RICHARD CROOKBACK, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, WHO BECAME
RICHARD III – CUMBRIA CONNECTION
Info from old article in Northwestern evening mail by historian A L Evans.
(Can’t confirm info but believe it to be correct)
•
Richard depended on northerners for support through much of his life.
Richard III society had branch in Cumbria
•
Stained glass windows of R in St Andrews church – sometimes have
bunch of white roses from R III society to commemorate anniversaries.
•
D of Gloucester Inn (on site of inn?) frequented by Richard.
•
At 18 R was Lord Warden of the western marches, charged with
defending border
•
Seat was Penrith castle, plus a suite of rooms in Carlisle castle in the
Tile Tower, flying White Boar standard
•
1000s of white boar standards flew at his coronation
Doggerel:
The Cat (Catesby)
The Rat (Ratcliffe)
And Lovell the dog (Lovell had dog on family crest)
Ruleth all England under one Hogge
(posted on St Paul’s in London by Colyngbourne who suffered terrible death
for treason)
•
R owned mines in Westmorland, also copper mines in Keswick &
brought over first of German miners
•
Ordered search for silver in lead districts for which he would receive
10%, no record of getting any.
•
Sought to borrow money from Abbot Furness soon after he’d been
proclaimed King 1483. Richard died Bosworth 1485 Q – was the
debt ever repaid?
EB