Author Archives: sparkypus

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 aContinue reading “The Coronation Feast of King Richard III and his Queen, Anne Neville”

19th century painting of the Henry VII Chapel by an unknown artist.  The entrance to the area where the urn stands is to the left of the tomb of Henry VII Some thoughts on the mysterious bones contained in the urn in the Henry VII chapel in Westminster Abbey thought by some to be those of the ‘missingContinue reading “The Bones in the Urn again!…a 17th Century Hoax?”

Reconstruction of a Medieval Painting from St Stephens Chapel. Possibly Queen Philippa with her daughter.  Ernest William Tristram c.1927.   Worked from original drawings made by the antiquarian Richard Smirke 1800-1811 before the fire of 1834. Society of Antiquities.   Parliamentary Art Collection St Stephen’s was the medieval royal chapel of the Kings and Queens ofContinue reading “St Stephen’s Westminster – Chapel to Kings and Queens”

COWGATE NORWICH, DAVID HODGSON c.1860.  WHITEFRIARS STOOD ON THE EASTERN SIDE BETWEEN THE CHURCH OF ST JAMES POCKTHORPE (SEEN ABOVE) AND THE RIVER A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY..NORWICH MUSEUM On 30 June 1468, died Lady Eleanor Butler née Talbot.   Eleanor came from an illustrious family.  Her father was the great John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury,Continue reading “THE CARMELITE FRIARY OF NORWICH KNOWN AS WHITEFRIARS – BURIAL PLACE OF LADY ELEANOR BUTLER nee TALBOT”

King Richard III and Queen Anne Neville wearing the crowns of Edward the Confessor and Queen Edith.  The Rous Roll. Edward IV and his consort Elizabeth Wydeville wearing the crowns of  Edward the Confessor and Queen Edith.  Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers.  Lambeth Palace.   The first Coronation Crowns,  known as the crowns of  EdwardContinue reading “THE MEDIEVAL CROWNS OF EDWARD THE CONFESSOR AND QUEEN EDITH”

The effigies of Joan Neville and her husband William Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel.  On a recent visit to the Fitzalan Chapel, Arundel, I stood transfixed at Joan Neville’s beautiful monument.  Carved from Caen stone.  Joan’s effigy lies next to that of her husband, William Fitzalan Earl of Arundel (1417-1489).  Her head turned toward him, she gazesContinue reading “JOAN NEVILLE, SISTER TO THE KINGMAKER.”

Interior view of the Henry VII Chapel by Giovanni Canaletto.  Henry’s tomb can be seen in the distance with the chapel housing the urn to the left. Lawrence E Tanner Keeper of the Muniments (1926-66)  Librarian, Westminster Abbey Who could blame anyone, after reading Tanner and Wright’s report of their investigation into the infamous bonesContinue reading “‘RECENT INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THE FATE OF THE PRINCES IN THE TOWER’ by Laurence E Tanner and William Wright 1933”

Austin Friars today.  This section of road covers part of  the perimeter of the Friary.    With thanks to Eric, Londonist.  Austin Friars in London, was founded about 1260 by Humphrey de Bohun 2nd Earl of Hereford and Constable of England d.1275.   It was rebuilt in 1354 by Humphrey de Bohun d.1361, Humphrey’s greatContinue reading “AUSTIN FRIARS: LAST RESTING PLACE OF PERKIN WARBECK”

Richard Duke of Gloucester and Lady Anne, Edwin Austin Abbey, 1896. It’s said a picture can paint a thousand words.  It certainly can but not always accurately.  It can distort the truth.  Art work based on the Ricardian period is certainly true of this.  Take for example the stunning painting, above,  by Edwin Austin Abbey,Continue reading “CAN A PICTURE PAINT A THOUSAND WORDS? RICARDIAN ART”

Illustration from Livre de chasse c.1387-1389.  Gaston Phébus,  Count de Foix  It’s obvious from the amount of depictions of dogs from the medieval period they were highly prized by our ancestors, both for work and play. They are everywhere!  Their delightful little figures pop up on tombs, heraldry and manuscripts regularly.  When depicted on a tomb effigyContinue reading “THE MEDIEVAL DOGGIE AND EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM”