Saturday, September 22, 2012

The grave of Richard III at Greyfriars, Leicester


This is the grave cut at Greyfriars in Leicester from which the body of Richard III - if it is Richard III, of course - was retrieved a couple of weeks ago. The little yellow disc marks the point where his head lay. And the red bricks just to the right of it are all the work of Victorian builders, showing just how close they came to destroying the skeleton.

And below is one of the photographs I took on the first Saturday of the dig. (It was not open to the public, but I was able to join the crowds peering in from the New Street entrance to the site.) Little did I know then that the digger opening the archaeologists' first trench was pretty much on the spot where the king lay.

Meanwhile I am left to reflect on the irony of Richard III, whose memory is tarnished by the suspicion that he arranged the murder of his two young nephews, being found under the car park of a social services department.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The terrible thing is that the poor man is going from the frying pan into a fire.
From the car park to becoming a tourist attraction for Leicester.
This is unthinkable.
Surely he is owed some decency and respect and his own wish to be buried in York Minster honoured.
Leicester, where he was betrayed and killed and whose people defiled his remains.
No thanks. A state funeral in York is the proper and only acceptible course.

Anonymous said...

I will be there in a bit over a week im tredding the ancesteral trail. I will pay my repects to the King of his time. Of course there should be nothing less than a royal funneral for King Richard111 who has informed the Queen? I know she would not alow bones of history of a King to go un-noticed well would she? No I dont think she would I love my royals. aany way isnt it awsome to see this historical time more should be made of it god bless you all