Middleham,Penrith and Sherriff Hutton

2017-03-19 16:21:43

ricard1an

An article in the Worcestershire Branch magazine had some information that I may have missed previously. Apparently Richard was only given Middleham,Penrith and Sherriff Hutton for the lifetime of George Duke of Bedford and his descendants. George died childless on 4th of May 1483. Philippa and Michael Jones reported this in " The Search for Richard III". One of the members of the Worcestershire Branch, has done some further research and reports that Michael Hicks says that when George Neville died this left Richad between a rock and a hard place.(Richard III as Duke of Gloucester: A Study in Character Borthwick Papers no 70 page 30. It is also in Caroline Halstead's Richard III Volume 1 pages 303-304.

I was always under the impression that Richard inherited Middleham through Anne, however thinking about it it was her mother's lands that she inherited and the Neville lands would have gone to George who was John Neville, Lord Montague's son. Annette Carson also reports this in "Maligned King" so I must have read it previously but forgotten it.

Does anyone have any further info?

Mary

Re: Middleham,Penrith and Sherriff Hutton

2017-03-19 17:28:04

ricard1an

Have just found my Caroline Halsted. She says that there is a document extant (Rot. Parl. vol vi page 24) which " is a pleasing example of the nature of that influence that he (Richard) possessed over the king and the manner in which he exercised it, to soften his royal brother's revengeful spirit and to preserve for the male line of the house of Neville a remnant at least of that vast inheritance which had been by the attainder of their race alienated from them". Apparently Edward had intended to have attainted John Neville and his heirs for ever but at the request of his "dear brother Richard Duke of Gloucester and other lords of his blood,spareth and will no further proceed in that behalf" Richard and his heirs were to hold the lands as long as there was a male heir alive in Richard's lifetime but if that male heir should die without issue, then he could not pass them on to his heirs. Michael Hicks says that they would then pass to Richard Neville Lord Latimer, though Halstead does not mention this.
Mary

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