… the Group and visitors from three continents remembered the life of Dr. John Ashdown-Hill by discussing one of the presentations he left us, based upon his book The Dublin King.
Late next month, we will head for Norwich Whitefriars, where Lady Eleanor Talbot, Richard’s sister-in-law, was originally interred and the Castle Museum where remains that may be hers are kept and where the Restoration ship the Gloucester is being exhibited.
Here it is …
This month, we shall hold our AGM online again. Among the proposed visits are:
1) Orford Castle, sadly delayed this year by the castle re-opening late after construction work.
2) Norwich Carmelite Friary, to comemmorate Lady Eleanor Talbot, Richard’s sister-in-law,
3) Waltham Abbey, to remember Harold II who is likely to be buried there.
The Group (and two guests) greatly enjoyed a talk from Marie Barnfield on Sunday. Metcalfe, a lawyer and merchant from a prominent Yorkshire family, held several public offices, including MP for Dartmouth, Recorder of York and justice of Lancashire under Yorkist rule. Though it is uncertain whether Miles and his elder brother Thomas Metcalfe (of Nappa) were at Bosworth, Henry “Tudor” regarded him with suspicion and ordered the appointment of a new Recorder. Miles Metcalfe tried to recover his position but died six months to the day after Richard’s burial.
Many thanks to Marie for a talk that answered many of the questions we had in mind. Our next event will be on 5th March.
Here it is. Please read the sign on the door carefully!
Many thanks to Annette for returning, via Zoom, to address almost a hundred Ricardians in four different continents on the afternoon of 23rd May. She explained, in great detail, who out of the Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham, Edward V and Anthony Wydeville was probably where on 29th-30th April 1483 as they travelled the old Roman roads towards London from Yorkshire, Wales and Ludlow, as well as who stayed where and why they didn’t all use the A45 services.
Now, after four Zoom meetings, we are preparing to go out and view Richard’s 1483 Ipswich charter at The Hold. Hopefully, this will be possible in July, although there are additional factors affecting the venue and we may need a plan B.
… as we previewed here …
The Mortimers to 1330: From Wigmore to Ruler of England
18th May 2019 at Leominster Priory, Herefordshire
The Genealogy of the Mortimer Family, 1054 – 1300 LINK
– Dr Ian Mortimer – Historian and Vice-President of the Mortimer History Society
A Single Battle to Win a Country; Nearly 200 Years to Conquer a Welsh District:
the Mortimers Struggle to Control Maelienydd LINK
– Philip Hume – Historian and Secretary of the Mortimer History Society
Mortimer Women of the 12th and 13th Centuries LINK
– Dr Emma Cavell – Swansea University
The Flickering Flame: Roger Mortimer and the Troubled Kingship of Edward II LINK
– Dr Paul Dryburgh – The National Archives & President of the Mortimer History Society
Hugh Despenser the Younger: The Rise and Fall of a Royal Favourite LINK
– Kathryn Warner – Historian & Author
Uneasy is the Head that Wears the Crown:
Roger Mortimer, Ruler and (Possible) Regicide, 1327-1330 LINK
– Dr Paul Dryburgh – The National Archives & President of the Mortimer History Society
Attachments area:
Preview YouTube video 1 DR IAN MORTIMER-The Genealogy of the Mortimer Family, 1054-1300
1 DR IAN MORTIMER-The Genealogy of the Mortimer Family, 1054-1300
Preview YouTube video 2 PHILIP HUME-The Mortimers struggle for Maelienydd
2 PHILIP HUME-The Mortimers struggle for Maelienydd
Preview YouTube video 4 DR EMMA CAVELL-Mortimer women of the 12th & 13th Centuries
4 DR EMMA CAVELL-Mortimer women of the 12th & 13th Centuries
Preview YouTube video 5 DR PAUL DRYBURGH-The Flickering Flame
5 DR PAUL DRYBURGH-The Flickering Flame
Preview YouTube video 6 KATHRYN WARNER-Hugh Despenser the Younger
6 KATHRYN WARNER-Hugh Despenser the Younger
Preview YouTube video 7 DR PAUL DRYBURG-Uneasy is the head that wears the crown
Visit to the Priory of Our Lady of Thetford – Saturday 18th May 2019
A small but enthusiastic group gathered at Thetford to visit the Priory ruins. Most significantly for Ricardians, a number of important protagonists in the story of Richard were buried here in the years before Henry VIII’s suppression of the monasteries was completed. In fact, Thetford was the last monastic community to surrender in 1540, owing to its prestigious patronage. The Priory is now in the custody of English Heritage.
Thetford Priory was founded in 1103 from the Benedictine Order of Cluny Abbey, France, and its founder patron was the powerful Roger Bigod. After the Bigods, patronage passed through to the Mowbrays and then to the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk. It was one of the largest monastic sites in East Anglia.
During Richard’s lifetime, The Priory of Our Lady of Thetford was of significant importance to its patrons, the Howard family. The 1st and 2nd Dukes had magnificent tombs erected to demonstrate their wealth, power and piety. As we walked round the extensive remains, we paused firstly at the site of the chest tomb of the second Duke, Thomas Howard (1443-1524, above) which stood in the Presbytery of the Abbey Church; in front of the high altar it occupied a very prominent position.
His father, the first Duke John, was killed at the Battle of Bosworth fighting for Richard. It is believed his tomb (left) occupied a chapel between the north transept and the nave of the Abbey Church. Today, the location is marked with a placard.
Before the Reformation, it was very important for patrons to be buried in the Priory so that the monks could pray for their souls in perpetuity and lighted candles would burn at their tombs night and day so that they would never be forgotten. Following the Dissolution, the Howard tombs were removed to the church of St. Michael the Archangel, Framlingham where they can still be seen in the Howard chapel.
The 3rd and 4th Dukes (Mowbray) were also buried in the church but with unmarked locations. The Mowbrays, unlike the Howards, were not relocated to Framlingham after 1540. There appeared to be a space for a tomb which could have been Mowbray’s, between columns at the east end of the south aisle (slightly down from the Presbytery) where a rectangle of high quality red bricks lined the floor.
The Prior’s Lodging (left) was very impressive, even in its ruinous condition it was possible to imagine the high-status building that once stood here when the patrons, The Howards, would have stayed as guests of the Prior. Two doorways have fine carvings and face corbels still extant. The building survived as a farmhouse for two centuries after the Dissolution.
We explored other areas of the monastic buildings including the cloister, refectory, chapter house and infirmary, with its own small cloister. Finally, to end the visit we walked the short distance to view the impressive Gatehouse (left) to the Priory which has survived in an almost complete state since it was built in the 14th century.
Following our tour, we headed for lunch at (the heraldically notable) The Red Lion pub in the Market Place and some of the party finished the day by visiting the Dad’s Army Museum.
Thetford certainly has much to offer the visitor and we came away feeling that a return visit to explore further would be welcome.
In his book, A Companion & Guide to The Wars of the Roses, the author Peter Bramley lists Thetford Priory as a top-rated site to visit of national places and I think I can see why.
For further information:
For those of you with Apple Ipads or phones, there is an interesting App, entitled Thetford Priory and its Tudor Tombs, which you can download for free.
English Heritage website has more information about Thetford Priory https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/thetford-priory/
Mid Anglia Group, Richard III Society 