The opening of the new Cathedral Gardens in Leicester last Saturday included talks by both the artist whose work found a home in the new gardens. Our friend Rosalind Broomhall told us already about James Butler and the Richard III statue. Here she concludes her reports about the opening of the gardens by sharing with us the ideas behind Dallas Pierce Quintero’s new artwork.

‘Towards Stillness’ Commissioned by Leicestershire County Council. Designed by Juliet Quintero of Dallas Pierce Quintero.

The artwork ‘Towards Stillness’ portrays the story of Richard’s final days in Leicestershire in a series of 12 steel plates, aligned towards Bosworth and surrounded by tall grasses and marshy plants to evoke the terrain of the battlefield. Juliet Quintero consulted with both Dr Phil Stone (Richard III Society) and Dr John Ashdown-Hill to ensure historical accuracy.

The artwork should be read from west to east with the first stainless steel plates representing the battle – the charge, rearing horse, fight on foot and defeat. Juliette took hundreds of photographs of a re-enactor from Les Routier de Rouen to create lifelike images and the sihouettes were water cut* onto the steel. Helped by undergraduates Holly and Freya from Loughborough University, the images were then blurred with lines to create the sensation of movement. The blurring ceases as Richard is slain and carried back to Leicester on horseback and the quality of the steel diminishes to denote the passage of time. The steel was shot blasted in a random way to create a weathering effect and as the centuries pass the height of the sheets falls. Richard is lost. Until that day in 2012 when the archaeologists uncovered the grave.

The clue to this piece is in the title. After more than 500 years, the heat of battle, the hurried interment at Greyfriars and the lost grave, Richard will finally be laid to rest – and be still.

*Watercutting: water mixed with crushed garnets forced at pressure through a sapphire nozzle. Laser cutting would have created too much heat.

Tags: Art, Leicester, Richard III

More from the opening of the new Cathedral Gardens in Leicester by our friend Rosalind Broomhall.  The photo of the statue with its new sword is by Jo Mungovin. Thank you to both of you!

Richard III statue. Commissioned by the Richard III Society and sculpted by James Butler RA.
This much loved bronze statue has been moved from its previous home in Castle Gardens to the newly refurbished Cathedral Gardens and James Butler was on hand to talk about it.

Mr Butler’s vision was to sculpt Richard ‘the man’ and to that end, after consultation with the Richard III Society, Richard’s arms were left free of armour and Richard depicted as strong, energetic and courageous. He holds his crown as though picked from the battlefield after losing his helmet and displayed to portray his ambition – to fight for his kingdom. He stands on a plinth above us to drive home that point. (The aggregate used for the plinth is, by the way, from a quarry near Bosworth.) The sword has been newly restored after the statue lived for many years with a dagger – the result of the previous sword being stolen (and recast) 6 times. It portrays a hand-and-a-half sword and has been strengthened and thickened from the original.

Tongue-in-cheek, Mr Butler suggested a very sharp edge and an articulated elbow to deter vandals. (Vandalism is, apparently, an all too common problem with public art.) As Richard would have been riding a horse, his inner leg would have been armour free and the rest of his armour, custom made in Germany or Italy, would have had sliding rivets allowing for freedom of movement.

The statue was unveiled in Castle Gardens in 1980 by Princess Alice of Gloucester and as one observer commented, “It rocks!”

Tags: Art, Leicester, Richard III

On Sunday 6th July I attended the Winterfest Medieval Fair in Parramatta. There were amazing historical costumes, arms and armour, traditional jewellery, cloaks (and daggers!), as well as sword fighting to see and experience.

I tried traditional spiced mead while watching the Templars combat the Vikings and learnt how to strike a flint to make fire. The birds of prey lecture was fascinating and I now understand a lot more about hawking and falconry! A jousting tournament took place with the riders also pitching themselves against the quintain and hoops. I also discovered how heavy armour is and decided I’d probably make a poor medieval knight!

The next medieval fair will be at St Ives on the 20th and 21st of September.

Tags: Fair

On Saturday, 5 July 2014, the new Cathdral Gardens in Leicester ‘Garden of Life’ were opened. We are very happy to be able to bring you a report by Rosalind Broomhall, a friend from Leicester, who was able to attend this event. Thank you also to Jo Mungovin for the photo.

“How do you open a garden?” said Canon Pete “…you ring the bells!” And ring out they did yesterday as, after an anxious night of heavy rain, the sun shone down and Bishop Tim and Sir Peter Soulsby cut the ribbon and celebrations began. Young people from Curve Theatre danced between the newly refurbished statue (sword restored!) and the artwork ‘Towards Stillness’ that tells the story of Richard’s final days and the centuries lost until he was rediscovered that day in 2012. The air of celebration continued with songs from the Emmanuel Gospel Choir and a concert performance of ‘Joseph and his Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat’ by the children of DioSing! Inside St Martin’s House, James Butler RA and Juliette Quintero spoke about their work and Dean Monteith posed the question of the relevance of the story of Richard III today. Outside people tried their hand at a drumming workshop and the All Saints dancing troup, young Asian Christians, expressed their faith through dance.

The race to complete the gardens – how many workmen can you get in one space? – had continued flat out all week but paid off magnificently as our new Cathedral Gardens were opened in style.

You can find the programme with further links here.

Tags: Church, Leicester, Richard III

In Leicester, the restored statue of Richard III will today be installed in its new home in Cathedral Gardens. The statue had been donated by the Richard III Cathedral 34 years ago and until recently stood in Castle Gardens. It was not only cleaned and waxed, but Richard also got a new sword instead of the dagger he used to hold in his right hand. You can find more information here.

Andrew McKinnon at the 2013 Australasian Convention (Photograph by D Preis)

The other bit of news is closer to home. Our friend Andrew McKinnon, who delighted – in full armour – those attending the 2013 Australasian Convention (and quite a few other people who just happened to be at the hotel, where the Convention took place!), today is the topic of a whole article with wonderful illustrations in the Manly Daily, the local paper for Sydney’s northern suburbs. Andrew will joust at the first ever St Ives Medieval Fair, which will also include a variety of medieval attraction. Mark 20-21 September in your diary to attend this must-see event.

Tags: Leicester, NSW Branch, Richard III

We are very grateful to Dr Mark St Leon to be able to bring you his fascinating talk, which he gave at our branch general meeting on 14 June.  Members and Friends of the NSW branch will also be able to read his talk in the 2014 issue of The Chronicles of the White Rose, due at the December general meeting.  

The evolution of the Medieval Fair

Preamble

I would like to thank the Richard III Society for inviting me to talk to you this afternoon. The title of my talk is “The evolution of the Medieval Fair”.

I do not confess to be anything more than a dilettante on Medieval history and society. My true area of knowledge and expertise is the history of the circus in Australia, in which earlier generations of my family played a key role for well over a hundred years, since before the gold rush period of the 1850s. My, I daresay, definitive history of the circus in Australia was published by Melbourne Books in 2011.

Nevertheless, the circus of the modern age – which was first conceived in London about the time Captain James Cook was charting the east coast of Australia in 1769 – has roots in the wandering entertainers who roamed the provinces and performed on the fairgrounds of Medieval Europe for well over a thousand years after the fall of Rome. Those wandering entertainers in turn can be traced to the people who amused the crowds with displays of acrobatics, ropewalking and animal training in between the gladiatorial events and chariot races of ancient Rome. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Fair

The June meeting of the NSW Branch of the Richard III Society was held on Saturday, 14 June 2014, at the Sydney Mechanics’ Institute. Chair Judith welcomed all attendees including three new people who are considering becoming members. With the Treasurer and Sales Officer away this month, the Committee reports were brief. Dorothea presented the Webmaster’s report and reminded members that more items were always needed for our increasingly popular website. With our Social Secretary away due to illness we are unable to make specific plans for our annual Bosworth service and luncheon until further notice.

One of our members, Maggie, will be visiting Britain during the Bosworth Commemoration ceremonies, and has been asked to represent the overseas’ branches by placing the wreath provided from our region during the proceedings. We look forward to hearing about her experience when she returns.

Leslie introduced our guest speaker Dr Mark St Leon, the foremost authority on the history of the circus in Australia and descendant of a long established circus family. He presented his wonderful talk, ‘The Evolution of the Medieval Fair’, then autographed his beautifully illustrated 2011 book Circus: The Australian Story, for members. His talk will be published on this website shortly.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, 9 August 2014, featuring numismatic expert David Mee speaking on ‘Coinage in Richard’s Reign’

Note:  Dr Mark St Leon will be talking tomorrow (19 June) to host Margaret Throsby on the Midday Interview on ABC Classic FM!

Our guest speaker for the June meeting will be circus historian Dr Mark St Leon, speaking on the topic of the “Evolution of the Medieval Fair”.

Mark is a direct descendant of one of Australia’s most prominent circus families in the mid-19th century through the 1950s. St Leon’s Circus was one of Australia’s major circuses spanning the decades from the 1870s through the 1920s. Mark has devoted many years to the documentation of his family’s history in the circus and Australia’s circus history generally. He has been widely published in this area. He has also documented the history of other famous circus families who travelled Australia and the tours of the large American circuses which came here in the 1800s. Mark is the author of several published books, articles and encyclopaedia entries. He currently lectures and/or tutors at universities in New South Wales and Queensland. Signed copies of his books will be available at the meeting.

Tags: NSW Branch

A new novel by Barbara Gaskell Denvil, much appreciated member of the NSW Branch, has recently been published.  Barbara shares with us a blurb for her new book.  Having read and thoroughly enjoyed her previous novels Summerford’s Autumn and Satin Cinnabar, I can’t wait to spend some pleasant time in The King’s Shadow. 

(Page Admin)

Barbara Gaskell Denvil, The King’s Shadow.  Simon & Schuster Australia, 2014.  ISBN 9781925030068 (Trade Paperback and ebook)

Andrew Cobham is a man of unconventional behaviour, his home is unusually grand, and he answers no questions. But as he keeps his own secrets safe, so he works to uncover those of others.

It is 1483 and King Edward IV sits England’s throne, but no king rules unchallenged. Often it is those closest to him who prove the unexpected danger. When the king dies suddenly without clear cause, then rumour replaces fact – and Andrew Cobham is already working behind the scenes.

Tyballis, when orphaned young, was forced into marriage with her neighbour, a bully and simpleton. When she escapes his abuse, she meets Andrew Cobham, and gradually an uneasy alliance forms. This is a friendship which will take them in unusual directions as Tyballis becomes embroiled in Andrew’s work and the danger which surrounds him. Eventually it is a motley gathering of thieves, informers, prostitutes and children that joins the game, determined to help Andrew uncover treason. Abduction, murder, intrigue and political subterfuge come to a climax as the country is thrown onto the brink of war.

Richard of Gloucester is designated Protector of the Realm, and it is his responsibility to bring peace to England’s troubled land, and discover those who are determined to disturb the peace for their own ends. This book brings light to some of the more troublesome mysteries and the doubts surrounding his decisions, based firmly on what truths are at present known, and especially on those frequently overlooked.

This novel combines history and imagination, but in no place is wilful inaccuracy permitted. These are the facts both as they actually occurred, and as they probably occurred.

But it is also a book about the whole adventure of an uncommon life.

Tags: Books, Edward IV, Novel, NSW Branch, Richard III