News and Events

© Richard III Society - Leicestershire Branch
Richard III Society
Leicestershire Branch
THURSDAY MAY 16th 2024
Branch Annual General Meeting
All meetings are held at the Richard III Visitor Centre, 4A St. Martins, Leicester. LE1 5DB commencing at 7pm unless otherwise stated. Meetings are free to branch members, but visitors are requested to donate £3 towards the expenses of the meeting.

Programme of speakers 2023/24

The Leicestershire Branch of the Richard III Society presents
THURSDAY DECEMBER 14th 2023
A Meal at Taste Restaurant – A three course meal and coffee is booked for 7pm at 'Taste', Leicester College, Freemen’s Park Campus, Aylestone Road, Leicester. LE2 7LW.
THURSDAY MARCH 21st 2024
NO MEETINGS ARE HELD IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
THURSDAY APRIL 18th 2024
Why Maps Matter: Discovering Medieval Leicester and the Greyfriars Legacy Grahame Appleby will explain how we use maps to inform our understanding of a place and why the scheduling of Greyfriars preserves more than the original burial place of Richard III.
Further details can be obtained from the Branch Secretary (see Contact Page).
Browne’s Hospital, Stamford: Domus Dei The hospital was founded in 1475 by wool merchant William Browne and licensed as an almshouse in 1485 by Richard III. It is still an almshouse today and Anabel Morris will tell us about its lifespan of over 500 years.

Study Day

at the Richard III Visitor Centre, 4A St. Martins, Leicester LE1 5DB

from 09.50 until 16.30 - Registration begins at 09.20

Crown, Parliament and Treason

Saturday May 18th 2024

The programme will feature talks on

‘Faggots, Bats and Rebellion’ – Three Medieval Parliaments held in Leicester by Richard Smith, Leicestershire Branch Chair
Not all medieval parliaments met in Westminster but were held wherever the king decided. Richard explores the three 15th century Leicester Parliaments: 1414 (the Parliament of Fire and Faggots), 1426 (the Parliament of Bats), and 1450 (a Parliament held in Leicester against a background of rebellion). We consider some stories of corruption, an attempted impeachment, individuals who were self-seeking, feuding factions, religious dissent, and rebellious subjects which illustrate the decline of Lancastrian government before the outbreak of the ‘Wars of the Roses’.
All the Queen’s Jewels 1445-1548
by Dr. Nicola Tallis
The jewellery worn by queens was more than simply decoration. The jewels were an explicit display of wealth, majesty and authority. Queens often received gifts of jewels from those who wished to seek her favour or influence. Nicola will examine the various ways in which jewels were acquired and how they enabled queens to shape their identities as consort and to create images of power.
Treason and the Wars of the Roses
by Dr. Euan Roger
Betrayal, revenge and legitimacy. Treason was at the heart of some of the most violent events of the Wars of the Roses, used by both sides in the conflict to justify their actions, or bring down their enemies. In this talk discover how treason shaped the Wars of the Roses, from personal acts of betrayal to mass attainders.
Sealing the Deal: Royal Great Seals in the Middle Ages
by Dr. Paul Dryburgh
This talk will provide a general introduction to the vast collection of royal seals at The National Archives, with an emphasis on those of the period of the Wars of the Roses. During the Middle Ages, the attachment of an impression made by an engraved object in a soft substance, such as beeswax, was the primary method of authenticating and validating royal, personal and nstitutional will. Paul will look at materials, format and the wide range of iconography used on royal seals in this turbulent period.
Morning and afternoon refreshments are included in the price of £27 Own arrangements for lunch. Please apply for tickets and further details by May 1st 2024 to the Branch Secretary Sally Henshaw, 28 Lyncroft Leys, Scraptoft, Leicester. LE7 9UW. Telephone 0116 2433785 Email sallyoftarahill@gmail.com
Regrettably, we are unable to offer refunds for this event.