Thanks to Karen Clark I read recently a note about “King Henry VI English Spring Water”. To be honest at first I thought that it might be a belated April Fools’ joke, but it seems to be for real.
After the loss of the Battle of Hexham on 15 August 1464 the Lancastrian king Henry VI stayed in hiding for several months with Sir Ralph Pudsey, a Lancastrian supporter, at Bolton Hall. This is in Bolton-by-Bowland in Lancashire, not far from Skipton, the home of another Lancastrian family, the Clifford (see here). There is a memorial to Sir Ralph Pudsey in the local church, which also includes his three wives and twenty five children.
Henry stayed for about a year, before being captured near Clitheroe, just down the road. On his departure he left behind a pair of boots, a pair of gloves and a spoon. However, he also left his name to a well, which according to local legend he ordered to “be dug and walled round for a bath”. This well “is much venerated by the country people to this day, who fancy that many remarkable cures have been wrought there”.[Roby, p.585]
The well is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. There is a bath-shaped receptacle built into the floor which should be the bath, mentioned in the text above, but the water was probably also used for drinking. According to one source is smells of sulphur and is said to increase fertility – it seems to have worked for Sir Ralph, though was less effectual for Henry.
The Tomb of Sir Ralph Pudsay, St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Bolton-by-Bowland (© Copyright Alexander P Kapp and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)
Unfortunately Bolton Hall was demolished in the 1950s, the site is now occupied by a private development, called King Henry’s Mews, which is not open to the public, but the well can be seen from a public footpath near by.
Now, more than 500 years later, the natural spring water is being bottled by the Bosonnet family. Tests have shown that the water has significant mineral qualities. The bore hole has been dug to a depth of 47 m to extract the water, which is then piped underground to the bottling facility.
The company’s environmental efforts are impressive. The land around the well is in the process of organic accreditation, so that any pollution with undesirable chemicals should be avoided. The company is trying to minimise its impact on the environment, using eco-friendly methods and materials, as well as an extraordinarily high degree of insulation in its facilities. The use of an ozone generator in the plant gives chemical-free cleansing for bottle sterilizing, flushing pipes and washing down production areas. This means that all waste water can be returned straight to the surrounding natural water courses.
Buckingham Palace has allowed the company to use the King’s name on its products. The water comes both as still and sparkling water and is sold in clear glass bottles.
We wish the enterprise all possible success, even if Yorkist water – rather than this Lancastrian variety – would be more to my taste.
Bibliography:
King Henry VI Premium English Spring Water, accessed 7 Sept 2010
“King Henry VI English Spring Water”, Food & Drink News, accessed 7 Sept 2010
Keith Brunskill, “History and stories of Bolton-by-Bowland”, Bolton-by-Bowland, accessed 7 Sept 2010
John Roby, Traditions of Lancashire, Volume I. BiblioLife, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0559124501 (originally published in 1829)
Bolton Hall, accessed 7 Sept 2010
On behalf of all the members and friends of the New South Wales Branch of the Richard III Society, may we offer all the New Zealand Branch members our concerns and thoughts for you all, and hope that none of you have been badly affected by the Christchurch earthquake.
We shall be thinking of you and hope that all is well.
God bless and Loyaulte me lie.
Last week my husband attended a conference in Hobart in Tasmania. So I went along for some sightseeing. Visiting St David’s Cathedral I admired the beautiful stained glass windows. One of them showed St Alban, which after my recent work on St Albans in Hertfordshire was like meeting an old friend.
Saint Alban was the first martyr of Britain (executed in c. 304). His story has often been told, among others by the Venerable Bede.[1] According to this, Alban was a Romano-British citizen of Verulanium, who gave shelter to a Christian priest, called Amphibalus, during a persecution of Christians. He was so impressed by what this man had to say that Alban converted to Christianity. When Roman soldiers came to search his house for the priest, he pretended to be him and was arrested. During the trial he stood firm to his new faith and was beheaded.[2] However, en route to his execution he performed several miracles like stopping the water of the river to flow and causing a spring of water on the hill, where he was beheaded (hence the street name ‘Holywell Hill’). His original executioner converted to Christianity on the spot and the man who eventually did the deed was punished by blindness. Unfortunately all this did not help Amphibalus, who along with some others was a few days later stoned to death.[3]
At the time we were there, the Australian Shakespeare Festival was taking place in Hobart. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit any of the vents, but William was looking down on us from a great height all over the city, which was like running into another old friend.
Notes:
1. “St Alban”, Catholic Encyclopedia – New Advent. (accessed 23 May 2010)
2. “The Story of St Alban”, The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban. (accessed 24 May 2010)
3. “St Alban”, New Advent
A 36ft (approx. 11 m) long sign has been erected at Bosworth Battlefield saying “Bosworth 525”. It is supposed to draw attention to the Anniversary Re-enactment of the Battle. The sign is so large that it can be seen from a mile away.
This year marks the 525th anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth in which King Richard III was killed on 22 August 1485.
It is questionable whether such a Hollywood style sign is appropriate to mark the death of a person, whatever your personal view of him. It creates the image of a Disney World extravaganza rather than an interpretation of an actual battle based on factual evidence.
Source: BBC Leicester
We just heard that all the DVDs and CDs of Loyalty Binds Me are now available to buy through Amazon.
Amazon.com (US):
Sandal Castle DVD
Sandal Castle Music CD
Middleham Castle DVD
Amazon.co.uk (UK):
Sandal Castle DVD
Sandal Castle Music CD
Middleham Castle DVD
For more information on the titles go to Loyalty Binds Me, you can of course still order directly from them as well.
To mark the 525th anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth this year, Bosworth Battlefield has launched an international search for the descendants of those who fought at the battle on 22nd August 1485.
The Visitor Centre has a list of names of many men who fought in the battle, but there is still much to be learned about them and bring them back to live, so to speak. As Curator Richard Knox explains: “We have a list of names of men who fought at the battle from sources, including the Italian historian Polydore Vergil, but we know very little else about them. We would love to hear from families who believe their ancestors are connected to the battle and start to add some flesh to the bones of the Bosworth story.”
One of those they found is James Orrell, whose ancestor Ralph Orrell was a cousin of Lord Thomas Stanley, whom he helped to decide the battle for Henry Tudor. As a reward he was paid ten marks a year for life, for good and faithful services. Fortunately his descendant displays for us more acceptable loyalties when he says: “I can’t help but feel Ralph fought for the wrong side, but understandably you didn’t argue with the Stanleys!”
On the weekend of the anniversary itself there will be a spectacular re-enactment of the battle, to which the descendants will be invited. The event will also include a thrilling jousting tournament, majestic falconry displays, skill-at-arms, guided walks, medieval market, living history encampment and expert talks. You even get the chance to meet King Richard III at lunch with his Commanders and ask him any questions you may have about the impending battle.
You can find out more from the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre as well as Leicestershire Museums.
We learned with sadness that Carole M Rike passed away peacefully at home yesterday afternoon, surrounded by her family. She was a long time member of the American Branch of the Richard III Society and, among other duties, editor of the Ricardian Register. Her loss will be deeply felt by many. Our condolences go to her family and friends.
Loyaulte me lie.
At present Stirling Castle is undergoing extensive refurbishment with the aim to return the castle to its 16th century magnificence.
The first step was to find out how the palace might have been furnished and decorated. In some cases there were surviving records, for instance that there were a great many tapestries and also that James V had bought himself some four poster beds, which were the latest fashion in his day.
Other inspiration came from comparison with Scottish royal and noble residences of the time, paintings and inventories of people’s belongings, as well as surviving items in museum collections in the UK and overseas.
Top-quality craftsmen were commissioned to use authentic materials and techniques to refurnish and redecorate the palace. A team of weavers are also recreating a series of late medieval tapestries.
A special feature are the Stirling Heads. Thirty three of these large oak medallions, which once decorated the ceilings of some of the royal apartments, have been handed down to us. They are carved with the faces of Scottish kings and queens, European royalty, Roman emperors and Classical heroes. The original ones will be on show in a special display area on the first floor of the palace. The gallery will also have exhibits and displays about the fine stone statues on the outside walls of the palace, and about Scotland’s place in Renaissance Europe. However, a replica set of the heads has been hand-carved and will be used to decorate the ceiling of one of King’s Presence Hall.
The refurbishment should be finished by Easter 2011, when visitors will be able to experience the 16th century in all its splendour.
To find out more about this fascinating project click here, there is also a link to a short film about the refurbishment on YouTube
Illustration: The Great Hall at Stirling Castle, © Copyright Iain Russell and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
This is the title of a ‘Special Interest Weekend to re-evaluate an historically neglected but pivotal English conflict’ which will be held from 24 to 27 March 2011 at Christ Church in Oxford in association with Holts Battlefield Tours and The Richard III Society. To a Ricardian the description of a “neglected” conflict is hardly appropriate, as it is essential to our period of interest.
Special Interest Weekends are offered every spring by Christ Church, offering sound scholarship by distinguished speakers to their visitors. Participants will stay on campus and enjoy college life. The social highlight of the weekend will be the Gala Banquet on Saturday night.
This weekend promises to take the participant through one of the most complex narratives of English History and to explore the debates surrounding the parts played, not just by the king but by the aristocracy. The talks include:
• The Origins of the Wars of the Roses
• The Role of Margaret of Anjou
• Edward IV and the Establishment of the House of York
• Richard III: Reputation and Reality
• The Army of Richard III
• Alice Duchess of Suffolk and the Wars of the Roses – this will take place at Ewelme Church, where she is buried
• The Battle of Bosworth – Dr Glenn Foard, who led the team that discovered the real battle site, will talk about their research.
What a pity that we are so far away, the weekend does promise to be fascinating! It would be good if we could find out whether the talks might be published in book format after the weekend. This would allow people, who live too far away and haven’t got the means to just pop over to Oxford for weekend, can enjoy some of it.
For a copy of the programme and a booking form click here.
It is well-known that the history you find in books is not necessarily what actually happened. It is also no secret that authors often change the story even further if they think it makes better entertainment – Shakespeare’s treatment of Richard III is a point in case. This example also shows the danger of willfully changing facts - the made up story becomes the new truth.
We recently heard from John Ashdown-Hill about the latest in rewriting history. Last Sunday, 11 July, villagers of Grafton Regis, Elizabeth Woodville’s birthplace, planned to re-enact the 15th century kidnapping of the uncrowned King Edward V in Stony Stratford High Street. The word “kidnapping” set alarm bells ringing, but it got even more fanciful. Straight from Shakespeare’s rewriting of history, we then get the usual stuff about Edward and his younger brother Richard being murdered in the Tower on the orders of Richard III. And then we are informed that later during the re-enactment Elizabeth Woodville would arrive on horseback to search in vain for her son.
As John pointed out, how does one re-enact something that never happened? Elizabeth Woodville was during the whole episode in London, too far away to just pop over to look for her son. And as the whole meeting of Edward’s party and that of his uncle Richard of Gloucester had been arranged well in advance this was hardly a “kidnapping”.
In the meantime we received an eye witness account from Iris of what actually took place that day at Stony Stratford (I mean 11 July 2010). Not only did Elizabeth Woodville get on her motorbike (the equivalent to arriving on horseback) to chase up the A5, she took her younger son Richard and daughter Elizabeth along as well. Contrary to the announcement, their search was successful and all returned happily to London in the evening. The evil kidnapper was not even present, but just sent a letter to Elizabeth (how he knew that she would be in Stony Stratford is anyone’s guess).
The purpose of this strange re-making of history was to advertise a two-day History Fayre which will take place in Grafton Regis on Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August. There episode two of this comedy of errors will be told: the organisers promise us the re-enactment of a battle to attempt to rescue the kidnapped heir to the throne. Their aim, raising funds for repairs to the village Church windows and a new kitchen for the Village Hall, is undoubtedly very worthwhile. But does the end justify any means, even making up battles which never took place?
Our branch committee discussed this event at our meeting last Saturday and we were unsure whether to laugh or cry. We are pleased to hear that the Richard III Society, in the person of the chairman Dr Phil Stone, has written to the local press commenting upon the inaccuracies of the scenario. In the meantime we continue to do our best here to pick up on inaccuracies in the press and it has fortunately been some time since we have had to reprove crossword compilers for “Usurping king (7)”. However, it remains a long way to establish that “Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority” (Sir Francis Bacon), the quote which is the basis of the title of Josephine Tey’s classic. Although today it would be appropriate to say “Truth is the daughter of time, not of entertainment”.
Julia Redlich and Dorothea Preis
