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 grave and reburial 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 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 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. Many of the editions and articles are now available online through the Ricardian Online website.
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.
Introductory Reading list.
Online Ricardian Resources
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 Web Content Manager, Katie Dungate confirming their wish to be added to the list and providing their Membership Number details. Please note that the mailing list is available to Society members only, and your contact details will not be provided to any third parties.
'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.'
Society Chairman.
Read full statement.
A series of talks will be held in Coventry 20-22 April: CELEBRATIONS, COMMUNITIES AND PERFORMANCES: Festival occasions in Coventry from the 15th to the 17th centuries and their legacy. Society members Lynda Pidgeon and Frederick Hepburn will be speakers. Lynda's paper is 'A Joyous Entry? Elizabeth Wydeviles visit to Coventry (Wednesday afternoon) and Fred's paper is 'The St Mary's Hall tapestry: some further thoughts' (Thursday morning). Expert talks on each day with the latest research into Coventry’s unique contribution including: medieval processions and performances, the Trinity and Drapers guilds, the royal city, musical instruments used in Coventry, ceremonial swords, the urban soundscape, Coventry during the Reformation, links between Shakespeare and Coventry and the European context. More …
UK members should have received their March Ricardian Bulletin by now or in the next day or so. The packages to overseas members are of course on their way. Unfortunately, there has been an issue with the new paper wrapping and in some cases, the top seam has not been properly sealed. So far there have been no reports of damage to the Bulletin itself to warrant a replacement. However, if any member does receive a damaged copy please email the relevant Bulletin representative to arrange a replacement. More …
We are delighted to announce May and June's Zoom presentations, As always, the events will be free to Society members.
Subject: Medieval Herald in Peace and War.
Speaker: David Fawcett
Time: 14:00 (GMT)
Date: Saturday 14 May 2022 more …
Subject: Herbert family of Raglan (Monmouthshire) and their role in the Wars of the Roses.
Speaker: Dr Matthew Ward
Time: 14:00 (GMT)
Date: Saturday 25 June 2022 more …
For some years the Bulletin has been despatched in a bio-degradable poly wrap but in the interests of the environment, we are pleased to announce we have switched to paper-wrapping which will be friendlier to the environment and which we hope will be approved by members.
There was an issue in the December mailing when a number of members did not receive the booking forms for Society events. With the March edition, the booking forms have been loosely inserted into the Bulletin which we trust will resolve the problem.
Finally, we had hoped to include in this edition the report of the Members' Survey conducted last summer. Unfortunately, this has not been possible but it will be sent out in June. Whilst online submissions were analysed by Survey Monkey, an online service tool, 31% (530) of the completed surveys were paper-based and had to be manually typed by Marlene Arnese, an immense task. The Society owes her a great debt of gratitude and we are sure the membership will show forbearance at this delay.
As always the Ricardian Bulletin Committee welcomes your feedback so after receiving and reading your March edition please feel free to contact your representatives, contact details on the back inside cover of the Bulletin.
Ricardian Bulletin Committee.
The schools conference sponsored by the Society and announced at our last AGM is now open for schools to register their interest in the event.
Schools Conference: Wars of the Roses
date: Tuesday 28 June 2022
Time: 9am - 3.30pm (GMT)
This conference is being provided at the request of teachers and is aimed at Year 12 students studying a 15th century option with an A level provider. More …
The Richard III Society is once again offering a prize of £200 for the best essay from sixth form students on a topic relevant to 'The Life and Times of Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard III) 1452-85'. There will be a second prize of £100 and a third prize of £50.
We are open to receiving entries in the format of NEAs, EPQs or closely similar, well-researched and referenced essays of between 3,000 and 5,000 words by a student under the age of 19. Essays may be submitted on any date up to and including 31st May 2022. more ….
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.
John Morton's will transcript
In the June 2019 issue of the Ricardian Bulletin Dr Betty Knott wrote about the will of Cardinal John Morton. This article originated from Philippa Langley's The Missing Princes Project.
Space restrictions meant we were unable to include the full will in both its Latin and English form. However, these are available online in Latin version and English translation, and on the website of The Missing Princes Project.
The Society’s long-awaited education website on the life and times of Richard III, entitled ‘Wars of the Roses’ is now live. The website has been developed by Iain Farrell, the Society’s Education Officer, with the support of the Society’s Research Officer, Joanna Laynesmith.
The content of the website has been guided by the needs of teachers and exam providers to develop in pupils and students the critical analysis of sources and differing interpretations to reach a considered view of events in the distant past. More …
• 14 May 2022: 'Medieval Herald in Peace and War' by David Fawcett on Zoom. More …
• 25 June 2022: 'Herbert family of Raglan (Monmouthshire) and their role in the Wars of the Roses' by Dr Matthew Ward on Zoom. More …
• 30 Sept 2022: Memorial Service for Dr Phil Stone - Leicester.
• 1 Oct 2022: Society AGM and Members' Day - Leicester.
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.