In that year, I visited the Roman city of Chester for the first weekend in March. It has a fantastic cathedral and the best British walls except those at York , together with modern shops arranged in “The Rows”, a very old red light district and a subsequently built Deva Stadium for football. It is… Continue reading Behind Stanley lines (2004)
Tag: Chester
Found: The state bed of Charles II….
When I saw a headline about a family who bought a king’s bed, my first thought was of the marriage bed of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, which was found at auction in 2010 in Chester. But no, this is a different bed, and only dates back to Charles II. Nor is it a… Continue reading Found: The state bed of Charles II….
‘Great magician, damned Glendower'(Part 2.)
Owain‘s training as a lawyer certainly did not stop him from pursuing a military career. in 1384 he is found undertaking garrison duty at Berwick in the retinue of the Flintshire knight Sir Gregory Sais. Sais was a renowned knight, with extensive combat experience in France, particularly Gascony. (He is also a good example of… Continue reading ‘Great magician, damned Glendower'(Part 2.)
Of a well-connected art expert …
After a few Archbishops of Canterbury and an Archdeacon (perhaps), we now come to an expert on art – Old Masters and Jacobite art in particular. Dr. Bendor Grosvenor, as seen in this BBC2 series when he has identified portraits such as the first Villiers Duke of Buckingham, is descended from the Cheshire family that… Continue reading Of a well-connected art expert …
An excellent site dealing with the history of Chester….
When roaming around the internet it’s always satisfying to come upon a site that is well worth recommending. The history of Chester has been dealt with thoroughly at this website. So if you want to know about that city (and its county) please pay an e-visit!
Imagine being in Henry VII’s marriage bed, and….
This bed is far too beautiful for Henry VII. In my opinion, anyway. As to finding it in a hotel…well, what if you were snuggled there, anticipating your cooked breakfast next morning, when Henry’s ghost clambers in beside you???? Lawks! To read more, go here.
Agnes Lancecrona and Robert de Vere
Robert de Vere (1362-1392) Earl of Oxford, found great favour with Richard II and was elevated first to the title of Marquess of Dublin and then in October 1386 to the dukedom of Ireland. This was the very first dukedom awarded outside the immediate royal family, and was, in effect, a “fingers up” to Richard’s… Continue reading Agnes Lancecrona and Robert de Vere
Britain’s most historic towns
This excellent Channel Four series reached part four on 28th April as Dr. Alice Roberts came to Norwich, showing streets, civic buildings and even a pub that I have previously visited, describing it as Britain’s most “Tudor” town. She began by describing Henry VII as “violently seizing” the English throne (or at least watching whilst… Continue reading Britain’s most historic towns
The Battle Of Shrewsbury, 1403
In order to appease (as he hoped) the Percy family Henry IV granted them all those parts of southern Scotland that they could conquer. Despite advice from Northumberland that royal assistance was not needed he set out in the summer of 1403 to march to the borders with a small army to support their siege… Continue reading The Battle Of Shrewsbury, 1403
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