Medieval Women, An Elizabethan Murder and Where the Coolest in the Eighteenth Century Went to Drink Coffee...
Hope you had a lovely Easter holiday weekend! We spent some time in the sunshine in the garden and ate a lot of chocolate! So much has been happening over on the blog so I’d better get you up to date…
History
I shared the story of Margery de la Beche, who was one of the women of the de la Beche family better known nowadays as the Giants of Aldworth. Her story is both interesting and tragic; affected by war, grief and abduction. She lived in the fourteenth century and would have experienced the effects of the Black Death, too. Sadly no effigy for Margery survives, so it’s even more important we remember her story.
On the subject of the de la Beches, I found out about one of their castles, which has long been lost to history. Beaumys Castle, where Margery would have lived, was once near the River Loddon outside Reading, Berkshire. The reasons for its disappearance are unknown, but it was a ruin by the sixteenth century.
Staying with the Medieval period, I also had a look at Finsbury’s past as a centre for archery and the life of Beatrix of Portugal Countess of Arundel, a Lady of the Garter who spanned the reigns of Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI.
There were also some Tudor-related posts, one about Shakespeare’s final home New Place in Stratford-Upon-Avon and a terrible murder that was said to have been committed at Littlecote House near Hungerford by its owner, William Darrell.
If the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are more your thing, take a walk around the coffee houses of London during the era of Joshua Reynolds, Samuel Pepys and David Garrick. Meetings of minds, merchants and the odd threat of a brawl was fuelled by caffeine, cigars and steaks, and the usually fun-loving Charles II tried to have them shut down.
I also have to tell you about a brilliant and new history-related gift idea. Developed by history lovers, it’s called Treasure Clusters - a discovery kit that contains historical objects set in a solid block. You chip out the finds with the tools provided. What’s different about this one compared to other kits, is that every object is genuine and a real find dug out from the earth, there are no replicas. I’ve posted a more in-depth review on the blog, but basically you get the fun of ‘digging’ real artefacts, and you also don’t know what you’re going to get! We got finds from the Roman period to the early Twentieth Century. Do have a look and show them your support, I think it’s a great idea.
Sketching
Between commissions I’ve been doing a lot of sketching, and practicing portraits which is something new. I sketched Daenerys Targaryen and Wednesday Addams! I also drew St Laurence’s Church in Reading, a pointy-turreted castle, The Shambles in York and Church Lane in Ledbury. All these can be seen on my Instagram feed. I also painted Reading Abbey Church as it might have looked in around 1450. The site is now a ruin, some of it also built over by Victorian structures, but after some research I reckon my painting isn’t far off how Edward IV, Elizabeth Woodville and Anne Boleyn would have known it. You can read about the research and process here. There’s also a reel on my instagram which shows it being painted.
If you’re local to Reading and Caversham I have a couple of events coming up, if you can make them. There’s my house portrait workshop on the 26th April (I’ll bring some snacks and make you a cuppa!), and the Caversham Arts Trail where I’ll be at MadebyTamalia’s studio but I’ll confirm dates and times next month.
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to follow my adventures as they happen you can always find me on Facebook, Instagram or over on the blog. If there’s anything in particular you’d like to see me cover or investigate, or if you know of any good potential historic sketching sites then let me know! Stay well and see you in May! x