Tag: John Paston

Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and his siblings

  It is difficult to keep track of the various ‘Somersets’ who pop up in the Wars of the Roses, and easy to confuse them. Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (1436-1464) was the third Duke of his line. He succeeded to the title on the death of his father at the first Battle of St.… Continue reading Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and his siblings

CECILIA BONVILLE, MARCHIONESS OF DORSET c.1460-1529 – AN INTERESTING LIFE

Reblogged from A Medieval Potpourri @sparkypus.com The ruins of Astley Castle, Warwickshire. Think fortified manor house more than rugged castle.  One of the homes of Cecilia Bonville and her husband Thomas Grey.   The house came to the Grey family via marriage to a member of the Astley family c.1415. They both lie buried in the… Continue reading CECILIA BONVILLE, MARCHIONESS OF DORSET c.1460-1529 – AN INTERESTING LIFE

Sassanachs don’t Like Mondays (allegedly)

Ormond versus Desmond In addition to the canonical list of battles, the sporadic chaos of the Wars of the Roses spawned one or two encounters between the heads of rival aristocratic families, of which the best known is the battle between the Berkeleys and Talbots at Nibley Green in Gloucestershire in March 1470. What is… Continue reading Sassanachs don’t Like Mondays (allegedly)

Twelve buildings in use today that were around in King Richard’s days..

    HORTON COURT, GLOUCESTERSHIRE A link to an interesting article: Unfortunately I have  been unable to discover any link to King Richard  or his contemporaries having visited any of the properties other than the tenuous connection of  Horton Court passing  to a descendant of John Paston of the “Paston Letters” family. Thanks to Tom Martinscroft… Continue reading Twelve buildings in use today that were around in King Richard’s days..

Why did lovers come to celebrate St Valentine’s Day….?

  How did St Valentine become the patron saint of lovers? The answer to that is the stuff of legends. One story has it that he was a peaceful man, as well as a great peacemaker, and while tending the roses in his garden, he heard a couple quarrelling violently. He cut a rose and… Continue reading Why did lovers come to celebrate St Valentine’s Day….?