-:Undertaker:-
22-03-2015, 11:56 AM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-31990721
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/11487607/Richard-III-has-a-reburial-fit-for-a-king.html
Final burial of King Richard III of England
A burial fit for a King! Found under a Leicester car park, he's our most maligned ruler. But in a five-day extravaganza, Britain will watch enthralled as Richard III is laid to rest
- Richard III to be reburied in Leicester more than five centuries after death
- The 562-year-old's remains were found under a car park in the town in 2012
- Media from 20 countries are heading to Leicester for the series of events
- Tomorrow his coffin will go on a seven hours 30 mile procession
- The King's coffin will then lay in state for three days before his burial
- Thousands of members of the public expected to line the route
- Royal Family to be represented by the Countess of Wessex
http://static.bbc.co.uk/history/img/ic/640/images/resources/people/king_richard_iii.jpg
King Richard III: the last English monarch to die on the battlefield
It will surely be one of the most unusual yet significant royal funerals in our country's long history.
More than 500 years after he was cut down on Bosworth field, Richard III - the last of the Plantagenet kings - will finally be laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral this week. Over the next six days his coffin will be taken past the scene of his death before being laid at the cathedral for public viewing, ahead of its re-internment on Friday.
The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, who will preside over the ceremony, said the re-burial will provide a unique opportunity for the country to reflect on its sometimes violent and turbulent past. "It's an opportunity to remind people of the extraordinary moment in English history the death of Richard III marks," said Bishop Stevens.
"It was a change of dynasty, an end of a period of violent civil war, the beginning of the period in which Shakespeare was to write his great tragedies, including Richard III, and a different way of governing the country. "That's an important point for all of us, whether we happen to be Christian observers or not." This week's events may go some way to compensating for the indignities of Richard's first burial.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/21/23/26E0857500000578-3005944-image-m-6_1426979937695.jpg
Crown jewels: Richard's newly made funeral crown, which will be laid to rest with his remains at Leicester Cathedral
His body was, after all, discovered beneath a municipal car park in Leicester, long after most archaeologists had given up any hope of finding his remains - and only then because of the tireless campaign by Philippa Langley, secretary of the Scottish Branch of the Richard III Society, for a dig to be conducted at the site.
Worse still, close examination of his tomb - found when the ruins of an old monastery were unearthed in August 2012 - revealed that his original burial had been a hasty affair. Contemporary accounts, written shortly after the battle of Bosworth in August 1485, told how the king's remains were buried like a pauper's, "without pompe or solemne funeral" at Greyfriars Monastery.
Richard’s body was laid on show to the public for three days, to prove beyond doubt that he had been killed, before being buried in a manner and place that would attract as little attention as possible. His defeat had put an end to the blood War of the Roses and Henry Tudor, now Henry VII, was anxious to leave Leicester and consolidate his new status as King. Sunday, however, will see the start of a more fitting final journey for one of England's most notorious monarchs.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/21/23/26E0858F00000578-3005944-image-a-21_1426980993102.jpg
The new Tomb of King Richard III and the remodelled cathedral which cost £2.5m
Richard's skeletal remains will be placed in a lead-lined oak coffin at the University of Leicester on Sunday morning, giving the public their first opportunity to view it, before being taken to the city's Cathedral along a 20 mile route past some of the most significant locations of his final days. These will include Fenn Lane Farm, the closest place to where he died, where a brief ceremony will be led by the Revd Hilary Surridge. Here soil from three significant locations in Richard's life, including Fenn Lane, will be mixed together for burial with him later. The cortège will also pause at the 'battlefield church' at the village of Sutton Cheney, before stopping at Bosworth itself, where Bishop Stevens will lead a brief ceremony at the battle heritage centre.
Richard's coffin will then travel through the towns and villages of Market Bosworth, Newbold Verdon and Desford, before being welcomed at Leicester's medieval boundary by the city's Lord Mayor and Gild of Freemen. After passing through the city on a horse drawn hearse the coffin will arrive at the cathedral - past a new statue of Richard, sword in hand - for the medieval Service of Compline, marking the end of the working day, at which Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, will preach the sermon.
The coffin, covered with a specially commissioned pall telling his story, will lie at rest in the cathedral for five days, allowing the public an opportunity to view it and, in the words of the organisers, "pay their respects to this one-time King of England". On Thursday the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will lead the service of re-internment, accompanied by representatives from other Christian denominations and the major world faiths. Among the congregation will also be Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.
The reburial will see prayers said in memory of both Richard and of all who died at Bosworth and in other conflicts, and his soul will be commended afresh to God’s judgement. The service will culminate with the coffin being lowered below ground into the specially designed tomb of Yorkshire Swaledale stone. Overnight a stone top marking the sealing off of the grave-space will be lowered into place. Inscribed with a cross, it will face towards the Cathedral’s magnificent east window depicting Christ the King coming in victory.
The next day the tomb will be revealed to the public for the first time, at a service the cathedral describes as being one of both remembrance and celebration of the future.
A lot of money (in the millions) has been spent so it should be good to watch take place. I looked into going but it is getting there and back which is awkward, as it'll be a once in a lifetime sort of event. Disappointed with the non-Gothic and unEnglish design of the tomb as well as the fact that no senior members of the Royal Family are going to be there. Still, it's better than nothing.
Thoughts?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/11487607/Richard-III-has-a-reburial-fit-for-a-king.html
Final burial of King Richard III of England
A burial fit for a King! Found under a Leicester car park, he's our most maligned ruler. But in a five-day extravaganza, Britain will watch enthralled as Richard III is laid to rest
- Richard III to be reburied in Leicester more than five centuries after death
- The 562-year-old's remains were found under a car park in the town in 2012
- Media from 20 countries are heading to Leicester for the series of events
- Tomorrow his coffin will go on a seven hours 30 mile procession
- The King's coffin will then lay in state for three days before his burial
- Thousands of members of the public expected to line the route
- Royal Family to be represented by the Countess of Wessex
http://static.bbc.co.uk/history/img/ic/640/images/resources/people/king_richard_iii.jpg
King Richard III: the last English monarch to die on the battlefield
It will surely be one of the most unusual yet significant royal funerals in our country's long history.
More than 500 years after he was cut down on Bosworth field, Richard III - the last of the Plantagenet kings - will finally be laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral this week. Over the next six days his coffin will be taken past the scene of his death before being laid at the cathedral for public viewing, ahead of its re-internment on Friday.
The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, who will preside over the ceremony, said the re-burial will provide a unique opportunity for the country to reflect on its sometimes violent and turbulent past. "It's an opportunity to remind people of the extraordinary moment in English history the death of Richard III marks," said Bishop Stevens.
"It was a change of dynasty, an end of a period of violent civil war, the beginning of the period in which Shakespeare was to write his great tragedies, including Richard III, and a different way of governing the country. "That's an important point for all of us, whether we happen to be Christian observers or not." This week's events may go some way to compensating for the indignities of Richard's first burial.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/21/23/26E0857500000578-3005944-image-m-6_1426979937695.jpg
Crown jewels: Richard's newly made funeral crown, which will be laid to rest with his remains at Leicester Cathedral
His body was, after all, discovered beneath a municipal car park in Leicester, long after most archaeologists had given up any hope of finding his remains - and only then because of the tireless campaign by Philippa Langley, secretary of the Scottish Branch of the Richard III Society, for a dig to be conducted at the site.
Worse still, close examination of his tomb - found when the ruins of an old monastery were unearthed in August 2012 - revealed that his original burial had been a hasty affair. Contemporary accounts, written shortly after the battle of Bosworth in August 1485, told how the king's remains were buried like a pauper's, "without pompe or solemne funeral" at Greyfriars Monastery.
Richard’s body was laid on show to the public for three days, to prove beyond doubt that he had been killed, before being buried in a manner and place that would attract as little attention as possible. His defeat had put an end to the blood War of the Roses and Henry Tudor, now Henry VII, was anxious to leave Leicester and consolidate his new status as King. Sunday, however, will see the start of a more fitting final journey for one of England's most notorious monarchs.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/21/23/26E0858F00000578-3005944-image-a-21_1426980993102.jpg
The new Tomb of King Richard III and the remodelled cathedral which cost £2.5m
Richard's skeletal remains will be placed in a lead-lined oak coffin at the University of Leicester on Sunday morning, giving the public their first opportunity to view it, before being taken to the city's Cathedral along a 20 mile route past some of the most significant locations of his final days. These will include Fenn Lane Farm, the closest place to where he died, where a brief ceremony will be led by the Revd Hilary Surridge. Here soil from three significant locations in Richard's life, including Fenn Lane, will be mixed together for burial with him later. The cortège will also pause at the 'battlefield church' at the village of Sutton Cheney, before stopping at Bosworth itself, where Bishop Stevens will lead a brief ceremony at the battle heritage centre.
Richard's coffin will then travel through the towns and villages of Market Bosworth, Newbold Verdon and Desford, before being welcomed at Leicester's medieval boundary by the city's Lord Mayor and Gild of Freemen. After passing through the city on a horse drawn hearse the coffin will arrive at the cathedral - past a new statue of Richard, sword in hand - for the medieval Service of Compline, marking the end of the working day, at which Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, will preach the sermon.
The coffin, covered with a specially commissioned pall telling his story, will lie at rest in the cathedral for five days, allowing the public an opportunity to view it and, in the words of the organisers, "pay their respects to this one-time King of England". On Thursday the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will lead the service of re-internment, accompanied by representatives from other Christian denominations and the major world faiths. Among the congregation will also be Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.
The reburial will see prayers said in memory of both Richard and of all who died at Bosworth and in other conflicts, and his soul will be commended afresh to God’s judgement. The service will culminate with the coffin being lowered below ground into the specially designed tomb of Yorkshire Swaledale stone. Overnight a stone top marking the sealing off of the grave-space will be lowered into place. Inscribed with a cross, it will face towards the Cathedral’s magnificent east window depicting Christ the King coming in victory.
The next day the tomb will be revealed to the public for the first time, at a service the cathedral describes as being one of both remembrance and celebration of the future.
A lot of money (in the millions) has been spent so it should be good to watch take place. I looked into going but it is getting there and back which is awkward, as it'll be a once in a lifetime sort of event. Disappointed with the non-Gothic and unEnglish design of the tomb as well as the fact that no senior members of the Royal Family are going to be there. Still, it's better than nothing.
Thoughts?