Cerne Abbas is a small village in central Dorset. In 1998 it had a population of 780, that had fallen to 732 by 2001. The peace of such a small settlement could have been why it was voted Britain’s Most Desirable Village in 2001. (As my mother’s family comes from Cerne, it has always been a most desirable place for me!)

Abbot’s Hall Porch, Cerne Abbey (© Copyright Chris Downer and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)

From earliest times, Cerne Abbey, founded in AD 987, was the cornerstone around which the village grew. The Domesday Book (1087) tells there was enough cultivated land for 20 ploughs and 26 villeins. The Abbey remained the focal point of the area for over 500 years until Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 brought about its surrender. Most of the buildings were destroyed, but the Abbot’s Porch and the Guesthouse still remain, as does St Augustine’s Well, blessed allegedly by the saint himself. The parish today is centred on St Mary’s Church which was built in the late 13th century by the Abbey for the local people. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Anne Neville, Church, Margaret of Anjou

Our branch members Leslie and Doug have just finished reading the Ricardian classic Some Touch of Pity by Rhoda Edwards.   We are very happy and grateful that they immediately let us know their thoughts on this excellent novel.

You can find their review on our “Book Shelf”  in the “Ricardian Library” or click here.

Tags: Anne Neville, Books, Richard III

A review of John Ashdown-Hill’s latest book, The Last Days of Richard III, is now available on our website.  You can find it in the “Must Read” section on our Book Shelf or click here.

Tags: Anne Neville, Books, Bosworth, Henry Tudor, Medieval Life, Ricardian Authors, Richard III

Should your find yourself in England this summer there is a number of events organised by the Lincolshire Branch which should be of interest.  The first one is the

Annual Requiem Mass Saturday, 26 June 2010

Shrine of Our Lady of Ipswich

The Annual Requiem Mass for King Richard III and Queen Anne Neville will be held on Saturday 26 June at the Church of St Mary at the Elms, Ipswich, and will be celebrated according to the Anglican rite. This church houses the restored shrine of Our Lady of Ipswich (Our Lady of Grace) – a shrine patronised by the Plantagenet royal family, and specifically by members of the house of York and its adherents.

The church can be found just behind the New Wolsey Theatre, at 68 Black Horse Lane Ipswich.  All Society members and friends are welcome to attend.  The Requiem will begin at 12 noon.  Afterwards there will be free time for lunch, and during the afternoon there will opportunities to visit places of interest (either individually or as part of a guided walk).

Members should make their own way to Ipswich (which is easily accessible by train from London Liverpool Street Station in about an hour, and which has excellent park-and-ride schemes to the town centre, serving a bus stop close to the church).

If you are planning to attend, there is no booking form to complete, but please email, telephone, or write to John Ashdown-Hill (louis-john@live.co.uk) indicating how many people will be coming with you, as this is helpful for the production of service booklets, and determining numbers of members interested in a guided walk in the afternoon.

John can also be contacted for any further information that you may require.

There is no charge for this event.

Information on two further fascinating events by the Lincolnshire Branch can be found on their website (here).  The first of these  is a lecture “Henry VIII – Builder or Destroyer?”  by Dr Jonathan Foyle on 3 July 2010.  The other one is on “The Lady & the Unicorn – the Story of a Tapestry”  by Jean Townsend on 7 August 2010.

(Image:  Suffolk Churches)

Tags: Anne Neville, Richard III

During last weekend’s conference, Lynne reviewed Richard:  The Young King to Be by Josephine Wilkinson.  You can read her review here.

Tags: Anne Neville, Edward IV, Richard III