A MEDIEVAL POTPOURRI

The Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York and The Wardrobe Accounts of Edward the Fourth Edited by Nicolas Harris Nicolas Esq

As demonstrated by my earlier posts on the subject I enjoy nothing more than a delve around privy purse/wardrobe expenses.  This may be partly due to my naturally nosy nature but also because of  how much they can tell you about that specific person.  Take for example Elizabeth of York’s cheap lanten shoe buckles or her generosity to any person who rocked up who had been in the service or provided help for any of her relatives.  Not to mention Henry VII’s penchant for dancing maidens – now theres a surprise!   Here today are some of Edward IVs Wardobe Expenses.  Good grief did that man  love bling bling –   the wonderful fabrics he wore, the jewels  – how he must have shone and shimmered  in the candlelight..

Edward IV  motto, ‘confort et lyesse’,

However before I go further I should say I’m  being unfair to call Edward King of Bling – all medieval monarchs knew the importance of dressing sumptuously, even Henry Tudor, who known for his meanness, except where it came to his funeral,  had his helmets encrusted with jewels  – yes he did! –

27th May 1492  ‘many precyous stones and riche perlis bought of Lambardes for  the ‘garnyshing of salads, shapnes and helemytes’ 

June 30th 1497 £10 was paid to the Queen to cover her costs of ‘garnyshing of a salet’.

August 9th John Vandelft, a jeweller was paid £38.1s.4d for the ‘garnyshing of a salett‘ – Now thats what you call ostentatious! 

A Helmet or Salet decorated.  This is not Henry’s salet because his would have been more jewel encrusted and pretentious.  

It was actually  written by an  ‘historian’  that,  Richard III who was just being a medieval king,  was a fop! (1).   We have Sharon Turner (1768-1847) to thank for this gross misinterpretation  of  facts.    Turner did not stop there and went on to also absurdly describe Richard as a ‘vain coxscomb‘ and we have the editor of The Wardrobe Accounts of Edward IV, Sir Nicolas Harris Nicolas,  writing in 1830 to thank for righting this silliness.   Sir Nicholas wrote that the

‘love of splendid clothes and taste for pomp belonged  to the age and not to the individual‘ (2).

So we can clearly see all medieval kings were all naturally very blingy.   However  fortunately,  or unfortunately,  depending how Edward would have viewed people gawping over his expenditure,  his wardrobe  accounts are readily available for us to peruse.   Mind you I do not think Edward himself would have cared a flying fig.    Indeed he liked nothing better than to show off as Mancini has mentioned – 

‘He was wont to show himself to those who wished to watch him and he seized any opportunity that the occasion offered of revealing his fine stature more protractedly and more evidently to onlookers’ (3). 

So I feel he would just smile and roar  ‘Yea I was magnificent!’ and indeed Edward you were,  you were!

So herewith are a very small sample of the wonderous items in Edward’s Wardrobe Accounts that stand out for me, particularly the fabrics of which we  can only imagine the sumptuousness,  although scroll down for some details of fabrics from paintings from that era

Items of clothing included :

A longe gowne made of blue clothe of gold uppon Satyn ground emaylled and lyned with green satin

A longe gowne of grene velvet upon velvet tisshue of gold and a long gowne of white velvet upon velvet tissue of gold; both gownes lined with blac satyn

A demy gown of grene velvet and a gowne of grene damask both lyned with blac satyn

A doublet of purpulle satyn and a doublet of crymysyn velvet lined with Holand clothe interlined with busk

A loose gowne of velvet upon velvet blac clothe of gold furrid with ermyns

A demy gowne made of tawny velvett lyned with blac damask;

A demy gowne made of blac velvet lyned with purpulle satyn ;

A demy gowne made of grene velvet lyned with blac damask;

A demy gowne of purpulle velvet double lyned with green sarsinette;

A jaket of blue clothe of gold emayled not lined

A longe gowne of white damask furrid with fyne sables

To make further items of clothing fabrics were purchased including .

For crimson velvet of Montpilier in Gascony at xiiij s the yard ;  Black cloth of gold at xl s.the yard ;  velvet upon velvet white tysshue cloth of golde ; velvet uppon velvet grene tisshue cloth of golde at xl s. the yarde ;  cloth of gold broched upon satyn grounde at xxiij s. the yard ;  blue clothe of silver broched uppon satyn ground at xxiiij s. the yard

For white damask with floures of diverse colours at viij s. the yard ; damask cremysyn and blue with floures at vj s. the yard ; Black Velvet speckled with white ;  Blue velvet figured with tawney iiij s. the yard

For white velvet with black spots ; Chekkered velvet ; Grene chaungeable velvet ; velvet purpull ray and white ;  velvet russet figury ;  velvet cremysyn figured with white at viij s.the yard

Cremysyn clothe of golde the grounde satyn viiij s. the yard

To the famous Alice Claver ‘sylkwoman’ ;

For brode ryban of blak silk for girdelles at xv d. the ounce ;  ryban of silk for poynts laces and girdles xiv d. the ounce ; a mantell lace of blue silk with botons of the same xvij s. ;  frenge of gold of Venys at vj s. the ounce ;  a garter of rudde richeley wrought with silke and golde xvij s. …..

To complete his ensemble Edward would have required shoes, boots and slippers and lots of them

A Peter Herten,  cordswainer , supplied some of these –

A pair of Bootes of blac leder above the kne price vj s. ; ij paires of Bootes oon of rede Spaynyssh leder and the other tawny Spaynyssh leder viij s. ; a pair of shoon double soled of blac ledre doulble soled and not lyned price v d. ; viij paire of sloppes (A type of shoe) lyned with blac velvet vij d. the pair ..

and of course socks were needed – Sokkes of fustian iiij pair…

Of course no outfit is complete without a hat…

For iiij hattes of wolle the pece xij d. ; for bonetts  ij s. every pece  – clearly Edward got through a lot of hats!

For the xj ostrich feders to adorn the hats ; x s.every pece.

Hose was required – obvously:  To a  Richard Andrew, citezen and hosier of London,  for making and lyning of vj pair of hosen of puke (nowadays known as puce..thank goodness!) lyned, every pair iij s. iiijd.  

A nice pair of spurs was needed : For a paire of blac spurs parcell gilt v s. ; spurres longe, a pair, shorte, a pair…

Obviously someone had to be paid to make the fabrics into magnificent clothes – step forward George Lufkyn and  take a bow.  Mr Lufkyn, taylor,  was paid for the making of :

doublettes of purpull velvet, for every doublet making with the inner stuff unto the same vj s. ; for the making of iij long gownes of cloth of gold,  iij long gownes of velvet; vj demy gownes and a shorte loose gowne of velvet and damask,  for every gown making iij s. iiij d.; for making of a jacket of cloth of gold ij s.and for the making of a mantel of blue velvet vij s.

Edward’s sons did not miss out –

To Prince Edward : white cloth of gold tisshue for a gowne, v yerdes…

To the righy highe and myghty Prince Richard  Duke of York : A mantelle of blue velvet lined with white damask garnissht with a garter of ruddeur and a lase of blue silk with botons of golde ;  v yerdes of purpulle velvet and v yerdes of green velvet ; white cloth of gold for a gown, tissue cloth of golde; v yerdes of blac satyn and v yerdes of purulle velvet for lynyng of the same gown…

Even the young Earle of Warwick was generously catered for : A peire of shoon of blue leder; a peire of shoon of Spanynyssh leder; a peire of botews of tawny Spanynyssh leder

 

Was Henry VII mean?

The Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VII

Elizabeth of York – Her Privy Purse Expenses

I have of course drawn heavily from The Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York : Wardrobe Accounts of Edward the Fourth.  Editor Nicholas Harris Nicolas

(1) Richard III as a Fop: A Foolish Myth Anne F Sutton. Ricardian 2008 Vol 18

Edward’s IV Monument in St George’s Chapel, Windsor

Back in 2016 I was much intrigued by a story which had been hanging around for some time that mentioned when Edward IV’s vault and coffin were discovered in 1790 in St George’s Chapel, an adjoining vault was also discovered,  which at the time was speculated may have contained the coffins of two of Edward’s children, George who died age two in March 1479,  possibly of the plague (of which there was an outbreak at the time and described by contemporaries as the Great Death) and Mary who died 23 May 1482 aged fourteen, at her mother’s favourite residence, Greenwich Palace. This vault was not explored although a ledger stone with George’s name inscribed thereon was laid over it.  A drawing made at the time can be found on St George’s timeline clearly showing the ledger stone with inscription. 

The floor plan dating from 1790 showing the ledger stone inscribed ‘George Duke of Bedford’ next to his father’s monument. The ledger stone covers the mysterious vault supposed at that time to contain the coffins of George and Mary.  

However in 1810, during further work being made at St George’s, the actual lead coffins of George and Mary were discovered in another part of the chapel in the area known then as Wolsey’s Chapel but now known as the Albert Memorial Chapel. These coffins were easily identifiable because George’s was inscribed with

“serenissimus princeps Georgius filius tercius Christianissimi principis Edvardi iiij”

and it was known that Mary had been laid to rest alongside her little brother because her funeral accounts tell us

  “and after Dirige she was buried by my Lorde George, her brother, on whos solles God have mercy”  (1).

When Mary’s coffin was examined it was found she was “enveloped in numerous folds of cere-cloth closely packed with cords” (2).   Finally, on Friday 30th of July 1813, George and Mary were laid to rest in the small vault adjoining their father’s but frustratingly no mention was made as to whether the vault contained any other coffins.   Might this indicate there were none? Indeed would there have been room for new burials if there had been?

But still a new legend has evolved, and still persists, that there are definitely two mysterious coffins in the vault which might belong to the missing princes,  Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, who were last seen alive in the Tower of London in 1483. Having heard of this story I wondered, for example, had Henry, duke of Buckingham (executed 2nd of November 1483 for treason) indeed had the boys murdered, as was suspected by some,  and Richard III (not guilty of a hand in it!) then had them buried secretly next to their father?

To add strength to the story, mention of the puzzle of the coffins appeared on the webpage of St George’s chapel and also in an article in the Richard III Society Bulletin in September 2001, by someone who worked at the chapel in the capacity of a steward.  In the article it stated that further investigations would be made about the vault and its contents but this has, as far as I know, never happened.   I then made an online search for the 1790 report.   It was found but could not be opened!.  Being naturally nosy by nature I then contacted the St George’s Chapel Archivist via email who kindly responded on 22nd of November 2016 to the effect that the original information on their website was inaccurate, although it had been used to support the theory,  and if there were any coffins in the vault it is not known how many nor when they dated from. The email went on to explain the 1790 report had confirmed that the small vault was noticed at the time when Edward’s was opened but not explored but it was supposed it could contain the coffins of two of Edward’s children, George Duke of Bedford and Princess Mary.  

So to clarify – the St George’s blog posted in 2012 misinterpreted the information and speculated that there were coffins in Edward’s vault that  could belong to his sons,  the missing princes from the Tower.  St George’s webpage has now been edited to reflect this.

So alas, the whole story is merely based on speculation which transpired to be erroneous.  To be clear when the small vault was noticed in 1790 it was not explored but was supposed to probably hold the remains of Edward’s children, George and Mary, who were subsequently  found located elsewhere.  No one actually ever looked.   And further in 1813 when George and Mary were interred in the vault next to their father no mention was made of any coffins being in there from earlier burial.  Thus it is not known whether it was an empty vault or if there were coffins in there prior to the internment of Prince George and Prince Mary.

This is Cecily Plantagenet, Mary’s sister,  but their looks were probably very similar.  Originally in the Royal Window,  Northwest Transept,  Canterbury Cathedral now  in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow.. 

St George’s Chapel,  Windsor.  

Timeline of References as supplied by St Georges Chapel

( A) S.M. Bond, The Monuments of St George’s Chapel (Historical Monographs series no. 12): describes the memorial stone placed in the Chapel for Princess Mary and Prince George in 1789 and briefly describes why they are thought to be buried there: “In Vetusta Monumenta, Vol. III, p. 4, an account is given of the finding, in 1789, in a vault near that of Edward IV, of what were supposed to be the bodies of his daughter, Mary, and his third son, George, Duke of Bedford. The slab then placed in the aisle, by Emlyn, was in the same style as his slab to Edward IV. Britton, in his Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain, 1812, Vol. III, p. 45, describes the later finding of two coffins in what is now called the Albert Memorial Chapel, which were also thought to contain the bodies of Mary and George. On 30 July, 1813, these two coffins were also put under the stone already bearing their names (notes, X.23).”

(B) D. & S. Lysons, Magna Britannia, vol. I, pt. I, Berkshire (reprint of an 1806 publication), p. 471 and note: talks about the 1810 discovery of Prince George’s coffin and the inscription on it – serenissimus princeps etc.; describes the body supposed to be that of Princess Mary as “enveloped in numerous folds of cere-cloth closely packed with cords”

(C) “On Friday 30th of July 1813. The two coffins which were discovered in the Tomb House in Wolsey’s Chapel in the year 1811 – & were, upon very competent evidence supposed to contain the bodies of the Infant Duke of Bedford and the Princess Elizabeth (sic.), son and daughter to King Edward the 4th, were deposited in a vault (in the presence of the Dean) constructed for the purpose immediately under the stone which bears their names, and adjoining to the tomb of King Edward the 4th, in the North Aisle of St George’s Chapel.”

St Georges Website can be found by clicking here

(1) The Royal Funerals of the House of York at Windsor p58 Anne E Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs p65.  I found this book most helpful with regard to the funeral of Princess Mary. 

2) Cerecloth was a waxed cloth used for wrapping a corpse which was then tied with cords.   See D & S Lysons,  Magna Britannia, volume 1  pt.1,  Berkshire (reprint of an 1806 publication page 471).

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The Great Fire of London. The devastating conflagration that consumed so much of medieval London including St James Garlickhythe.  Artist  Lieve Verschuier

This post will of necessity prove to be short there being a dearth of information on both Katherine and the  pre-Fire St James Garlickhythe Church where she was buried.  The church was located on Garlick Hill, or Hithe,  delightfully so named because of the garlic sold nearby.  Thanks to John Stow we know that the  Countess of Huntington the Lady Harbert was buried in that church or as it was then known, St James Garlick Hithe or Garlick Hive (1).   A church was first mentioned on the site in 1170, although it had probably stood on the site for some considerable time before this. It was rebuilt in around 1326 by Richard Rothing, Sheriff, who was buried there and  also left money for the maintenance of the fabric ( 2).  Christian  Steer has confirmed that this Countess of Huntington was indeed Katherine Plantagenet illegitimate daughter of Richard III (3). Sadly little is known about Katherine who remains  just a footnote in history so it’s comforting to know  that her burial place was known and recorded by Stow as well as in the early 16th century by the herald Thomas Benolt who noted ‘the countesse of huntyndon ladie Herbert wtout a stone’  (really William!).   We do not know who her mother was, although there has been speculation, her date of birth or if she was a sibling to Richard’s illegitimate son John of Pontefract.

We do know she was married to William Herbert  2nd Earl of Pembroke  about 1484 and presumed dead by 1487 when  her husband was recorded as  a widower at the coronation of Elizabeth of York.   William who died 16th July 1491 aged  35 (although there is a possibility it could have been earlier in  1490)  was buried at Tintern Abbey next to his first wife Mary Wydeville  as he requested in his will  ‘in or neare as may be the same where my dear and  best loved wife resteth buried’.   Mary, who died around 1483, was sister to Elizabeth Wydeville and thus aunt to Elizabeth of York.

Tintern Abbey, burial place of William Herbert and his first wife Mary Wydville close to the high altar to the north of his parents tomb. 

Henry Tudor had grown up in the Herbert household at Raglan Castle and perhaps he and William could have formed a friendship as young boys before, possibly, William was sent elsewhere to continue his education  in another noble household as was the custom of the time.   Indeed it was at one time  mooted that Henry should  marry one of William’s sisters.  William’s thoughts when Tudor invaded England can only be speculated upon as his actions, or non actions to be precise, and whereabouts are shrouded in mystery.  It has been suggested he ‘said nuthing and lay low‘ (4). He certainly did not fight at Bosworth despite the fact that Richard III named Herbert to two commissions of array in 1484 (5).  Later he was to receive a pardon from Tudor.

Raglan Castle home to the Herberts.   Katherine may have spent some of her short married life here. Photo Jeffrey L. Thomas

Perhaps William, who had been treated generously by his father-in-law, hoped Richard would crush Tudor entirely  and life go back to normal or may  he still have held a residue of loyalty towards Tudor remaining from the times Tudor spent with his family?   Did he just think the best thing was to sit it out and see how it all panned out?  These and other reasons for his failure to act have been suggested including plain military inability. It’s difficult to see how his position, son in law to the king,  would have been enhanced if  Tudor proved triumph, which he did, but no action did he appear to take in playing his part in  ensuring a victorious outcome for Richard.  Its baffling.

How Katherine felt about how things transpired, the death of her father and her husband’s, albeit miniscule, position in the new Tudor regime can only be guessed at.    Were they both pragmatic and  decided it was inevitable and the only way to survive was to accept the situation?  Perhaps Katherine had no say in the matter?  Was William pleased  at the chain of events and how would this have left Katherine feeling? How would Katherine have felt if her husband had deliberately held the support that her father had needed at Bosworth?  Could it even be that Katherine had now become something of an embarrassment for him?   For Katherine it hardly mattered for long as she was possibly dead by 1485 perhaps a victim of the sweating sickness that engulfed London after Bosworth (6).  Intriguingly W E Hampton made the observation that ‘Her fate, curiously ignored remains a mystery and is perhaps not unconnected with the summoning of Anne Devereux (Katherine’s mother-in-law) to Henry VII after Bosworth’ (7)  Were they perhaps ordered to live apart – Tudor may not have relished the idea of a child with Plantagenet blood coursing through its veins coming into the world?

It does feel as if Katherine was a sad soul who died young and without making any kind of impact.  There is much  speculation  here of course and hopefully William, who may have suffered from ill health, was kind and reassuring  to his young wife.

For Helen Maurer’s interesting article on William click here 

and for Laurence T Greensmiths comments click here

and for an article on the wives of William Stanley Click here

Back to St James Garlickhythe – Sharing Katherine’s place of burial were other notables from that era including Lady Stanley, Lord Thomas Stanley’s first wife Eleanor Neville,  sister to Richard Neville known as the Kingmaker also ‘wtout a stone’.      Also laid to rest there was Eleanor and  Stanley’s son, George Lord Strange after his death allegedly from  poisoning.  Upon George’s mother’s death in 1472 his father had married  Margaret Beaufort that same year and thus George became Henry Tudor’s step brother.   William Stanley’s widow, Elizabeth Tiptoft Countess of Worcester d.1498 is also buried there along with an unknown Stanley child – yes dear reader the  very Elizabeth who prior to being the widow of William Stanley was widow to John Tiptoft aka The Butcher of England.  This lady was either very brave or very unlucky to have a predilection for choosing husbands that were to end their lives on the chopping block – maybe a combination of both –  but I digress.    However it is  ironic that Katherine should share her burial place with members of the very family that betrayed her father  with such tragic outcome at Bosworth.

A total of 84 churches, (plus 3 that were damaged but saved) were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666,  St James  being one of them (8).   Some of them were rebuilt including St James.   Sadly it would seem the church where Katherine lay buried was utterly destroyed and no remnants were included in the rebuild (9).  Whether any of the remains of the illustrious dead buried there, perhaps in underground  vaults, survived the fire and what became of them (and I dread to think)  I have been unable to ascertain as history frustratingly never records such interesting minutiae.  

The closest to an image of the medieval St James I have been able to trace.  St James in the middle with the grander St Martins Vintry to the east.  From the Wyngarde panorama.  See the Agas map below for comparison.

St James as in the Agas map.  St Martins Vintry is highlighted for comparison.

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(1) A Survey of London Written in the year 1598 John Stow p.221

( 2) A London Inheritance.  On line article dated 16 November 2014

(3) The Plantagenet in the Parish  Christian Steer.  The Ricardian Vol XXIV 2014 pp.63-73

(4 ) L T Greensmith Ricardian Vol 4 no.54 1976 p29

(5) Further Notes on William Herbert, Earl of Huntingdon Helen Maurer Ricardian June    1977 pp.9.11

( 6) The Children of Richard III Peter Hammond p51

(7) Memorials of the Wars of the Roses W E Hampton p123

( 8) The registers dating back to 1535 were saved. The Great Fire of London Walter Bell p40

(9) The Great Fire of London Walter George Bell p227

Entrance to the tomb of Henry VII as seen on the opening of the vault in 1869.  Drawing by George Scarf.  

I cannot say I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I think about Henry VII’s possible reaction to King James being laid to rest alongside he and his wife, Elizabeth of York,  in their vault in Westminster Abbey.   After all,  the costs incurred in the building of Henry’s memorial and tomb were astronomical and I’m sure, from what we know of Henry’s character he didn’t intend to shell out all that money for the benefit of long distant Stuart descendants, especially those known for their dribbling,  to be buried alongside him and his ‘derest late wif the Quene’ . It’s clearly stated in his will the vault was intended just for he and Elizabeth alone.  But shove James in there they did, which its thought  was how Elizabeth’s coffin got damaged.  Oh the outrage and its not on!

‘AND we wol that our Towmbe bee in the myddes of the same Chapell, before the High Aultier, in such distance from the same, as it is ordred in the Plat made for the fame Chapell, and signed with our haude: In which place we wol, that for the said Sepulture of vs and our derest late wif the Quene, whose soule God p’donne, be made a Towmbe of Stone called Touche, sufficient in largieur for The us booth.’

How did James come to be interred in Henry VII’s vault?  Unfortunately it’s not known,  but we do know how it was discovered to be the case.  In 1868, Dean Stanley’s attention was drawn to conflicting reports of  the whereabouts of James’ and his Queen, Anne of Denmark’s vault.    Recognising the importance of ‘the knowledge of the exact spots where the illustrious dead repose‘ (1) Dean Stanley resolved to get to the bottom of it.

Dean Stanley

Although it had been noted  by one brief line in the Abbey’s Register that James had been buried in Henry’s vault

‘this was not enough for  Dean Stanley.  He loved exploring and he persuaded himself that he must first eliminate all other possible places by opening up each of the Royal vaults in turn’ (2).

Vault after vault was opened, some were empty, some crammed full.  The coffins were discovered of a multitude of royal and noble personages including Mary, Queen of Scots (Dean Stanley thought James might have been interred with his mother),  Mary Tudor and her sister Elizabeth, the latter ‘s coffin on top of the other, Edward VI, the numerous children of James II and of Queen Anne, and many others too numerous to mention here.  The vault of James’ wife Anne of Denmark was also found, her coffin standing alone besides the empty space where James, her husband, should have been.  Where was he?

James lst painted by Daniel Mytens

Laurence Tanner, Keeper of the Muniments and Librarian,  Westminster Abbey,  wrote

‘Night after night the Dean with a few of the Abbey staff was able to carry out his self-imposed task undisturbed.  On one occasion the historian Froude was present.  Speaking of it afterward he said ‘it was the weirdest scene – the flaming torches, the banners waving from the draught of air, and the Dean’s keen, eager face seen in profile had the very strangest effect.  He asked me to return with him the next night, but my nerves had had enough of it’ (3)

At last, with nowhere else left to look, the actual vault of Henry was opened and to the Dean’s genuine surprise, if not perhaps to that of others, James was found!  James’ coffin, a wooden one with a lead one inside was easily identifiable by the inscription on a copper plate soldered to the lead one :

Depositum

Augustissimi

Principis Jacobi Primi,

Magnae Britanniae

Franciae et Hiberniae, qui natus apud Scotos xiii

It was discovered on examination of the other two lead coffins therein that Elizabeth’s had been slightly damaged at the top, possibly when it was removed to allow James’ in and then she was replaced, being rather squashed into the space between the two kings.  Its easy to imagine Henry spinning in his  coffin, as, after the enormous expense of his funeral, he and his Queen are now sharing their tomb with a gooseberry, albeit a royal one.  And here they are…

The lead coffins of Henry, Elizabeth and James.  Elizabeth lies in the middle, with Henry to her right.  

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1. Dean Stanley, Westminster Abbey, p.651
2. Laurence Tanner, Recollections of a Westminster Antiquary, p.177
3. Sir M E Grant Duff Notes from a Diary Vol 1 p235

Effigies of Henry Vll and Elizabeth of York by Torrigiano 

Henry died on 21 April 1509.  Henry has come down through history as something of a miser, a tightwad.  Whether this is undeserved or otherwise , I do not know,  although his Privy Purse Expenses make very interesting reading.  He certainly enjoyed gambling, frequently incurring debts (1) as did Elizabeth,  his wife, whose debts often Henry paid (2),  although on one occasion £100  was given as a loan and to be repaid (3).  An astonishing £30 pounds was paid to a ‘young damoysell that daunceth’ (4) really, Henry! although the ‘little feloo of Shaftesbury‘ only received a £1,  presumably the poor little blighter was not  as attractive as the damoysell (5).   But I digress,  because what I wanted to discuss here,  are the expenses incurred from Henry’s  funeral and tomb, an area in  which Henry clearly did not wish to rein in.

I am grateful for the following information which I have gleaned from Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy – a marvellous book which I can thoroughly recommend.

‘The costs of building the new chapel at Westminster are estimated at around  £14,856.  The chapel was conceived as Henry’s personal chantry, and there was to be no room for any doubt.  Henry’s will instructed that

‘the Walles , Doores, Windows, Archies and Vaults, and Ymages of the same our chappel, wittin and without, be painted, garnished and adorned with our Armes, Bagies, Cognoissants, and other convenient painting, in as goodly and riche maner as suche a work requireth, and as to a Kings wek apperteigneth'(6).

And so it was done!  An Interior View of the Henry VII Chapel.  Artist Giovanni Canaletto

The  pendant fan vaulted  roof of the Henry VII chapel adorned with Beaufort portcullis and Tudor Rose ‘Bagies’.

‘The tomb commissioned by Henry itself,  featured gilt effigies of himself and Elizabeth,  plus figures of himself and 4 kneeling lords and a tomb chest of black and white marble housing 12 small images of saints to be crafted by a group of craftsmen.  The cost of this tomb was estimated at £1257.6s.8d of which the gilt metal amounted to £1050 (7).’

‘The funeral expenses exceeded an unprecedented £7,000  including £ 1,000 pounds of black cloth supplied by 56 merchants and 3,606 lbs of candle wax (8)’

‘The bronze screen enclosing the tomb was supplied by a Thomas Ducheman who was paid £51.8s and housed 32 bronze statues of saints (of which only 6 survive)’. (9)

‘The tomb chest contains an epitaph in bronze recording the achievements of the couple, not least the procreation of Henry VII, suggesting his role in the detailing of the monument’ (10)

Chantry screen of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

Tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

Henry Himself…

If you liked this post you might be interested in :

https://sparkypus.com/2020/05/14/the-privy-purse-accounts-of-henry-vii-1491-to-1505-2/

https://sparkypus.com/2020/05/14/elizabeth-of-york-her-privy-purse-expenses/

1. Excerpta Historica Edited by Samuel Bentley pp 88, 90, 102, 108, 120, 122, 126.
2. Excerpta Historica Edited by Samuel Bentley pp 95, 907, 111, 132.
3. Excerpta Historica  Edited by Samuel Bentley p 97
4. Excerpta Historica Edited by Samuel Bentley P 94
5. Excerpta Historica Edited by Samuel Bentley P 88
6. Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy p 279
7. Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy P.281
8. Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy p.284
9. Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy p.287
10. Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy p.286

It has been said that,  along  with so many children of the times he lived in, even those of the nobility, not a lot is known about Edward,  the small son of  Richard III and Anne Neville.  It seems, sadly,  as if no sooner was he here than he was gone.  There is even confusion about both his date of birth and death and although some very plausible suggestions have been made we can only be certain that he died in April 1484.   His place of burial is also contested and it is this mystery which is what I would like to focus on here.

King Richard and Queen Anne, The Beauchamp Pageant

The fullest account of Edward’s short life, as far as I am aware,  can be found in Peter Hammond’s book The Children of Richard III while Professor Pollard devoted a chapter to Edward, with the poignant title of Last Summer at Middleham,   in his book The Worlds of Richard III.   Both give details of expenditures covering the last months of Edward’s life some of which are quite charming including ’12d for Martyn the fole’.

Returning to Edward’s unknown place of burial.   Various locations have been suggested including Coverham ,  Jervaulx,  Sheriff Hutton, York and Middleham.   I personally would plump on Middleham.  John Rous, who would have been in a position to know,  stated quite clearly Edward was buried at Middleham which would make perfect sense.   In his Latin version of his Roll,  Rous wrote: 

‘ Edward,  illustrious Prince of Wales,  only son and heir to King Richard the third and his honourable consort Anne , Queen of England,  but in fact heir to Heaven;  his sacred soul was never infected by the blemish of guilt and he died a child before his parents and was taken with honour to a grave at Middleham’ (1)

If this were the case Edward would be lying at rest undisturbed in the church of St Mary and St Akelda, Middleham.    Lets hope it stays that way,

Church of St Mary and St Akelda,  Middleham.  Could Richard and Anne’s son have been laid to rest here?  Photo @Docbrown @Flikr.

Turning to the belief that Edward was buried at Sheriff Hutton and an alabaster tomb in poor condition being his.  Despite informative articles now being available  a quick online search will still turn up numerous articles and photographs unequivocally identifying the monument in  the church of St Helen and the Holy Cross Sheriff Hutton, Yorkshire as that of Edward of Middleham.    This monument is in poor condition but thankfully the  damage has now been stabilised by conservation work.   Jane Crease in her article on the monument notes that it was first suggested in 1904 it was Edward’s tomb was even though the monument was not mentioned before 1623 when Dodsworth visited the church (2)    Peter Hammond mentions that a George Hardcastle in a letter in Notes and Queries Dated 1870   ‘surmised’  that Richard may have buried his son at Sheriff Hutton and thus legends are born (3).  Tellingly the monument was also not mentioned in 1584 when the church was visited by Robert Glove Somerset Herald (4).  Other than the 1904 reference there does not appear to be much beyond that as to why a parish church at  Sheriff Hutton would have been chosen as the burial place of Edward Prince of Wales. .  It is also strange that Richard, presumably accompanied by Anne,  after hearing about his son’s death,  left Nottingham where the tragic news had been  brought to him,  would travel to Middleham via York and  Nappa, but fail to visit Sheriff Hutton (5). The King and his Queen as according to the customs of the times may not have attended the funeral of their son but would surely have wished to visit his grave.  

The monument itself, which is a cenotaph, that is its empty,  is not in its original position,  being placed where part of a chantry chapel c.1447 would have been standing at the time of Edward’s death and burial.  So where could the monument have been prior to its removal to St Helens Church?  Dr Jane Crease suggests the weathering it has sustained indicates it may have been outside at one time and open to the elements. Prior to this she suggests it may have been inside Sheriff Hutton Castle in a chapel.  If this is the case its possible the monument become open to the elements after the castle became ruinous, which is how it is described in 1618,  and  prior to being transferred to the church.    No other tombs in the church have suffered from the same damage as this particular one.

The Sheriff Hutton Monument

This manuscript dates from c.1447 and depicts a young boy who can be seen with a pudding basin hair style as well as wearing costume – note the stiff pleats, sleeves, cuffs and collar  –  almost identical to that of the Sheriff Hutton monument.  @Chronicles of Hainault Rogier Van der Weyden.  

With  the costume etc of the effigy dating from approximately fifty year earlier,  two possibilities have been suggested as to whom the monument was made for which make far more sense than Edward of Middleham.

1.  Ralph (b.approx 1440) son of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury (b.1400-d1460) is known to have  been buried at Sheriff Hutton:  Radulphus mortuus. apud Shirefhoton sepultus  – Ralph died. buried at Sheriff Hutton(6).  Peter Hammond and W E Hampton in their article Sherrif Hutton : Historic Doubts Reconsidered say that ‘one  coat of arms indisputably on the tomb was that used by Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and could have been placed on the tomb to represent any of his descendants‘ (7).  However both the authors then go on to say that Ralph probably would have been too young when he died to have had such an elaborate monument. They both seemed determined, despite persuasive arguments from Pauline Routh and Richard Knowle,  that this is the tomb of Edward – despite the costume, hairstyle and donor figure clearly being from the first half of the 15th century although Hammond does seem to have softened his stance on this in his later book The Children of Richard III.

2.     John,  son of Ralph Neville Earl of Westmorland.  Ralph was the father  of the above Richard Neville as well father to  Cicely  Neville and thus John would have been Richard III’s uncle.  Ralph had 23 children by his two wives.   None of the sons by the first wife died young but three sons by the second wife,  Joan Beaufort , are known to have died young.  John was born about 1413 and would have been about 12 in 1425 (8) .These dates equate with the time frame of the making of the memorial given its design, the style of clothes and hair style of the donor as well as fit the age of the child  portrayed in the effigy.   Note the identical  sleeves and cuffs of the effigy and those of Ralph’s sons.

Ralph Neville Earl of Westmorland with some of  his enormous family – plus ‘pudding basin’ hair cuts galore.  

An important and glaring clue is the small figure of the bare haired donor kneeling in prayer at the foot of the Trinity.   No doubt this would have been the deceased child’s father but his closely cropped to the ears hair style or ‘pudding basin’ hair cut was not a style Richard III would have worn.  However both Westmorland and his son Salisbury  would definitely have had their hair styled this way as can be seen here below.   Think Henry V!  Sadly the donor’s wife is very badly worn.

The Donor figure, facing east, in armour and ‘pudding basin’ hairstyle worshipping at the foot of the Trinity.  

Richard Neville Earl of Salisbury’s effigy St Mary’s Church Burghfield. The effigy is much battered but his ‘pudding basin’ hair cut is still  very evident.  Could Salisbury be the donor?

Whereas we do know who would not have sported such a hair style and that is Richard III and his son.

Richard III @ Society of  Antiquaries of London 

As Dr Crease, who wrote the definitive article on the monument , puts so succinctly

 ‘The heraldry reliably recorded on the tomb links it with the Nevilles and, at the period of its manufacture, Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland held the castle and manor of Sheriff Hutton, so it may be one of his children. It may be some comfort to Ricardians to think that the tomb may be that of a kinsman of his (Richard III’s) Queen, even if it is not of her son.” (9)

It has often been speculated that Edward was a sickly child, due no doubt to his dying at such a young age.  But I remain unconvinced.  It has also been pointed out – to add to the argument in favour of his ‘frailty’  –  that he travelled by litter from Middleham to Pontefract, a distance of 58 miles and from Pontefract to York 28 miles.  This is absurd.  It would have been much safer for a young child to travel distances like this in a litter rather than horseback.    It may be that he was a perfectly healthy child until struck down with a sudden and fatal illness.  Certainly his parents were utterly devastated when the news of his death reached them while they were staying at Nottingham Castle,  which may indicate they were unprepared for the awful shock.  It does seem that Queen Anne’s health, sadly,  took a downward spiral  after that and she herself died the following year on March 16th 1485.

 

1)The Ricardian Vol XXX 2020.  Of Lordys lyne and lyneage sche was.  Anne F Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs.  They make the comment that its ‘astonishing” this information given by Rous is ‘apparently never used’.

2)  J W Clay  first speculated this was Edward’s tomb in his Dodsworth Yorkshire Church   Notes 1904.  The Sherrif Hutton Monument Jane Crease

3)  The children of Richard III p38 Peter Hammond

4) https://churchmonumentssociety.org/monument-of-the-month/is-this-the-tomb-of-   richard-iii-son

5)  The Itinerary of King Richard III p18,19   Rhoda Edwards

6) Sheriff Hutton: The Great Debate Pauline Routh and Richard Knowles

7)  The matter was debated at length by  in 4 articles in the Ricardian in the 1980s: Sheriff Hutton: Historic Doubts September 1980 and Sheriff Hutton: The Great Debate June 1981 Pauline Routh and Richard Knowles  and Historic Doubts Reconsidered P W Hammond and W E Hampton December 1980 and Sheriff Hutton: Further Debate P W Hammond & W E Hampton June 1981

8) The children of Richard III p74 Peter Hammond

9) Is this the Tomb of Richard III’s Son Church Monument Society Jane Crease.

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CROSBY PLACE – HOME TO THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER 1483

QUEEN ANNE NEVILL – HER BURIAL IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Aveline’s effigy as drawn by Charles Alfred Stothard ‘The Monumental Effigies of Great Britain‘.

 Aveline/Avelina de Forz, Countess of Lancaster (1259-1274)  was the first wife of Edmund ‘Crouchback’, first earl of Lancaster, first earl of Leicester and a Plantagenet prince (1245-1296).    Edmund was the son of Henry III and his queen, Eleanor of Provence, while Aveline was the daughter of William de Forz , Count of Albermarle, Lord of Holderness (d.1260) and Isabella de Forz/Fortibus, suo jure Countess of Devon and Aumale and Lady of the Isle of Wight (1237–1293).   Born on 20 January 1259, at Burstwick in Holderness,  Aveline was ten years old when she married Edmund in Westminster Abbey on or around the 8 April 1269.   Initially in 1268 Edmund had been granted royal permission to marry Aveline’s mother, Isabella, an extremely wealthy widow,  after the death of her husband William de Forz,  but in April of the following year he married the young Aveline instead (1).  Isabella led a very eventful life which I won’t go into here suffice to say that at one point in her life, as a young widow.  she had to hide herself from Simon de Montfort Jnr who was intent on making her his wife. 

THE TOMBS

Theirs was the first recorded marriage in Westminster Abbey,  Henry III’s new Gothic abbey,  shortly after the translation of the relics of the Confessor and on her death, only five years later, Aveline was buried there in the Sacrarium on the north side of the altar (2). Her monument was amongst the first of many in the Abbey and her heavily worn effigy on top, wearing a fashionable coif, depicts a rather maturer lady than Aveline actually was.     It is entirely exquisite and was drawn by Charles A Stothard in the 18th century while it still retained some of its original decoration and colouring.   It is a wall tomb i.e. only open at the front with the effigy placed within a beautiful arch, the spandrels of which are richly decorated with foliage.  The frontage of the tomb is divided into six compartments each one of which is a miniature copy of the main arch of the monument.  Each compartment holds a male figure which may have represented Aveline’s relatives identifiable  by miniature shields  – which sadly have not survived – in the arch spandrels.   Once richly gessoed and heavily gilded, Stothard recorded the mantle green, the surcoat red with purple lining and the kirtle blue.   The cushion supporting her head is diapered with the arms of Lancaster and de Forz and held by two angels.    Two little dogs, though damaged still nestle snugly at her feet for perpetuity.   The monument does not stand in its original position having been moved to make room for the tomb of Aymer de Valence (d.1324).   It should be remembered that these tomb chests/monuments did not always mark the grave of the person they were dedicated to.  Its believed by Westminster Abbey authorities that Aveline may be buried beneath  a slab with Cosmati work in St Edward the Confessor’s chapel but the inscription is mostly obscured by Henry V’s chantry. This is the northern slab with indents for two shields (probably the arms of de Forz and Lancaster) (3)

Aveline’s tomb and effigy, Westminster Abbey. Photo westminster-abbey.org

Aveline was declared of age sometime in 1273 before her death on the 10th November 1274.  It has been speculated that Aveline may have died in childbirth but I have been unable to verify this and there were certainly many other causes that could have carried her off.  Aveline dying at Stockwell Manor House,  a property owned by her mother,  begs the question did she die before she even had the opportunity to live with Edmund?  Perhaps she was not robust or had been suffering for some time from a debilitating ailment?  It’s interesting that her five sibings all died young and all before Aveline herself.  We will of course never know. Two years after Aveline’s death Edmund would marry Blanche of Artois who survived him dying in 1302.   .

On his death in June 1296 Edmund was first buried in The Minories also known as the Abbey of the Minoresses of St Clare without Aldgate,  which he had founded jointly with Blanche.   Four years after his death he was reburied in Westminster Abbey (although his heart remained at the Minories),  his and Aveline’s monuments being separated by that of Aymer de Valence (d.1324).   Perhaps Edmund had requested to be buried close to Aveline? However Blanche  would be buried in France as she had requested.  

Edmund Crouchback’s  effigy as drawn by Stothard.

Another view of Crouchback’s effigy as drawn by Stothard 18th century.

Edmund’s effigy in Westminster Abbey.  Photo @Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

The tombs of Aveline, Aymer de Valence and Edmund.  A  drawing by Herbert Railton 1910.  The three tombs today form one range of breathtakingly beautiful sepulchral monuments..

STOCKWELL MANOR

Aveline died on the II November 1274 at Stockwell, now a busy South London suburb,  and  presumably in the medieval Manor House owned by her mother which once stood to the east of Stockwell Road, facing the north of Stockwell Green, the Green having disappeared a long time ago.  Her mother survived her and after living an eventful life also died at Stockwell Manor house sometime during the night of 10 November 1293 (4).     Nothing of this manor house has survived the centuries.  However although the house, gardens and orchards – which were contained in about four acres –  are now long gone – the area now covered by a housing estate, garages and wheelie bins –  its memory still lingers on in the name of nearby Moat Place.  Remains of the moat, alleged to have been 40-50 foot wide could still be seen as late as 19th century (5).  There is also a nearby duck pond, a somewhat incongruous feature in such a built up area, which may also be the surviving remnants of the moat – but, as per usual,  I digress…  

It must have  seemed to those that knew and loved Aveline that she was scarce here ere she was gone.    However it’s comforting to know that she was not forgotten and some twenty years after her death the beautiful monument dedicated to her in Westminster Abbey was erected. The reasons for the 20 years delay are unknown (6).  It still stands today  – somewhat damaged but still enchanting.  

Westminster Abbey.  Burial place of Aveline de Forz and Edmund ‘Crouchback’ Plantagenet. 

(1) Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy pp81-82

(2) Historical Memorials of Westminster Abbey Dean Stanley 1869 p140

( 3) https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/edmund-earl-of-lancaster-and-aveline-de-forz

(4) Forz (Fortibus), Isabella de, suo jure countess of Devon and countess of Aumale (1237-1293). ODNB Barbara English.

(5) Survey of London Vol. 26 Lambeth: Southern Area 1956 pp88-95 Originally published by London County Council

6) Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy p.84

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THE MONUMENTAL EFFIGIES OF GREAT BRITAIN : CHARLES A STOTHARD

In the church of All Saints, Carshalton, now part of South London, can be found the charming 15th century brass of Margaret Gaynesford nee Sidney,  her husband Nicholas and their various children.  Due to the brass being attached to the wall and not the floor, as is usually the case,  it has still retained much of its original  enamelling including Margaret’s vivid red gown.

Both Margaret and her husband Nicolas  served Queen Elizabeth Wydeville in various capacities including Margaret as one of the queen’s Gentlewoman.  There is much information can be found about Nicholas Gaynesford and his career, he being another one who changed sides when the need arose – including  taking part in Buckingham’s rebellion, October 1483,  although  Richard III later pardoned  him – but I would like to focus here on this wonderful brass.

Margaret kneels in front of a prie-dieu, prayer book open, the folds of her red gown draped gracefully around her feet.  

Margaret is depicted in front of a prie-dieu, wearing a collar of suns and roses, and a butterfly headdress.  The empty matrix for four now missing daughters is behind her although the small brasses depicting her four sons have survived.  A brass of the Trinity , which the family are adoring, is also missing.

Nicholas who died about 1498 is shown in armour.

What Margaret’s thoughts were regarding the shenanigans and  the  ups and downs of  Elizabeth’s turbulent life –  how much did she know? – what did she think about Elizabeth’s ‘retirement to Bermondsey’ ?- are sadly unrecorded.  However she lived long enough to see Elizabeth’s daughter crowned in 1487, with both her and Nicholas attending,  with Nicholas serving Elizabeth of York in the post of Usher of the King’s Consort.

The church of All Saints, Carshalton.  Photo @Colin Castledine

The tomb with the brass fitted on the wall above.

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This is said to be a portrait of  Cicely, Mary of York’s sister , but its likely they were very similar in looks.  Originally in the Royal Window, Northwest Transept, Canterbury Cathedral but now in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow. 

Mary Plantagenet also known as  Mary of York was the second daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Wydville.  She was born at Windsor Castle in August 1467 and died at her mother’s favourite palace of Greenwich 23 May 1482 aged just 14 years.   Strangely enough another royal child, even younger than Mary,  Anne Mowbray Duchess of Norfolk, her sister in law –  being  the child bride of her brother Richard of Shrewsbury – had also died at Greenwich just six months earlier  on 9th November 1481.  Even at a time when child mortality was high it must have been heart rending to have two deaths so close together for the royal household and by horrible coincidence in the same royal apartments.  Elizabeth Wydeville’s  whereabouts at that time are unknown so its impossible to say if she was at Greenwich at the time of Mary’s death although  it is known that her father had visited Canterbury on the 17th  May and was back  in London on the 23rd and thus it is possible he may, perhaps  accompanied by the queen,  have seen his daughter as she lay dying  (1 )

A print by an unknown artist now in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich depicting the Palace c 1487.

A view of Greenwich Palace from a print published by the Society of Antiquaries 1767

The Royal Window, Canterbury Cathedral.  Elizabeth Wydeville and her daughters.  Mary is shown as the last figure on the right hand side.  

The cause of death of neither of the girls is known.   While Anne’s body had been taken by barge to her burial place in Westminster Abbey Mary’s was taken by stages to St Georges Chapel,  Windsor, where she was interred next to her two year old brother,  George,  who had died in March 1479 possibly of the plague.     Several Wydeville ladies were  among the mourners including Jane, Lady Grey of Ruthin, sister to the queen and Jacquetta, another sister’s daughter,  Joan Lady Strange, wife of George Stanley.   Another niece, Lady ‘Dame’ Katherine Grey, possibly the daughter of Jane Wydeville was also present.  Dinner for the funeral group was at the palace after which Mary’s body was taken from Greenwich parish church where it had been taken and begun its last sad journey to Windsor (2).

Over time the exact location of the graves became forgotten and lost but in 1810 during the course of building work their coffins were discovered in the area known then as  Wolsey’s Chapel and now as the Albert Memorial Chapel.   These were easily identifiable because George’s lead coffin was inscribed with   “serenissimus princeps Georgius filius tercius Christianissimi principis Edvardi iiij” and it was known that Mary had been laid to rest alongside her little brother – her funeral accounts tell us that she was “buried by my Lorde George, her brother, on whos solles God have mercy”.   When Mary’s coffin was examined she was found wrapped in numerous folds of strong cerecloth (waxed cloth used for wrapping a corpse) closely packed and tied with cords ( 3)

Mary and George were then reburied in a small vault next to the vault where their parents were buried.    Their mother’s remains, a  skull and pile of bones found lying on top of Edward’s coffin along with the remains of her cheap wooden coffin,  had  disappeared between the time of Edward’s vault being discovered and resealed in 1789 (4).    Edward’s remains had  been thoroughly poked about and  no doubt Elizabeth’s were appropriated by the dreaded Georgian souvenir collectors along with numerous locks of Edward’s hair.      A slab was already in place with Georges’s name thereon as it was mistakenly  believed the brother and sister  had already been buried close to  their father in the small vault adjoining his.  See my post regarding this .here.

19th Century drawing of the sites of the vaults of Edward IV and his children…

 

St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Yorkist Mauseoleum photo @Roger Simon

It’s not surprising that little is known about Mary of York, a child of 14,   who was hardly here ere she was gone.    She was mentioned along with her sister Elizabeth in the will her father made prior to leaving for France in 1475 – ‘Item we wil that oure doughtre Elizabeth have x ml marc towards her marriage and that oure doughtre Marie have also to her mariage  x ml marc , soo that they bee gouverned and rieuled in thair mariages by oure derrest wiff the Quene and by oure said son the Prince if God fortune him to comme to age of discrecion’ but ‘if either of oure said doughtres doo marie thaim silf without such advys and assent soo as they bee therby disparaged, as God forbede, that then she soo marieing her silf have noo paiement of her said x ml marc, but that it bee emploied by oure Executours towards the hasty paiement of oure debtes and restitucions as is expressed in this oure last Will’ (5).   Ah man makes plans  while the gods laugh, as they say, and we now know how differently things sadly panned out.  However it’s rather gratifying to know, at a time when so many ancient and royal remains have been lost,  that at least Edward has two of his children with him.

Mary of York once in the  ‘Royal Window’ Canterbury Cathedral now in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow.

1. The Royal Funerals of the House of York at Windsor p58 Anne E Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs
2. Ibid p60
3. D. & S. Lysons, Magna Britannia, vol. I, pt. I, Berkshire (reprint of an 1806 publication), p. 471
4. Elizabeth had requested a modest funeral and that is exactly what she got.  Even the herald reporting on the funeral was shocked   The Royal Funerals of the House of York at Windsor p68 Anne E Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs
5. Excerpta Historica : Illustrations of English History p369 edited Samuel Bentley

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CLATTERN BRIDGE Photo @Matt Brown

Clattern Bridge, Kingston upon Thames, was built prior to 1293 to replace an even older Saxon bridge and amazingly is still in use today.  A good example of a medieval multi-span bridge and still containing impressive medieval masonry.  The first Saxon bridge, probably built to replace an even older ford,  dated from the late 12th century and was known  as Clatrung Bridge but when this was replaced with  the present bridge  it became known as Clateryngbrugge  perhaps because of the sound horses made crossing it.  It’s a nice explanation and entirely plausible.  The red brick parapet seen in the bridge today  is a result of the bridge being widened in 1758 and it seems it is from this time onwards the bridge became known as Clattern Bridge.  This wonderful old bridge  doesn’t actually cross the Thames, but the Hogsmill River which is a tributary of the Thames.

Unfortunately I can find no trace of a person of high status ever clattering across the bridge although there is a tenuous link to Richard III   –  Shakespeare’s King Richard III has been performed at various times  at the Rose Theatre which is but  a short distance away from the bridge.  A further tenuous link to Richard is that the funeral cortège of his young niece, Princess Mary Plantagenet crossed over a nearby,  earlier  Kingston Bridge – which stood very close by to the present one –  on her way to burial at St George’s Chapel, Windsor.  Mary was the daughter of Edward IV who  died at Greenwich Palace in May 1482 shortly before her 15th birthday.  But that really is it folks..

Possible portrait of Princess Mary  from the Royal Window Canterbury. Restored and now in the Burrell Collection Glasgow.

Clattern Bridge shown as Clayton Bridge John Roque’s map  c1761.  

Plaque on Clattern Bridge.   Photo@Eric Hands

Clattern Bridge today.  Photo @ Lloyd Rich

Lovely old Clattern Bridge, what a story its stones could tell if they could only speak,  including being utilised as a place to duck the local ‘scolds’.  Now  Grade 1 listed and according to Historic England  a  Scheduled Ancient Monument of national importance.

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