About Me

I'm a PhD student researching the role of the archaeological dead in contemporary British society. Think of this as a scrapbook of all the interesting links, snippets of information and random bits and bobs I come across pertaining to death, dying and the dead. Enjoy?!

Instagram Shots

    See more

    More liked posts

    Richard III row heads to High Court

    Distant relatives of Richard III have started legal proceedings to challenge the plan to bury the king’s remains in Leicester.

    Lawyers have lodged papers in the High Court seeking a judicial review of the decision made by the Ministry of Justice.

    Many of his relatives want the body buried in York, claiming it was King Richard’s wish.

    Leicester’s mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, has described the case as “daft”.

    (Source: BBC News)

    Smithsonian Channel gets North American rights to ‘Richard III’ documentary

    Smithsonian Channel has snagged exclusive North American program rights to a documentary about the recent discovery of King Richard III’s remains under an English parking lot that ended a 500-year mystery.

    When “The King’s Skeleton: Richard III Revealed” made its world debut on Channel 4 in the U.K., nearly 5 million viewers tuned in.

    Read more.

    Why Richard III’s final resting place matters I’m in favour of a spot of Plantagenet controversy over King Richard’s burial place. It’s good for popular history – and tourism Who says the Wars of the Roses are over? Five hundred years since the Battle of Bosworth, the Yorkist side is turning in on itself, and the Richard III Society may have finally met its match in the Plantagenet Alliance. The former, in association with the University of Leicester, kicked off last year’s stunning exhumation of Richard III’s body from a car park in Leicester, and Leicester is where it wants his final resting place to be. Now the latter, consisting of 15 living relatives of the king, say they are planning to use the law to insist he be buried in York instead. You might wonder what they’re all getting so worked up about – and this Richard III business certainly defies all logical explanation. Read more.

    Why Richard III’s final resting place matters

    I’m in favour of a spot of Plantagenet controversy over King Richard’s burial place. It’s good for popular history – and tourism

    Who says the Wars of the Roses are over? Five hundred years since the Battle of Bosworth, the Yorkist side is turning in on itself, and the Richard III Society may have finally met its match in the Plantagenet Alliance.

    The former, in association with the University of Leicester, kicked off last year’s stunning exhumation of Richard III’s body from a car park in Leicester, and Leicester is where it wants his final resting place to be. Now the latter, consisting of 15 living relatives of the king, say they are planning to use the law to insist he be buried in York instead. You might wonder what they’re all getting so worked up about – and this Richard III business certainly defies all logical explanation.

    Read more.

    Never mind the hunt for Richard III, what about Boudicca?

    The search is on for warrior queen’s bones, once thought to lie beneath a McDonald’s

    First there was Richard III. Then, in the early hours of Monday morning, with the exhumation of bones from an unmarked grave at St Bartholemew’s Church in Winchester, archaeologists came closer to unravelling one of the great mysteries of British history – the burial place of King Alfred the Great.

    These are exciting times in the field of historical bone-hunting, and senior archaeologists believe we could be in for a flood of new discoveries in the next few years as technology improves and the number of amateur enthusiasts continues to grow.

    While the Winchester skeleton awaits scientific tests to see if it is Alfred, the ninth-century monarch revered for his victories over the Danes, speculation is now rife as to which historical riddle will be solved next.

    At least some of the smart money is on Boudicca, whose army led an uprising against the Romans and razed London in the first century AD.

    Dr Mike Heyworth, the director of the Council for British Archaeology (CBA), said that experts are on the hunt for her burial place, at one point rumoured to be near what is now a McDonald’s restaurant in Birmingham, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she was unearthed in the next few years.

    Read more.

    Archaeological News: Richard III's distant relatives threaten legal challenge over burial

    archaeologicalnews:

    image

    Fifteen living relatives of Richard III, whose body was exhumed from a Leicester car park last year, are threatening to launch a legal challenge seeking the monarch’s reburial in York Minster.

    Although the last English king to die in battle perished almost 500 years before the European…

    Richard III would want Catholic funeral, says Dr John Ashdown-Hill The academic whose research led to the discovery of Richard III’s remains said he should be given a Roman Catholic rather than Anglican funeral. Earlier this year, skeletal remains found beneath a car park in Leicester were confirmed as King Richard’s. But since the find, a disagreement has surfaced about whether he should be buried in Leicester or York. Dr John Ashdown-Hill, from Colchester, has now entered the fray saying King Richard would want a Catholic burial. Richard was killed in battle in 1485 during the civil war known as the Wars of the Roses. The family which defeated him, the Tudors, tried to make sure he was remembered as a villain, capable of killing family and friends. But according to Dr Ashdown-Hill, Richard was “a very religious man”. “There is a lot of evidence that Richard III had a very serious personal faith,” he said, though added it was impossible to know what Richard III would have made of plans for burial at a non-Catholic site at York or Leicester. “If Richard III had not have died, maybe the Anglican church would never have existed,” he said. He said the reason Leicester had been chosen as the burial site was because of the terms of the exhumation, which, depending on the identity of the remains, specified the bones must be buried in the “nearest consecrated site”. In Richard III’s case, the nearest site is Leicester Cathedral. More than 7,500 people have signed an online petition in favour of keeping the king’s remains in Leicester, but nearly 25,000 have signed up to support re-interring his remains in York Minster. York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said: “The call is strong from the great county of Yorkshire that Richard III did want to be buried where he was loved. That was the key thing.” Leicester Cathedral acting dean Barry Naylor: “It is normal practice that if a body is exhumed it is re-interred in the nearest consecrated grounds. “I can assure people there will be the finest of liturgy and we will be very happy to incorporate elements from Catholic tradition and perhaps Latin plain chant in the services that take place. “Leicester Cathedral is doing its utmost to ensure that Richard is re-interred with honour and respect here at the heart of our city of Leicester.” He added that the cathedral had prepared a brief for its architects and more on the plans for Richard III’s tomb was expected in July.

    Richard III would want Catholic funeral, says Dr John Ashdown-Hill

    The academic whose research led to the discovery of Richard III’s remains said he should be given a Roman Catholic rather than Anglican funeral.

    Earlier this year, skeletal remains found beneath a car park in Leicester were confirmed as King Richard’s.

    But since the find, a disagreement has surfaced about whether he should be buried in Leicester or York.

    Dr John Ashdown-Hill, from Colchester, has now entered the fray saying King Richard would want a Catholic burial.

    Richard was killed in battle in 1485 during the civil war known as the Wars of the Roses.

    The family which defeated him, the Tudors, tried to make sure he was remembered as a villain, capable of killing family and friends.

    But according to Dr Ashdown-Hill, Richard was “a very religious man”.

    “There is a lot of evidence that Richard III had a very serious personal faith,” he said, though added it was impossible to know what Richard III would have made of plans for burial at a non-Catholic site at York or Leicester.

    “If Richard III had not have died, maybe the Anglican church would never have existed,” he said.

    He said the reason Leicester had been chosen as the burial site was because of the terms of the exhumation, which, depending on the identity of the remains, specified the bones must be buried in the “nearest consecrated site”.

    In Richard III’s case, the nearest site is Leicester Cathedral.

    More than 7,500 people have signed an online petition in favour of keeping the king’s remains in Leicester, but nearly 25,000 have signed up to support re-interring his remains in York Minster.

    York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said: “The call is strong from the great county of Yorkshire that Richard III did want to be buried where he was loved. That was the key thing.”

    Leicester Cathedral acting dean Barry Naylor: “It is normal practice that if a body is exhumed it is re-interred in the nearest consecrated grounds.

    “I can assure people there will be the finest of liturgy and we will be very happy to incorporate elements from Catholic tradition and perhaps Latin plain chant in the services that take place.

    “Leicester Cathedral is doing its utmost to ensure that Richard is re-interred with honour and respect here at the heart of our city of Leicester.”

    He added that the cathedral had prepared a brief for its architects and more on the plans for Richard III’s tomb was expected in July.

    (Source: BBC)

    Richard III: King could be taken on final procession from Bosworth Battlefield to Leicester Cathedral

    A procession from Bosworth Battlefield to Leicester Cathedral could play a part in the reinterment of Richard III.

    The bones of the monarch are due to be buried at the cathedral in May next year.

    Proposals include the remains being brought in a procession from Bosworth – where Richard was killed in 1485 – to the city and displaying the king’s coffin, to allow the public to pay their respects.

    Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “I think some form of procession is going to be an important part of the ceremony on the day.

    “People will want to have an opportunity to share it publicly.”

    The Duke of Gloucester will be at the reburial as a mark of respect for Richard III, who held the same title for 24 years. Sir Peter said: “I’m very pleased the Duke of Gloucester is firmly committed to being a part of this momentous occasion.

    “We don’t yet know who else might be attending, but we do expect the event will draw in tens of thousands of people.”

    Acting cathedral dean, Canon Barry Naylor, said displaying the coffin was known as “a receiving into the church”. He said: “It’s just an idea at the moment, but we thought it might be fitting, given the interest.”

    The procession would take place between May 4 and 25, with the memorial service four days later.

    Philippa Langley, from the Richard III Society, said “We met cathedral officials and they suggested an honourable procession from the battlefield.

    “To a man we thought it was the most wonderful idea.

    “We’re playing quite a big part in the plans. We went to see the Duke of Gloucester and he suggested using the royal undertaker.

    “We thought that was a very fitting idea and we’re exploring that at the minute.”

    A cathedral spokeswoman said: “The ceremony will probably be part of a longer celebration of Richard in the city, county and cathedral and ideas are being considered which reflect his life and times.”

    Richard Taylor, of the University of Leicester, said: “People need to be aware the remains are very fragile and this needs to be taken into account.

    “Transportation needs to be minimised to avoid damage.

    “One idea is that his standard is brought from Bosworth on horse and reunited with him on his way to the cathedral.

    Compromise deal could see Richard III lie in state at York Minster The remains of King Richard III could lie in state in York Minster later this year under a compromise deal over his final resting place between local campaigners and the academics who discovered his bones. York MPs still plan to meet with Leicester University representatives in the coming weeks to make the case for bringing the King back to his favoured county for burial in Yorkshire, but have also reacted favourably to a possible compromise should they fail. The deal could see the last Yorkist King of England lie in state for a short period at the Minster to allow the public to come and pay their final respects, before he is returned to Leicester to be buried. The remains of Richard III, who was slain at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, were discovered in a car park in Leicester last month. The university team which carried out the excavation plans to bury him at Leicester University. But a rival campaign wants to bring Richard back to his chosen resting place of York Minster. The debate took a nasty turn this week when it emerged the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, had to call the police after receiving abusive letters from people objecting to her stance on the issue. The possible compromise has been hatched by a “neutral” MP, Chris Skidmore, who is a member of the Richard III society which helped fund the excavation. “I am interested in an independent solution,” Mr Skidmore told MPs. “Consider my compromise, whereby even if Richard is buried in Leicester, his body might lie in state at York for a week.” York Central MP Hugh Bayley, said it was “too early” to make a deal ahead of his crunch talks with Leicester University, but said: “It is a constructive idea. “We should look at ways to 
bring together people from York and Leicester, rather than set them against each other,” he added.

    Compromise deal could see Richard III lie in state at York Minster

    The remains of King Richard III could lie in state in York Minster later this year under a compromise deal over his final resting place between local campaigners and the academics who discovered his bones.

    York MPs still plan to meet with Leicester University representatives in the coming weeks to make the case for bringing the King back to his favoured county for burial in Yorkshire, but have also reacted favourably to a possible compromise should they fail.

    The deal could see the last Yorkist King of England lie in state for a short period at the Minster to allow the public to come and pay their final respects, before he is returned to Leicester to be buried.

    The remains of Richard III, who was slain at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, were discovered in a car park in Leicester last month.

    The university team which carried out the excavation plans to bury him at Leicester University. But a rival campaign wants to bring Richard back to his chosen resting place of York Minster.

    The debate took a nasty turn this week when it emerged the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, had to call the police after receiving abusive letters from people objecting to her stance on the issue.

    The possible compromise has been hatched by a “neutral” MP, Chris Skidmore, who is a member of the Richard III society which helped fund the excavation.

    “I am interested in an independent solution,” Mr Skidmore told MPs. “Consider my compromise, whereby even if Richard is buried in Leicester, his body might lie in state at York for a week.”

    York Central MP Hugh Bayley, said it was “too early” to make a deal ahead of his crunch talks with Leicester University, but said: “It is a constructive idea.

    “We should look at ways to 
bring together people from York and Leicester, rather than set them against each other,” he added.

    (Source: yorkshirepost.co.uk)

    Richard IIIs fans say a simple stone to mark his burial place is not fit for a king After his last resting place beneath a council car park, anything would be an improvement for Richard III. But following one row over whether his remains should be reburied in Leicester or York, a new dispute emerged yesterday over how grand the tomb should be. Despite calls for an elaborate memorial, it seems the last Plantagenet king will have to make do with something much more simple within Leicester Cathedral.  The cathedral’s design brief specifies a preference for ‘a place of simple dignity’ – an engraved memorial stone. It informs architects the church authorities would like to ‘mark the place of burial with a ledger stone’ which sits flat on the floor, possibly with a ‘decorative border’.  Anything more grandiose would be ‘disproportionate’. The new monument will be placed on the spot where a memorial stone commemorating the 15th century king currently sits within the chancel. ‘While the remains of an English king are of historical significance, it should not be forgotten that Richard demonstrated both the honourable and dishonourable characteristics of human beings,’ the brief states. ‘Opportunities for prayer and reflection should focus on themes of sin and redemption, justice and peace.’ Read more here.

    Richard IIIs fans say a simple stone to mark his burial place is not fit for a king

    After his last resting place beneath a council car park, anything would be an improvement for Richard III.

    But following one row over whether his remains should be reburied in Leicester or York, a new dispute emerged yesterday over how grand the tomb should be.

    Despite calls for an elaborate memorial, it seems the last Plantagenet king will have to make do with something much more simple within Leicester Cathedral. 

    The cathedral’s design brief specifies a preference for ‘a place of simple dignity’ – an engraved memorial stone.

    It informs architects the church authorities would like to ‘mark the place of burial with a ledger stone’ which sits flat on the floor, possibly with a ‘decorative border’. 

    Anything more grandiose would be ‘disproportionate’.

    The new monument will be placed on the spot where a memorial stone commemorating the 15th century king currently sits within the chancel.

    ‘While the remains of an English king are of historical significance, it should not be forgotten that Richard demonstrated both the honourable and dishonourable characteristics of human beings,’ the brief states.

    ‘Opportunities for prayer and reflection should focus on themes of sin and redemption, justice and peace.’

    Read more here.

    Dean of York goes to the police over Richard III hate mail The Dean of York has been forced to contact cathedral police after receiving hate mail about the debate over where the remains of King Richard III should be buried. The Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, is understood to have received a string of abusive letters as the row intensified over the remains of the monarch, who was killed in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The matter is currently being investigated by York Minster Police, the cathedral’s specialist force, but could be passed on to North Yorkshire Police if any more messages are received by Dean Faull. The bones of Richard III were identified in February after being discovered underneath a council car park in Leicester. The find, one of the most sensational in archaeological history, has provoked a major dispute over the where the remains should be interred. Read more here!

    Dean of York goes to the police over Richard III hate mail

    The Dean of York has been forced to contact cathedral police after receiving hate mail about the debate over where the remains of King Richard III should be buried.

    The Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, is understood to have received a string of abusive letters as the row intensified over the remains of the monarch, who was killed in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

    The matter is currently being investigated by York Minster Police, the cathedral’s specialist force, but could be passed on to North Yorkshire Police if any more messages are received by Dean Faull.

    The bones of Richard III were identified in February after being discovered underneath a council car park in Leicester.

    The find, one of the most sensational in archaeological history, has provoked a major dispute over the where the remains should be interred.

    Read more here!

    Richard III burial 'should not be finders keepers'

    archaeologicalnews:

    image

    The reburial of remains of Richard III should not be the subject of a “finders, keepers agreement”, York Outer MP Julian Sturdy has argued.

    York MPs are unhappy the University of Leicester, which excavated the remains, will decide where the King is re-interred, and not the government.

    …

    Richard III: Tomb design does not meet Leicester Cathedral's criteria

    A tomb designed by the Richard III Society does not meet Leicester Cathedral’s criteria for a lasting memorial, members of the group said yesterday.

    The University of Leicester, which holds the exhumation certificate for the king, nominated the cathedral as the place of interment following the discovery of his body underneath a city car park in August.

    Philippa Langley, who launched the search, had hoped the society’s design for a 7ft limestone casket would hold the former King of England’s remains.

    However, it is understood memorial designers will be asked to create a less conspicuous monument, such as a slab or tablet – similar to the cathedral’s existing memorial stone to the monarch.

    Read more here!

    MPs warned not to squabble over resting place of King Richard III

    MPs should not squabble over the final resting place of King Richard III, the Commons was told today - ahead of a debate on the issue next week.

    Sir Tony Baldry, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, said convention dictates bodies should be reburied in the nearest suitable church - in this case, Leicester Cathedral.

    The remains of Richard III were uncovered by a team from Leicester University last year, and they are currently holding onto the body ahead of a reinterment ceremony.

    Labour’s York Central MP Hugh Bayley has called for the king to be buried in York and will lead an adjournment debate on the issue on Tuesday.

    Read more here!