The Coronation Feast of King Richard III and his Queen, Anne Neville

Westminster Hall venue of the King Richard III and Queen Anne Neville’s Coronation Feast.

Queen Anne and King Richard from the Rous Roll.  Anne is wearing the Crown of Queen Edith and Richard wears the Crown of St Edward. 

And so dear reader, on the 6 July 1483 Richard and Anne were crowned in a double coronation in Westminster Abbey.  This was the first double coronation since that of Edward II and Isabella of France on the  25th February 1308.   We do not know for sure but let us hope the sun shone for them that day – it was July  after all.  Proceeding slowly back to the Great Hall of the Palace of Westminster from whence they had started out, the newly crowned couple  ‘toke their chambres‘ and at four o’clock after a short  rest Richard and Anne returned to the Great Hall and were seated, the Queen on the king’s left hand side,  at the marble table on the great dais at the southern end.

Westminster Hall looking towards the area where the dais and the kings table stood.

The massive hammer beam roof seen from the dais looking northwards towards the doors.

The north end of the hall and the entrance from a 19th century painting

In the interim while they were resting in their ‘chambres‘   John Howard,  newly created Duke of Norfolk to right a shabby act of Edward IV’s administration, had ridden his  horse, which was ‘traped in clothe of gold down to the grounde‘,  through the great doors and so he rode about ‘voiding the people saving only the kinges servants and the Duke of Buckingham‘  – as you do.  Following on from this all the guests sat down in their allotted  places at four long bordes (tables) stretching the length of the hall which must have been a bit of a nightmare for those whose job it was to guide everyone to their correct seats.    All had gone well and now was time for the feasting to begin interrupted only by the Kinges Champion, Sir Robert Dimmoke,  who wearing white harness,  came into the hall mounted on his horse which was ‘traped in white silke and redde downe to the grounde‘ declaring if there were any man in the hall ‘that will saye the contrary why that King Richarde shulde not pretend and have the crowne‘  he should say so now.  After drinking ‘a cope wythe wine coverid‘ Sir Robert left the hall the way he had arrived, on horseback and clutching the ‘cope‘ which was payment for his ‘labor‘(1).   Buckingham wisely kept his mouth shut that day and thus survived if only for a short while.

And thus the feasting continued, the king being served on gold plate, the queen on gilt.

The following dishes were served after a ‘harold of armes proclaymyng the feast

Potage: Frumentie with venison and bruett Tuskayne

Viand comford riall Mamory riall Bief and Moton Fesaunt in Trayn’ Cignett rost Crane rost Capons of Halte grece in lymony Heronshew rost Gret carpe of venyson rost Grett luce in eger doulce Leche solace Fretor Robert riall Gret Flampaye riall Custard Edward plante A solitie A Cours Gely partied with a divice Viand blanc in barre Pecokes in his hakell and trapper Roo reversed in purpill Runers rost Betorr rost Partriche rost Pomes birt Scotwhlpes rost Rollettes of venison farced Gret Carpe and breme in foile Leche frument riall planted Frettour rosette and jasmine Tart burbonet bake Venison bake A sotiltie A cours Blaundsorr Nosewis in compost Venyson rost Telle in barre Langettes de lyre Pety chek in bolyen Egrettes rost Rabettes souker rost Quailes rost Briddes brauncher rost Freshe sturgeon with fennell Creves de ew doulche Leche viole and canell Frittour crispe Rosettes florished Oranges bake Quynces bake A sotilty For the lords and the ladyes in thall the same day att dyner Vyand riall Bief and multon Grene ges rost Capon rost Lardes de veale Pike in erblad Leche siper Fretor covert Custard riall A sotiltie A cours Viande blanc in barre Crane and heronshew Kidd endorred and lambe Roo reversed Chek in bolien Rabettes rost Sturgeon and crevz du doulce Leche caniell Close tart indorred Crismatories and oranges bake A sotelty For the commons Frumenty with venyson Bief and multon Capon Rost Bief rost Leche canell Custard

And so, in the summer evening,  the banquet  broke up by torch light,  having  taken so long, apparently because Richard talked a lot,  the third course was never served.   It was  the end of an unforgettable day and as the guests departed ‘wher yt lyked them best‘   they would have noticed the conduit in Westminster Yard that had been filled with a tun of red wine.  Perfect!  I  do wonder though  if anyone spared a  thought for the poor souls left to do the washing up!

I am greatly indebted to Anne Sutton and  Peter Hammond for the above information  I have gleaned from their marvellous book: The Coronation of Richard III – the Extant Documents.  A shortened version of the details of the Coronation can also be found in Richard III  The Road to Bosworth by the same authors.  

1. Sir Richard Dymmok also received crimson damask and spurs.  He  served in his family’s hereditary role as the sovereigns champion at Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII coronations.  Anne Sutton and Peter Hammond The Coronation of Richard III – the extant documents p.337.