Richard III & The Greyfriars Project 6: The Cortege

Richard III's Coffin Approaching Bow Bridge (With Car Park Beyond), West Leicester,
March 2015

I’m not normally a big fan of official or royal pageantry, or for the Monarchy in general.  However, it would have been bad manners not to watch Richard III’s remains being borne back into Leicester for the second time, last weekend, (the two events being separated by half a millennium).  The cortege passed only a couple of hundred metres from my own front door, after all.

Bow Bridge (With Distant Dignitaries), West Leicester, March 2015

I’ve taken only a passing interest in the whole palaver over Richard since the discovery of his skeleton, famously - “beneath a Council car park in Leicester” [1.], in 2012.  I was genuinely intrigued at the time, and wrote several posts on the subject of the University of Leicester's Grey Friars Project.  Certainly, it was interesting to watch how what initially felt like a fairly low-profile local event, became a major international news story focused on my own back yard.  However, much of the period since has been taken up with dispiriting and unseemly disputes over whether Richard’s final resting place should be in Leicester or York, (or, possibly, Westminster Abbey); also over the disruption to the city centre caused by the redevelopment of the area around the Cathedral and new Ricardian Visitor Centre [2.]; and even over the austere aesthetics of his newly-designed tomb.

Onlookers And Car Park Signage, West Leicester, March 2015

Richard’s reputation since his brief reign appears to have been almost entirely made up of sub texts.  Five hundred years later, - the major sub text, (even as this much-maligned monarch was being rehabilitated [3.]), was the question over which city would cash in on the tourism bonanza his name might inspire.  For better or worse, Leicester won that contest, (an unusual event in itself), and Mayor Soulsby’s vision of a redeveloped historical portal to the city centre - with the new royal tomb at its heart, is largely complete.  Finally then, it’s time to reinter the bones, - this time with rather more dignity than Richard’s battered corpse enjoyed after his defeat at Bosworth Field; and to get on with re-writing the history books all over again.

Bow Bridge, West Leicester, March 2015

Thus, I strolled round the corner, in gorgeous early Spring sunshine and lengthening shadows, to join a few thousand others who had gathered to watch Richard’s cortege pause at Bow bridge to be officially welcomed back into the city.  The bridge marks the historical boundary between city and county, (as ever, I find myself just beyond the pale), and, as the cast iron plaques on its Victorian masonry attest, holds a particular place in the whole Richard III mythology.

Richard-Related Signage, West Leicester, March 2015

Interestingly, this location seems to attract commemorative plaques and information boards in ever-greater numbers, effectively becoming Information (or Misinformation) Central.  A few feet away is the old, ornate carved legend, suggesting that the discredited king’s body may have been thrown into the water below; the Richard III Society’s small panel - seeking to redress that propaganda slight; and an even more recent information board, dedicated to the bridge and its role in the whole story as it’s now understood.  To all this can be added the local street names, many of which, (including my own address), relate to Richard and the Battle of Bosworth.

Richard-Related Signage, West Leicester, March 2015

Naturally, this links in with my fascination with urban texts, and the multiple, layered meanings and historical interpretations that might be read into our surroundings, in a psychogeographical sense.  In reality, my genuine historical interest in the period, is largely focused: firstly, - on the ways that historical evidence or ‘the facts’ (however sparse), are managed to reflect one current orthodoxy/vested interest or another; and secondly, - on how those stories we tell ourselves become monumentalised in our surroundings.

Photo Opps., Bow Bridge, West Leicester, March 2015

The Florists Will Have Done Well From All Of This.

In the event, the crowds, whilst not immense around Bow Bridge, were deep enough to prevent me obtaining unobstructed views of the coffin and the dignitaries who assembled to greet it [4.].  As it was always likely to though, my interest became somewhat Meta, and shifted rather to the contexts surrounding the processing of the royal remains.  Most of my photos became about the audience themselves [5.], about the jostling for photo opportunities next to the old cast-iron plaque, or just about the other associated signage.

Car Park Signage, West Leicester, March 2015

Given the location of King Richard’s rediscovery, it seemed ironic that his coffin should be overlooked by a couple of other workaday car parks as it paused at Bow Bridge.  At least one of these is on the site of a vanished factory building, - itself symbolising the radical shifts in Leicester’s economy over recent decades.  In this context, the Council’s attempts to remodel the city as another hot spot on the A-Level History trail [6.] might make some sense.  Intriguingly, another claims to offer ‘Simple Intelligent Parking’, (that’ll be the day), whilst appealing for more vacant land.  In fact, if their plans pay off, The Council may need all the parking spaces it can get.  Disputes over that issue in the city is, however, a whole other story.

Car Park Signage, West Leicester, March 2015

Perhaps predictably, as the shadows lengthened and the crowds dispersed, all this yellow parking signage, (and some relating to the logistics of King Richard’s ceremonials), eventually became my main subject.  T’was ever thus…

Richard-Related Signage, West Leicester, March 2015

[1.]:  How often have I heard this slightly derisory buzz-phrase repeated in the media over recent months?  It does, of course, play directly to the image, in the general public imagination, of Leicester as a singularly drab, uninspiring kind of town

[2.]:  Let’s face it – many of the denizens of Leicester do love a good moan, given the opportunity.

[3.]:  Of course, we can never really know the true nature of Richard's character, or how much validity there may or may not be in the accusations levelled at him.  For what it's worth, my own hunch is that he was probably just another power junky with a sense of entitlement, living in a period of civil war, (pretty much like the rest of his class, in fact).  He also appears to have been capable of quite enlightened rule during his short reign.  A flawed but multi-faceted personality, perhaps, then, - rather than a pantomime villain.

[4.]:  I’d be lying if I claimed the noble words declaimed over the P.A. by the City Fathers will live long in my memory.  I will, however, always associate the event with scrambling amongst crackling undergrowth (and the occasional abandoned rough sleeper’s camp), to gain a slightly elevated view from the adjacent patches of wooded landscaping.

[5.]:  Amongst the enthusiastic, the quietly respectful, and the just plain curious, was the usual occasional drunk, naysayer or proselytising eccentric.  I’m sure it was much the same the first time round, and to a greater extent.  At least, this time, no one was trying to further disfigure the corpse of a perceived villain.

[6.]:  Stratford, Warwick and Kenilworth Castles, Lady Jane Grey’s Bradgate Park, and indeed, Bosworth Field, are all just up the road.  You can see how this isn’t an altogether bad plan, and how somebody may be trying to join a few dots.

Richard III & The Greyfriars Project 5: Confirmation

The skeleton found at Greyfriars, just up the road from where I sit in Leicester, has been officially confirmed as that of Richard III today.  The news is already full of reports about Leicester University's news conference so I won't labour over the specific details here.  However, I did write quite a lot about the Greyfriars archaeological project and how it captured my imagination last year, so it's only appropriate to mark the occasion at least.

Photo:  University Of Leicester

I am genuinely engaged by the historical aspects of all this, in an admittedly dilettante kind of way.  However, of equal interest is how Richard's story, in both life and death, has become such an exemplar of political propaganda, artistic interpretation, news management and public relations.  Never can the 'story' element of the word 'History' have been so significant.

Photo:  University Of Leicester

A quick skim through just a couple of today's newspapers reveals how various disputes still swirl around Richard.  In addition to the old goodie/baddie issue are now added questions, including...

• The scientific validity of the DNA results announced; How this will all impact on the historical account of the late medieval period;

• The high profile, populist promotion of the project by Leicester University and Leicester City Council, (and what it reveals about their own funding and regeneration agendas); 

• The most appropriate site for the skeleton's eventual re-interment;The role of the highly partisan Richard III Society and any resulting compromise of historical objectivity;

• The involvement of the media generally and how events may have been tailored to suit television and maximise news impact;

• The conflict between Academic rigour and populist amateurism;

• The advisability, (and affordability) of Leicester City Council's, (or possibly, Mayor Soulsby's), plans for a Richard III visitor centre.

Photo:  University Of Leicester

Anyway, it's all be very interesting on a numerous levels.  One point that particularly intrigues me is the confirmation that the human remains were actually discovered very early in the dig.  Having visited the site on a subsequent public open day and heard from site supervisor Matthew Morris that chances of finding Richard were pretty slim.  I must conclude that events certainly have been VERY carefully stage-managed and that Mr. Morris is a convincing actor as well as an accomplished archaeologist.

Richard III & The Greyfriars Project 4: The Burial Site

The Newly Filled Trench 3 

The archaeological activity at Greyfriars in Leicester seems to be winding down now after a final round of public access days.  A few days ago I visited the dig once more to view the actual site where human remains were found.  I also called in to Leicester’s lovely old guildhall nearby, to take another look at the small selection of artefacts recovered from the dig.

Inlaid Floor Tile From Greyfriars Church

Medieval Silver Penny From The Site

Inlaid Tile Fragments From The Site 

Copper Alloy Letters Possibly From Greyfriars Church Tombs 

Leicester Guildhall

The scope of the project was reduced somewhat as Trench 3, where evidence of Robert Herrick’s 17th Century garden were found, had already been filled in.  It was interesting to see how the other two trenches had been excavated further since my first visit, revealing, amongst other features, sections of possible stone benches from the friary chapter house.  The main features of interest had been simply but effectively labelled this time round and, once again, the guides provided clear information about what we were seeing and interesting insights into how the Greyfriars complex might have been used by its occupants.

Trench Two Now Showing Orientation
Of Cloister Passage Clearly

Remains Of Chapter House In Trench 1 

Remains Of Chapter House In Trench 1

Remains Of Probable Chapter House Bench In Trench 1

Various leaflets and information sheets were also available and included some colourful background about the relocation of Richard’s own bed from Nottingham Castle to Leicester’s Blue Boar Inn prior to the Battle of Bosworth.  Reputedly, it remained there afterwards, subsequently revealing a hoard of golden coins secreted in the base.  I wonder if this is an authenticated account or just more picturesque Ricardian folklore? There's also a suggestion the inn was originally known as The Silver Boar, (Richard's Emblem), and hurriedly renamed after his defeat.

The Burial Site

The Burial Site Adjacent To Victorian Foundations

Of course, the main attraction was the actual site where Richard III’s remains, (if it is indeed him), were found.  It’s striking just how near to later brick foundations the skeleton had lain and just how close it must have come to being destroyed or at least disturbed by their construction.  This was something specifically alluded to during my first visit as a reason why Richard’s discovery was unlikely and makes me speculate again if the archaeologists knew what they had even at that stage.  Either way, it seems the location of the corpse, - centrally within a prominent area of the church choir, certainly points to a high status burial, as might have been accorded a fallen monarch.

Silver Boar Badge Found At Bosworth Field

It’s been a local event of some significance and appears to have captured the imagination of Leicester's citizens and the global media alike in recent weeks.  Hopefully, the results of DNA analysis will put the matter beyond doubt conclusively before the year’s out.  I notice that there has already been some discussion in the local press about what should happen to the remains and even a suggestion of redeveloping the old burnt-out Friars Mills factory as a Richard III museum.  It wasn’t specified who would fund that.

Richard III & The Greyfriars Project 3: Human Remains Exhumed

I’ll admit to being fascinated by all the activity around the search for Richard III and the archaeological project at Greyfriars in Leicester.  My apologies to any regular readers of this blog who aren’t as captivated by the subject as I am.  If it’s occupying a lot of my posts - it’s because it’s occupying much of my headspace just now.  Perhaps it’s because it feels like a significant drama is unfolding in real time in my own back yard.

Anyway, this post is a rapid response, (well, as soon as I got home from work), to the latest breaking news.  As reported on the National media early this morning and in an official press conference at 11.00 am, remains of one male and one female human have been found on the site.  The full details can be gleaned from the Greyfriars Project website news updates but it seems that investigations have begun into an adult male skeleton with possible battlefield injuries and evidence of a spinal deformity.  A prolonged period of DNA tests is required before any conclusions will be reached but this is pretty exciting.

Archaeologist Matthew Morris At The Site Of The Burial With...Er, Security.
The Yellow Dot Marks The Skeleton's Position.  (Photo: Reuters/Darren Staples) 

Site Plan.  The Burial Is Shown In Trench 1 Adjacent To The Walking Place

I notice that the team applied for official permission to exhume human remains on Friday August 3Ist.  According to their updates, that’s only at the point that the Friary architecture was starting to emerge.  Perhaps it was simply a case of being prepared ‘just in case’ but I do wonder if the down-playing by team members of any likelihood of finding Richard at the public open day on Saturday, September 8th might have been a little disingenuous.  They could hardly be blamed for not wanting their project obscured by media frenzy but it does suggest they maybe knew more than they were letting on.  I guess one must also bear in mind the discretion and decorum necessary when any human remains are being exhumed.  Either way, it seems that information about Richard is probably still being as carefully managed as it was five centuries ago.

Today's Press Conference Held At Leicester Guildhall

Gripping stuff! 

Richard III & The Greyfriars Project 2: Public Open Day

I’ve already mentioned the current collaboration between Leicester University archaeologists and The Richard III Society in The Greyfriars Project, currently happening up the road from here.  As their news updates reveal, the project is already considered a success and has been extended for a third week.  They opened the site to the public this weekend so I strolled along to have a look.

I was pleased to see loads of folks there, even if it meant queuing.  The project has obviously captured the local public imagination, - revealing how clever it was to publicise it as a search for King Richard rather than just the Greyfriars Friary.  I was amused to see that the world of ‘merch’ has reached the archaeological fraternity with tee shirts and cheesy white Yorkist roses on sale, albeit with a fairly soft sell.

The archaeologists actually involved in the dig led the well-organised tour and, consequently, their commentary was knowledgeable and our questions received detailed answers.  As well as descriptions of what we were looking at in their trenches, there were interesting insights into the practical realities of carrying out such a dig in the heart of a city.  Whilst they enjoy fortunate free access to a council-owned space, it’s revealing that the only real value of the ‘geo-phys’, (beloved of Tony and The ‘Time Team’ Gang), was in showing the network of hidden drains and cables to be avoided.  In the event, the first trench just went in where it could and, luckily, struck just enough medieval masonry for a picture of the Friary’s ground plan to begin to emerge.

Sections of Corridor Walls In Trench 2

Impressions Of Floor Tiles In Trench 2

Fragment of Cloister Masonry In Trench 2

  

As usual, what to the layperson resembles a few ghost impressions in the earth and the odd architectural fragment provides the experts with a wealth of information.  As things stand, the shape and extent of the Friary Church is appearing with the more recent trenches revealing evidence of the chapter house and main body of the building.  Amongst the artefacts on display were fragments of a gothic window, (possibly from the east end of the Church), decorative tiles, coins of the period but no royal skeletons.

Fragments Of Chapter House Masonry In Trench 1

Window Fragments From East End of Church 

It seemed the prospect of finding Richard was less important to the archaeologists than the knowledge they’re gaining about the Friary itself.  His actual tomb might be located under neighbouring private property or have been destroyed by the excavation of cellars under adjacent  buildings.  The newest trench, in the currently unused plot next to the main site, has revealed evidence of Alderman Robert Herrick’s 17th Century garden where a memorial pillar to Richard once stood.  Most prosaically, he might even lie beneath the Victorian wall now separating the plots.

Trench 3 In Adjacent Plot, Containing Evidence of Herrick's Garden 

Their diffidence might be a defence against anticipated disappointment, evidence of differing agendas amongst the project partners or just of the role of the University's PR dept. in the whole process.  It’s possible that, whatever is added to the knowledge base, Richard III may remain a figure of folklore and imagination and his memory a tool for vested interests.

University Of Leicester

Richard III Society

I walked home from Greyfriars via Highcross Street.  Here once stood the Blue Boar Inn where Richard reputedly spent his last night before the Battle of Bosworth.  Amusingly, a Travelodge now occupies the site but a tidy little pub on the same street commemorates his name.

The Travelodge From Highcross Street

Richard III Stayed Here, (Sort Of)...

But Not Here