Jean did the organising as usual, and we ended up at the Robin Hood Visitors’ Centre in Sherwood. We saw the Major Oak, visited the craft centre and then had tea. The sight of the bus never ceases to cause great interest, but the best that day was the passage of the bus down the main high street in the village of Long Benington. Jaws dropped wide! The AGM was also well-attended and members were entertained after the meeting by slides of past events of the year. ‘Caught on Camera’ is an apt title. The Branch programme was handed out and has proved just as exciting as before. How Jean accomplishes such a feat each year we never know, but it is particularly so this year, as she and Ian are renovating the family late- Georgian farmhouse. So you see there is still life beyond the Watford Gap, and Richard III continues to hold us all. Marion Moulten

North Lakes (Penrith) Group Apologies to North Lakes Group. Their report in the autumn Bulletin was wrongly attributed to Elaine Henderson, it should have been Marjorie Smith. Sorry Marjorie!

Thames Valley Branch Report Our AGM in February was once again held at the Yorkshire Rose in Bracknell, where plans were made for the year before adjourning to the restaurant. This is an excellent incentive for prompt arrival and moving business along quickly. We started our active year quietly with a house meeting where we had all prepared brief talks on ‘What would they be today?’, with candidates ranging from Edward IV (property developer) to Margaret of Anjou (media mogul). All the talks provoked further discussion, and our meeting ended with us imagining a medieval football league with the various families replacing the modern day teams. The usual suspects attended the Research Weekend – always a high point in our year. Then in May we finally managed to get to Rye – a visit postponed from last year. Sensible shoes and strong legs are an advantage on those steep and cobbled streets. But what a fascinating town! Something for everyone, from the enchanting Mermaid Street with its precisely named houses and its smuggling connections, through to Captain Pugwash. Stonor, one of England’s oldest manor houses and our venue for July, was visited on a fine day in the middle of weeks of rain. The ancestral home of Lord Camoys has associations with St Edmund Campion who was martyred in 1581. He was given refuge at Stonor and the attic rooms were used to print, in great secrecy, a pamphlet describing ‘Ten Reasons’ why the Catholic faith should be preferred over the teachings of the ‘new’ church. The thirteenth-century family chapel provides a moment of peace before, weather permitting, one ventures outside to try and spot the fallow deer, red kites and buzzards for which Stonor is also justifiably famous. We were blessed with fine weather again (courtesy of our Indian summer) for a September visit to Dover Castle. We had to endure the inevitable Henry VIII, but we ventured into a siege in 1216, Henry II’s tower, and the secret wartime tunnels as well. The Thames Valley Branch was also out in force at the Society AGM at Staple Inn. At the time of writing our future plans include a visit to the ‘Minster Lovell Experience’, a talk by Peter Bramley on his Guide to the Wars of the Roses, and the Fotheringhay Carol Ser- vice. As ever, our thanks go to Wendy Moorhen and Judith Ridley (and their long-suffering hus- bands) who allow us to invade their houses for our meetings. Sally Empson

Worcestershire Branch Report December 2007 As our membership continues to increase so do the ideas for places to visit in the summer and new speakers to invite for the winter meetings, so our programme for 2008 is progressing very well. A group of members and friends recently visited Ashby St Ledger to see the church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Leodegarius. The walls of the tower date back to Norman times while in the fourteenth-century nave we saw pews which show Saxon joints. There is a fifteenth-century rood screen, manorial pews and pulpit and a Norman lead-lined font. The wall paintings were very faint and some have been painted over in the Georgian period with prayers in frames but we could just make out St Katherine and St Christopher, who is depicted as a giant carrying Jesus on his shoulder. On one side of the tower wall we could just see part of a memento mori, the other half of which had disappeared. The highlight of the day was the Catesby brasses, now positioned within the altar rails and protected by a heavy carpet. William Catesby was buried here after his execution following the Battle of Bosworth and the brass was commissioned in 1517 and gives his date of death as prior to the battle. He is wearing a tabard bearing the Catesby arms. His wife Margaret is depicted wearing a heraldic mantle showing the arms of her father and husband. A beautiful Elizabethan manor house stands next to the church and was the home of the Catesby family from 1375 to 1611. Robert Catesby, a descendant of William, was shot after the discovery of the gunpowder plot. He used a room at the manor to meet with his fellow plotters. His mother remained in the house until 1611. In August each year we have an evening meeting and this year Joan Ryder led us on a very pleasant walk around the ancient village of Wolverley that lies a mile north of Kidderminster along the Stour Valley. We were pleased to see the village was quickly returning to normal after the recent floods; in fact it had been completely cut off for several days in July. There is a stream running through it that became a raging torrent of water for a while leaving many properties dam- aged. Our walk began with a look at the remains of an ancient stone-built cattle pound, probably the oldest in England, then on to the eighteenth-century church standing on top of a sandstone escarpment and reached via a narrow road and steps cut deep into the rock. There must have been a previous church here but little remains of it now. As we walked down to the centre of the village we found many small cottages built directly on to the sandstone and even some cave dwell- ings that were still occupied until the 1960s. One of the oldest existing buildings was a crooked cottage, very tiny and beautifully kept. The centre of the village is very pretty with a little foot- bridge over the stream and houses of many periods, including some fine Georgian homes. In the early fourteenth century Sir John Attwood, who fought for the Black Prince in the Cru- sades, was born at Wolverley Manor, which, sadly no longer exists. The village also has another famous son in John Baskerville, the innovative printer born in 1706. In September we travelled to the Shropshire/Staffordshire border to visit Boscobel House and the ruins of Whiteladies Priory. Although Boscobel’s claim to fame centres mainly around the escape of Prince Charles from the Battle of Worcester we found a tentative medieval connection as there is a little of the original medieval manor house still to be seen inside the building. Our excellent guide proved to very interested in the Society and provided a most interesting afternoon, bringing Boscobel’s history to life with stories and hiding places you would not want to stay in for very long. Many of us took the short walk to the ‘Royal Oak’ tree in the nearby field that is supposed to be a descendant of the one the Prince hid in for several days. Whiteladies Pri- ory is about a mile away from the house, now only a small ruin of the former priory that never was very large. It is said that Prince Charles hid there too for a while before going on to Boscobel. An interesting day out concluded with tea and cakes in their small restaurant. Forthcoming Events: 12 January Talk by Greta Lacy on the restoration of the Kings Norton Grammar School the Saracen’s Head Inn at St Nicholas Church Barn, Warndon, Worcester. 59

We hope to follow this with a visit later in the year. 9 February John Ashdown Hill will give a talk entitled ‘The Life and Times of Eleanor Talbot’ at Upton Snodsbury Village Hall. 8 March Talk by Rebecca Beale ‘Richard, Duke of York’ at a venue to be arranged.

Details of our programme can be found on our branch web site www.richardiiiworcs.co.uk or contact our Programme Planner Joan Ryder 01384 394228, for further information. We are always pleased to welcome friends and prospective members at any of our meetings. Pat Parminter

Yorkshire Branch Report The Branch made its annual visit to St Alkelda’s church in Middleham in August to commemorate the battle of Bosworth. We were pleased to see some new faces in our group, including Mrs Patricia Brunt and her husband, and Lesley Lambert. Now living in Yorkshire, Patricia was formerly the Secretary of the South Wales Group (clearly a lady who relishes a challenge!); as many members will know, Lesley’s Ricardian novel Roses are White was published in 2005. Our AGM in York on 8 September was marked by Society and Branch recognition of the very considerable amount of service given since 1969 by John Audsley, now resigning as our Chairman. Peter Hammond read a message from Dr Phil Stone in London, as well as giving his own personal tribute to John. A specially-made card and a cheque were given to John on behalf of all his friends in the Branch, and our Vice-chairman Ralph Taylor presented a framed copy of the Society’s coat-of-arms with an inscribed plaque. Long-standing members will be especially aware of all that John has done for matters Ricardian in Yorkshire and elsewhere, way beyond the call of duty, and all will appreciate that this was a very special occasion. A fortnight later, Branch members joined a group from the Yorkshire Archaeological Society on a visit to Hornby castle in the North Riding. Our tour of the castle grounds and Hornby church were led by Erik Matthews, who with Ed Dennison Associates is currently undertaking excava- tion work at the castle; he began the day’s events with a lecture on the development of the building, illustrated with slides and also digital photos of some discoveries made only this week in the outer courtyard area. As Hornby castle is not open to the public (although the present owners do have some plans in that direction), I doubt that anyone in our party had ever been there before, and those of us who had not seen old prints of the castle were astonished to learn that a great deal of it was de- molished as recently as 1930 as a result of the extravagances and extensive gambling debts of the eleventh duke of Leeds. Much of the medieval building had been altered and ‘modernised’ in the eighteenth century by John Carr, but even that is surely no excuse. A sale catalogue now in the YAS library in Leeds makes sad reading, and even has some actual sale prices pencilled in. The castle originally belonged to the St Quentin family, and the oldest part of the building, the St Quentin tower, survives as fragments. Much of the medieval part was built by Sir John Co- nyers (the elder) in the 1440s after his marriage to the St Quentin heiress, Margery, and features interesting contemporary heraldic badges in the stonework including the swan of Queen Margaret of Anjou, the Stafford knot, the broom sprig of the Plantagenets and the lamb and flag, a badge of Lord Saye and Sele. (The lamb and flag is also the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God with the banner of victory, but here it was seen with its political rather than its religious affiliation.) Sir John’s immediate family were retainers of Richard, earl of Salisbury and his son Richard, earl of Warwick, passing as a matter of course into the affinity of Richard of Gloucester in the north of England. Sir John’s son Sir Christopher, who died c.1464, was Salisbury’s steward and bailiff of Middleham castle, succeeded by his son Sir John Conyers (the younger). This Sir John is popularly believed to have been ‘Robin of Redesdale’, who led the northern rising against the alleged misgovernment of Edward IV in the late 1460s but submitted to the king at York. He was 60

created a Knight of the Garter by Richard III and fought for Richard at Bosworth, but like so many others accommodated himself to the new regime and became constable of Middleham castle in 1486. He died in 1490. In 1503 Margaret Tudor stayed at Hornby on her way north to marry James IV of Scots, and some further building work dates from that time. Sir William Conyers was raised to the peerage by Henry VII, but this availed him nothing in the end since he was arraigned before the Court of Star Chamber in 1517 as a result of having evicted his tenants in Hornby village to enclose the land for sheep. However, Erik Matthews pointed out that Conyers may have been singled out by Cardinal Wolsey, who had a particular animus against those favoured by Henry VIII’s father. After touring the castle gardens and grounds (developed in the eighteenth century by ‘Capability’ Brown and Adam Meikle) and observing in the distance the eighteenth-century model farm built by the fourth earl of Holderness, a descendant of the Conyers-Darcy family then living at Hornby who had a great interest in the model farm movement, we visited Hornby church. The first church on the site was in Saxon times, and the oldest part extant is the tower which dates from the later eleventh century. The church contains some medieval alabasters and also the brass of Thomas Mountford, esquire (d. 1487), related to the Strangways family, and his wife Agnes Kyllom. Their daughter Joan and their grand-daughter Anne both married into branches of the Conyers family. Finally we saw all that remains of the original village – now only hummocks in the grass down the lane just beyond the church. This was an extremely interesting and rewarding day out (it also included an excellent buffet lunch at the Greyhound Inn, Hackforth, which I have no hesitation in recommending to all Ri- cardians), and our thanks are due to Erik Matthews, and to Janet C. Senior of the YAS, our Re- search Officer, who organised the visit. The Branch hopes to take part in the Towton Battlefield Society’s commemoration of the battle of Wakefield at Sandal Castle, which this year takes place on the nearest Saturday to the battle date, Saturday 29 December. More details in the next issue of the Bulletin. Angela Moreton

Obituaries

Daphne Booth 1923-2007 It is with sadness that the Beds & Bucks Group have to inform you of the death of Daphne Booth in October after a short illness. Daphne had been a member of the Society for many years; a member of our group for over 20 years and also a member of the London Group. Daphne’s un- swerving faith in the innocence of Richard III was core to her –she loved novels about Richard, but she also read history books extensively and always wanted to know more about the period in which he lived. She actively supported the Society, bringing her mint jelly to the AGM each year until she could no longer manage the driving and holding her wonderful garden parties each June in aid of the Riccardian Churches Fund. When I was preparing to speak at her funeral I spoke to Daphne’s neice Vivienne and we agreed that we wanted to talk about her as she really was, so I hope that those of you who knew her will read this and smile and say ‘yes, that was Daphne’. As the only daughter of middle class parents in straightened circumstances Daphne might well have been destined to spend her life running the family home whilst her brothers left the fold, but the War intervened and she joined the WAAFs. By the time the War ended Daphne had achieved an independence which she never wanted to give up and that independence shaped the rest of her life, her career with IBM and her determination to remain in her own home until, as she said in her own words ‘they carry me out’. 61

That streak of determination could sometimes test the best of friendships. Everyone at the funeral agreed that Daphne was not renowned for her sense of timing – in fact, like Maria, Daph- ne was ‘always late for everything, except for every meal’. Mealtimes were rigidly adhered to, even if you happened to be cruising up the motorway at the time. Eating out anywhere could be an experience. Daphne did not like her food to be messed about with and she would say so in no uncertain terms. She also had a rather mixed relationship with her camera. As if it were paying her back for the number of times she left it behind in the places we visited, it would contrive to jam it’s film at some crucial moment, usually just as we had staggered to the top of a castle tower and she was still 50 feet below. Elizabeth Nokes fondly recorded memories of Daphne arriving for a Society trip in the north of England with only a short sleeved blouse and a thin nylon rain- coat, then having to detour to the nearest Marks & Spencer for a rather fetching yellow cardigan because it had simply never occurred to her that it was autumn and that the trip might include a degree of walking. But there was another side to this indomitable lady. Daphne was a good friend and a caring person. Even in her later years, when her driving had become somewhat hazardous, she was still on the rota for driving the local ‘old folk’ to their appointments at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. I sometimes thought that if Daphne’s ‘old folk’ survived the drive to the hospital their prognosis from there on would probably be a good one. Daphne was a founder member of the Scrabble Club and a lifetime exponent of the use of correct English. She loved her garden and the village in which she lived and she had a hidden talent too. Admiring a plaque on her living room wall of a beautifully carved wooden boar, I was intrigued to hear that she had carved it herself, along with the grandmother clock and her four poster bed. The wood, she informed me, was fifteenth century oak. She had come upon a church during her travels and saw some men ripping out the pews which were no longer needed. Horrified to hear the wood was destined for the bonfire, she said . ‘Well...I couldn’t just see it going on the bonfire, not after it had served all those genera- tions, so I made an offer, took the lot home and taught myself a bit of woodwork’. It is a story that I will always remember when I think of her. It was a great frustration to Daphne that her body was giving up on her in her last few years and she struggled as the words in her head would not come out. When others would have admitted defeat and gone into sheltered accommodation she held on, determined to stay in the village. Daphne was never a churchgoer so her wish to be buried in the local churchyard might have proved a problem to some, but as they laid her to rest, exactly as she wished, I had to smile. Ill as she was by then, in the last two months of her life our determined friend had disarmed and won over the local vicar and got her final wish. She will be a great loss to the Society and those who knew her will miss her. Alan Fleet It was with great sadness that the NZ Branch and Australian members have learned of the death of Alan Fleet at the age of 76. He had seemed in good health at the August meeting, so it came as a great shock to learn that, shortly after, he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, to which he succumbed in the early hours of 23 September. Alan, with his wife Betty, joined the Society in 1990 and throughout his membership he proved to be an active, knowledgeable, hard working member who rarely missed a meeting. A retired telegraph engineer, Alan was multi-talented; possessed of great wit, he was an avid reader and an accomplished word-smith, constantly writing witty poems or skits for the members to enjoy. He was a great fan of Jane Shore and there was always a part for Jane in his plays. The success of the Australasian Convention in April was largely due to the significant contribution that Alan and Betty made from the onset of the planning right through to the conclusion. A lasting memory will be his appearance at the Convention Banquet. When most were dressed in colourful finery Alan arrived in bloodstained rags and bandages with seemingly a quiver full of arrows sticking out from all parts of his body. When asked, he identified himself with his usual 62

wonderful play on words as ‘Sir Vivor of Towton’! Alan had many Ricardian friends both at home and abroad as was evidenced by the numerous e-mails and letters received when first his illness and then his death became known. The Society has lost a great member. Alan is survived by his wife, Betty, three children and grandchildren.

Recently Deceased Members

Mrs D Cuthbert, Leeds Mrs Carol Main, Oadby, Leicestershire

New Members

UK 1 July- 30 Sept 2007 Colin Allen, Pontefract Sally Jacob, Leighton Buzzard Jane Bowler, Yeovil Carole Jenkins, Wakefield Teresa & Keith Brown, Bishops Stortford David Luton-Brown, Norwich Laura Buckley, Preston Graham Ransom, Lancaster Michael Bullock, Bottesford Elizabeth & Graham Reynolds, Derby Hilary Chaplin, Dudley Gill Rossini, Machynlleth Peter Chappell, Thetford Julie Ryder, Grays Daphne Clargo, Scarborough Veronique Shipley, Harrow Eileen Cox, London Georgina Strachan, Northampton Ian Darby, London Gayna Stuart, Alford Christine Dickinson, Wakefield Roger Tomlinson, Stevenage Claire Eaglen, Ceredigion Marion Troutbeck, Norwich Carole Fisher, Westhill Linda Upham, St Neots Gillian Fleming, Brighton Kathy Voisey, Norwich Mary Gilhooly, London Gabriella Wagerman, London James Goodwin, Leeds Jan Widmer, Bury St Edmunds Anna Green, Bristol Kay Wilson, Leeds William Grey, Stamford

Overseas 1 July - 30 Sept 2007 Vicki Hanna, Caboolture, Queensland Marietta Shafer, Florida

US Branch 1 July - 30 Sept 2007 Hope Asrelsky, New York Audrey McClellan. Ohio Gene Baumgartner, North Carolina Dan Payton, Oklahoma Lauren Carpenter, Rhode Island Callie Rivas, Washington Pamela J Garrett, Oregon John Sherwood, Pennsylvania Morgan Bailey Griffiths, California Jane Skillman, Georgia Mary Hasterok, Illinois Laura Baird Wilson, California Matthew Karr, Missouri Lindsey Wyatt, North Caroline Susan Mason, California 63

Calendar

We run a calendar of all forthcoming events: if you are aware of any events of Ricardian interest, whether organised by the Society – Committee, Visits Committee, Research Committee, Branches/Groups – or by others, please let Lynda Pidgeon have full details, in sufficient time for entry. The calendar will also be run on the website.

Date Events Originator

2007

15 December Fotheringhay Lunch and Carols Phil Stone

2008

15 March Annual Requiem Mass, Clare Priory, Suffolk J Ashdown-Hill see p. 54

17 March Annual Wreath-laying, Westminster Abbey J Ashdown-Hill see p. 55

28 - 30 March Triennial Conference Wendy Moorhen

14 - 19 May Visit to Avignon Visits Committee

16 - 27 June The Ricardian Rover, Travels with Richard III American Branch see p. 56

21 June Visit to Fotheringhay and Nassington Visits Committee

19 July Visit to Thaxted and Saffron Walden Visits Committee

17 August Bosworth Memorial Service and Visit Visits Committee to Battlefield

6 September London Walk Visits Committee

13 December Fotheringhay Carol Service Phil Stone

2009

14 March Annual Requiem Mass, Church of Our Lady J Ashdown-Hill and the English Martyrs, Cambridge