Richard the Third

[Anna]

There's always one, isn't there? Thinks himself clever, but just is boring.

[Mandryka]

Right Bryn, let us make an Executive Decision. Richard III was of the North, Northampton is, I presume, signposted on the MI as The North as Romans would understand. Deed done!
Oh really, does it matter, as long as he is laid to rest in a more comfortable place than a Council carpark. Northants definitely probably needs more tourists than York .... Should we consider how the UK economy will benefit county by county as to where the remains are reinterred?
Perhaps, now this is a novel idea, his remains should be paraded through the land, like St. Edmund or Ste. Therese of Lisieux was recently?
Now, here's the thing, this is the thing, we've got the bones, let's capitalise on the bones, yah? And the Richard III society, wouldn't they pay a lot to actually, sort of, collapse in front of a glass case, and the Prices in the Tower Society (even though their parents marriage was declared invalid and they were branded as illegitimate and had no right to the succession) well, they'd love to spit on the glass case.
Sorry, imagination run away with me!!

Northampton is in the EAST MIDLANDS.

[french frank]

Unless they have quietly moved Watford north of it, Northampton most certainly is in The North, as any true Lunnonner will surely assert.

Isn't Leicester further north?

[Bryn]

Indeed, but The North start north of Watford.

[Anna]

I am so sorry I mentioned Northamptonshire.
I confess (this is my first confession since today when I obviously maligned Watford as being East of the Gap on the M25)
I accept three Hail Marys, a Novena and, probably, a hairshirt, or suitable designer garment of your choice and will retire.

[ahinton]

I am so sorry I mentioned Northamptonshire.
I confess (this is my first confession since today when I obviously maligned Watford as being East of the Gap on the M25)
I accept three Hail Marys, a Novena and, probably, a hairshirt, or suitable designer garment of your choice and will retire.

Worse still, you could award yourself a return journey from Milford Haven to Anglesey on Arriva Trains Wales...

[Nick Armstrong]

There's always one, isn't there? Thinks himself clever, but just is boring.

More than one, usually!!

[Mr Pee]

I think poor King Richard has more than atoned for any alleged mis-deeds during his brief reign by spending the last 500 years North of Watford.

I say, let his final resting place be one of civilisation and culture, where people can speak properly. We have a wonderful Cathedral here in Chichester that would suit him admirably.

[Flosshilde]

The role of the Richard III society in this is interesting, & wasn't fully explored in the Channel 4 democracy (not surprisingly); Philippa Langley would appear to have had a sudden revelation in the car park that he was burried under the spot marked with an R - in reality she is "currently writing a film script about the real Richard III, [and] inaugurated the quest for King Richard's lost grave as part of her ongoing research into history's most controversial monarch." (Richard III Society website - http://www.richardiii.net/leicester_...m.php#philippa).

As the website says, The Richard III Society may, at first glance, appear to be an extraordinary phenomenon - a society dedicated to reclaiming the reputation of a king of England who died over 500 years ago and who reigned for little more than two years. There are other maligned monarchs - Macbeth, for example, who had a much longer reign than Richard III, & was portrayed as a monster in Shakespeare's play, for much the same reasons as Richard III was, but has attracted no campaign to re-habilitate him.

[secret squirrel]

As he was also Duke of York.

I think (but I could be mistaken) that he was never Duke of York, but rather that he was Duke of Gloucester who hailed from the House of York. I suppose a little bit like Prince William is "Prince William of [the House of] Wales", but who has the title of the Duke of Cambridge.

Frankly it is probably in here somewhere: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_III_of_England but I didn't have the time to read it all!

As for his final resting place? Law of the Land says nearest consecrated ground (Leicester Cathedral) but how about a 500-1 shot at St Benet Paul's Wharf in London being the the College of Arms' official church?

Until I got some way through the above Wiki entry, I was not aware that RIII founded it in 1484 - a legacy indeed if heraldry is your bag!

[BBMmk2]

I still say York be the best place!

[secret squirrel]

I don't see why he couldn't be laid to rest there either, but as many others have pointed out and in no particular order here are some spanners looking for some overdue work:
Law of the Land [nearest consecrated ground]
a Catholic Rite [so no Anglican church / cathedral, then]
why not with his Consort / family in W Abbey / Gt George's Windsor (see above)?
should it not be a State funeral [even though he's been laid to rest once already?]

It is all actually quite tricky and there will never be consensus as this is quite a big mystery that's been solved and everyone now wants their piece of it / him - all for very good reasons, I hasten to add.

How about the simple 'rainbow' test? If it's York for Yellow in the rhyme, then York it ought (not must) to be!

Oh, and one other thing - why when laying out his bones did they put his hands 'palm up' with the thumbs on the outside? Just asking / curious to see if that is the 'done thing' and if so, why...

[Bryn]

I think (but I could be mistaken) that he was never Duke of York, but rather that he was Duke of Gloucester who hailed from the House of York.

I think you have it there. I had assumed that he had inherited the title from his father, but it would appear he did in fact remain Gloucester and did not become a Duke of York. The fourth such was Edward IV, and the Fifth was Richard, the younger of the two Princes in Tower.

[MrGongGong]

I still say York be the best place!

It's fine by me

http://www.yorkbeerandwineshop.co.uk/beershop%20Site/contents.html

(Adnams Broadside this evening)

[Mr Pee]

It's fine by me

http://www.yorkbeerandwineshop.co.uk/beershop%20Site/contents.html

(Adnams Broadside this evening)

Next time I am in York, whenever that may be, I shall certainly visit that emporium, Mr.GG.

And my compliments on your choice of ale this evening.

(That's probably put you right off it, hasn't it?? )