The Richard III Society
Promoting research into the life and times of Richard III since 1924
Patron: HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO
Richard III by Andrew Jamieson,
© Richard III Society.
Welcome to the website of the Richard III Society. We have been working since 1924 to secure a more balanced assessment of the king and to support research into his life and times. The rediscovery of his remains and their re-interment in Leicester Cathedral have raised the king’s profile and provided us with new opportunities to make the case for a reappraisal of his life and role in English history.
In the belief that many features of the traditional accounts of the character and career of Richard III are neither supported by sufficient evidence nor reasonably tenable, the Society aims to promote, in every possible way, research into the life and times of Richard III, and to secure a reassessment of the material relating to this period, and of the role of this monarch in English history.
"… the purpose—and indeed the strength—of the Richard III Society derives from the belief that the truth is more powerful than lies; a faith that even after all these centuries the truth is important. It is proof of our sense of civilised values that something as esoteric and as fragile as reputation is worth campaigning for." Our Patron - the present Richard, Duke of Gloucester. more …
Visit the membership section to learn more about how to join the Society. Membership starts from as little as £12 per year.
The Ricardian is the academic journal of the Richard III Society. Since 2002 it has been published as an annual journal. For more information click here.
Introductory Reading list.
The Society's shop contains books, postcards, prints and much much more. To see what is available to buy please view our catalogue.
The Barton Library contains hundreds of titles, both non-fiction and fiction that are available for members to borrow. For more information click here.
The Society has a Privacy Policy and you can view it here.
We will sometimes send out emails with the latest news, or information about events we think may be of interest to you. Any member wishing to join, or re-join, our mailing list should e-mail our Communications Manager, Amanda Geary. Please note that the mailing list is available to Society members only.
'A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with the University of Leicester regarding the appropriate use of the images of King Richard’s remains has been obtained. Following a meeting with the University on 29th July 2016 to discuss the use of images, Philippa and I are pleased to announce that the MoU between our two organisations has now been signed and is published here.'
Phil Stone, Society Chairman.
Read full statement.
It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death in America of Society Vice-President Jonathan Hayes.
An obituary and remembrance of Jonathan will appear in the June Bulletin. Meanwhile, we send our condolences to Susan and his family, as well as members of the American Branch, of which Jonathan was a former Chairman.
A full programme of events is being arranged from Friday 27 March - Sunday 29 March 2020 to mark the 5th anniversary of the re-interment of King Richard III. Further details of these events and how to book where required can be found here.
The Richard III Society have recently been made aware of two potential developments which are likely to impact on Bosworth Battlefield.
The first is a proposal to construct a large solar farm on land adjacent to the registered battlefield. Obviously anything that helps promote more renewable energy is to be welcomed, and as this is not actually on the battlefield there are no grounds on which to object. However, we have contacted Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to request that if this development goes ahead, then a proper archaeological survey is undertaken prior to work commencing. We have also requested adequate screening of the solar farm to limit its impact on the battlefield.
The second development is at Stoke Golding, where Tudor was crowned after the battle. This proposal would see six houses built behind The White Swan pub, a plan which would encroach onto the registered battlefield. As the area has already met its target for building new homes, and none of these proposed houses classify as 'affordable housing', the Society is against this development and have written to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.
Obviously, these applications do appear to be a worrying trend, coming just a year after the plans by Horiba Mira to build a driverless car test track on part of the registered battlefield were approved by the council. The Richard III Society hopes to work with our colleagues at the Battlefields Trust and the Henry Tudor Society over the coming year and beyond to try to prevent any further development of this important historic site.
The Richard III Society was delighted to hear that Buckingham Old Gaol museum has been successful in its fundraising efforts to secure the Richard III half angel coin which was recently discovered locally. The coin will now go on permanent public display at the museum.
The Society donated to the appeal and now looks forward to working with Buckingham Old Gaol museum on the coin's display.
Our Chairman, Dr Phil Stone, said: 'It's great news that the Richard III half angel coin has been purchased by Buckingham Old Gaol and that it will be displayed for all to see rather than going abroad. Coins of this nature and quality are very rare. This is a true triumph for history and heritage and members of the Richard III Society will all look forward to getting the chance to visit the museum when the coin goes on display. Well done Buckingham!' more …
8-14 September 2020, led by James Friedenthal.
The Croydon Group warmly invite all fellow Ricardians and friends to join us on our trip to Anjou. This is our third adventure and is once again arranged for us by PAX Travel, who will provide us with good local guides. more …
The result is a resounding vote in favour of the proposal that the Society becomes a Company Limited by Guarantee. In a turnout of 83.8%,
• 2,542 members voted for,
• 41 voted against and
• 79 didn't fill their papers.
Under the present Constitution, a two-thirds majority of the votes cast is required to carry the resolution. With 98.4% in favour, this was considerably more than the required two-thirds majority. There will, of course, be a discussion at the AGM of the result and where we go from here. In the meantime the Q&As compiled by the Constitution Working Party about the proposed changes can still be accessed here, with further questions answered here.
The members of the Executive Committee thank the membership for their expression of confidence.
Following discussions at the Society's AGM last year, the Executive Committee are delighted to announce the first in what we hope will be a series of plaques commemorating events in the life of King Richard. The Society has provided a plaque to be displayed on Bestwood Lodge in Nottingham, commemorating Richard's stay there in August 1485. The plaque was unveiled by our Chairman, Dr Phil Stone, on Monday 19th August.
See all What's New items.
Question: What took three years, untold amounts of grit and graft, and produced a glittering result?
Answer: Philippa Langley's quest for the lost grave of Richard III.
Many, including academics and archaeologists – not to mention the media – are still reeling from a success that can only be called stunning!
Philippa Langley next to the grave.
Philippa Langley knew King Richard III had been 'piteously slain' at Bosworth Field. And she knew the Franciscan Friars of Leicester had laid him to rest in a simple grave. But where to look? Was he still there? And would they let her try to find him?
On 25 August 2012 Philippa Langley's quest for the lost grave of Richard III finally came to fruition!
Find out more …
The Looking for Richard team have compiled some frequently asked questions about the project that found King Richard's final resting place in 2012.
Learn more about Philippa’s exciting new research project, and how you can help.
Read the Reburial Diary and Events held by the Society during the historic week in March 2015 and first anniversary in March 2016.
Updated versions of some of John's Powerpoint presentations are available on his web site where you can download them.
We are extremely disappointed that Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council have decided to take the very short-sighted decision to grant permission for Horiba Mira to build on part of the registered battlefield of Bosworth, putting financial concerns above the history and heritage of this country. We will be consulting with our friends and colleagues in the Battlefields Trust over the next few days to decide on our next course of action. In the meantime, we would like to express our gratitude to the many hundreds of people who have supported us in our campaign to save the battlefield. Thank you!
The open letter written to the Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council Planning Committee is available to view here.
Article on the will of Cardinal John Morton
The June issue of the Ricardian Bulletin includes an article by Dr Betty Knott on the will of Cardinal John Morton, based on her transcription and translation of his original Latin will. This article originated from Philippa Langley's The Missing Princes Project.
Space restrictions in the Bulletin meant we were unable to include with the article the full will in both its Latin and English form. However, as we stated in the Bulletin, these are being made available online both here (Latin version and English translation) and on the website of The Missing Princes Project.
The Ricardian Bulletin, the Society’s quarterly members’ magazine, publishes a number of historical articles in each issue. The current selection can be accessed here.
Please visit our 
page.
• 3 - 5 April: Annual Conference in Exeter "The South West during the Wars of the Roses"
• 22 - 23 August: Bosworth Medieval Festival
• 3 October: Society AGM and Member's Day - York
• 12 December: Christmas at Fotheringhay
Find out more about events organised by Society Branches and Groups in your local area and beyond.
The list of venues which offer discounted entry rates for holders of a Richard III Society membership card.