Warwick Castle is of special relevance for Ricardians, as it is the birthplace of Richard III’s queen Anne Neville (on 11 June 1456).

Warwick Castle was begun by William I in 1068 in the motte-and-bailey type, using the cliff and river Avon on the one side as a natural defence, the other walls are protected by a dry moat.  The castle’s most formidable defences are at the north-east end, where in the 14th century a central gatehouse tower and two other towers, Caesar’s and Guy’s Towers, were built.

The castle was part of the Beaumont and then the Beauchamp inheritance.  Through Anne Beauchamp, the title Earl of Warwick and the Warwick estates had come to Richard Neville, who became the 16th Earl of Warwick and would later be known as the “Kingmaker”.  They had two daughters, Isabel and Anne, but no sons.   After Richard Earl of Warwick fell at the Battle of Barnet, the estates were divided between Anne Beauchamp’s two sons-in-law, Edward IV’s younger brothers George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Gloucester.  The earldom went to George as the husband of the older daughter.  After the deaths of both Isabel (in 1476) and George (in 1478) their then three-year–old son Edward inherited the estates.  Due to his minority it was in the custody of the crown [1]. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Castles, Nevilles, Richard III

We know historical novelist Anne Easter Smith through her books A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York and The King’s Grace, all of which are favourites with a lot of Ricardians.

She was recently interview by the Examiner Pittsburgh, where she talks about her previous novels as well as the upcoming Queen by Right, which is about Cecily Neville, the wife of Richard Duke of York and mother of Richard III.  You can read this interesting interview here.

Tags: Books, Family, Ricardian Authors, Richard III

My daily Google alert recently included an item about a theatre scandal in 1885.

In that year at least 59 students of the Ohio Wesleyan University in the US were suspended for skipping mandatory chapel and attending a performance of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” at the Delaware Opera House instead.

At that time church leaders regarded the theatre as being “detrimental … to the morals” and students of the University were not allowed to attend any performances.  However, the pull of the celebrated Shakespearean actor Fredrick Warde was stronger than the ban on theatre visits and the students went to see him perform in “Richard III”.  When the University administration found out, 59 students were suspended.  They were allowed to continue their studies only if they re-signed their matriculation cards as well as a confession of their wrong doing and promised not to break the rules again.

This attitude changed though not long after and Shakespeare has a strong tradition in the University’s drama department and one of his plays was performed in nearly every year in the 20th century.  This year this event will be dramatized and included in their 2010 Heritage Day under the title “Stand and Be Counted: Risking It All for the Stage.”

It seems Richard III has for a long time inspired an independent way of thinking.  I just hope that they also approached the historical Richard with the same challenging spirit to accepted orthodoxy.

You can read the news release from Ohio Wesleyan University here.

Tags: Richard III, Shakespeare

We have reviewed this new book by Peter Hammond for your information.  Read the review  here.

The book is a thorough analysis of the lead up to the Battle of Bosworth and the battle itself, based on the recent discovery of the actual spot where the battle was fought.  Fascinating reading!

Tags: Battles, Books, Henry Tudor, Ricardian Authors, Richard III

This is the third part of Win’s talk about Scotland which was presented to our Branch on 9 October 2010.

James III of Scotland reigned 1460-88. He cultivated friendship with England by a marriage being arranged between his son James later IV and Edward IVs 3-year-old daughter the Lady Cecilia. This marriage did not take place as it was cancelled by Edward IV.

James IV of Scotland

When negotiations broke down skirmishing broke out between the two countries. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Edward IV, Henry Tudor, Richard III, Scotland

Sunday, October 3, saw a good crowd of members and friends of the New South Wales Branch head to the Southern Highlands for a celebration lunch to remember the anniversary of Richard III’s birthday on October 2, 1452.  Joining them there were those from Mittagong, Bowral and Bundanoon, as well as a contingent from Canberra, and a special overseas friend:  Babs Creamer, Secretary of the Dorset Group of the Richard III Society in the UK.

The weather was truly dreadful, but the continuous downpour did nothing to dampen our spirits from the moment we arrived at the Sutton Forest Inn and entered the bar lounge where a boar’s head on the wall made us feel quite at home.  (Memo to management: it should have been a white boar to be perfect!).

When we were all assembled we headed into the delightful bistro dining room – large, and light-filled, overlooking the paddocks beyond, with warm timber tables and chairs – and a glorious log fire.  Outside the covered stage for the jazz festival was assembled and a local winery had its wares ready for tasting.

Ricardians however concentrated on the magnificent menu, agonising over which delicious sounding dish to select- and all our choices were pronounced wonderful, beautifully cooked and presented.  Little wonder that only a few brave souls went on to sample those delicious desserts.  Chocolate sherry mousse anyone?

With a huge amount of guests for the afternoon, the wait staff did their cheerful best to deliver our choices and most of us wondered how the unseen geniuses in the kitchen were coping with the demand.

We all had a great time, with the usual good conversation and laughter throughout.  The general consensus: we’ll be back!

Tags: NSW Branch, Richard III

This year we are thinking of trying something entirely different for the celebration of Richard III’s birthday.  We are going out of town to Sutton Forest Inn in the Southern Highlands.

We heard that the Bistro is very pleasant and that the food is excellent and varied in a range of prices, for example roast lamb, two varieties of fish dishes with salad and chips, sausages, steak sandwiches, chicken vindaloo and much more.

There are usually four or five desserts, all home-made there, varying with the season.  Coffee and tea are of course also available.  Drinks are available from the bar.

So keep Sunday, 3 October, at 12 noon free!

Please confirm whether you are attending with Kevin by Saturday, 25 September.  Kevin can also help with travel advice.  You can contact him at:  social@richardiii-nsw.org.au.

Tags: Richard III

Tommaso da Modena, Hugh of Provence (1352)

Recently Susan Higginbotham of the American Branch of the Richard III Society made a remark that Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, purchased a number of pairs of “spactakells” for himself during the years 1584 to 1586.[1]  Reading this, squinting at my computer screen because I had forgotten my own reading glasses somewhere else, made me wonder whether Richard III approx. 100 years before Dudley would have had access to glasses.  He might very well have needed them, had he been allowed to grow old.  Presbyopia, where the ability to focus on near objects is diminished, is one of the symptoms caused by the natural course of aging.[2] Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Medieval Life, Richard III

Following the reference to Cerne Abbas by Sir Frederick Treves in his book Highways and Byways of Dorset, Ricardians will be interested in this comment about another Dorset village.

Bloxworth Church (© Copyright John Lamper and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.)

Sir Frederick, after some kindly comments about the little church in the village of Bloxworth, goes on to make some not so kindly ones about one of its former rectors.

A very famous rector of Bloxworth was John Morton, Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury in the time of Henry VII. For a prelate, he led a most adventurous life, not without the usual episodes of imprisonment in the Tower and flight to Flanders. He comforted Edward IV when that king lay dying, and was the stoutest advocate of Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth of York, whereby the red rose and the white became blended in the rose of Tudor. As Bishop of Ely he takes his part in Shakespeare’s play of Richard III, wherein occurs “the incident of the strawberries”, as described by Sir Thomas More, once a page in his household.

Describing how the Duke of Gloster [sic] had asked Morton for some strawberries from his garden at Holborn, Sir Frederick tells that the Bishop replies, ‘Gladly my lord quoth he, would God I had some better thing as ready to your pleasure’.”

Sir Frederick’s comment: “These are indeed ready words for a crafty plotter like the Bishop, who wished the Duke of Gloster [sic] to perdition, and who had no “better thing” in store for him – if he had his way – than the dungeon or the headsman’s axe.”

Bibliography:

Sir Frederick Treves, Bart. GCVO, CB, LL.D, Highways and Byways of Dorset.  Macmillan & Co. Ltd, 1906. No ISBN.

Tags: Contemporaries, Richard III