York MP backs Parliamentary motion for Richard III to be interred in Minster

8:27am Wednesday 13th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Kate Liptrot, kate.liptrot@thepress.co.uk

An artist’s impression of the Richard III Society’s proposed tomb An artist’s impression of the Richard III Society’s proposed tomb

YORK MP Hugh Bayley has backed a motion to inter the remains of Richard III in York Minster.

Following the announcement last week that the remains of a man buried under a carpark in Leicester were those of the Yorkist king, worldwide debate has been sparked over whether his final resting place should be in Leicester or York.

The Early Day Motion to formally request parliamentary debate has put forward by Bradford West MP George Galloway and states that as Richard had intended to be buried in a mausoleum at York Minster he “should be reburied in accordance with his last-known wishes”.

The motion was been signed by by four MPs, including Mr Bayley.

It says that Richard III was the last monarch of the House of York and grew up at Middleham Castle before stating: “In 1484 King Richard III initiated a college of 100 priests within the Minster of York on which work had started before his death... this was to have been a chantry dedicated to Our Lady, St George and St Ninian, to pray for his and his kindreds’ souls.

“King Richard III almost certainly intended to be buried in this mausoleum...the bones of King Richard III should be reburied in accordance with his last-known wishes and that in accordance with his wishes his remains should be interred in York Minster.”

But while a petition for the remains to be interred at York Minster had yesterday been signed by almost 20,000 people, a spokesman for the Minster said the cathedral believes his remains should stay in Leicester.

Council leaders across Yorkshire and the north-east have voiced their support that the remains should be brought to York.

Meanwhile, proposed designs have already been put forward by the Richard III Society for a tomb at Leicester Cathedral.

The design, which was was commissioned in September 2010, is for a rectangular magnesian limestone tomb costing about £28,000 to £30,000. It will feature a royal coat of arms inlaid in gold metal at the head, and a gold metal plaque and carved motto at the foot.

Magnesian limetone is the stone York Minster is built from and is intended to represent Richard III’s connections with York, a spokesman for the Richard III Society said.

Meanwhile, historian Chris Skidmore has called for Richard III to “lie in state” in York for three days before being buried in Leicester Cathedral.

Comments(19)

Pete the Brickie says...
8:40am Wed 13 Feb 13

Unless Mr Bayley is going to pay for the tomb and all the associated costs of getting the remains here without naming York Minster as his second home and claiming it on expenses, while he still has a single letter to answer from a constituant with a real problem who is still alive he should stop worrying about the feelings of one who died five centuries ago.

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Big Bad Wolf says...
8:47am Wed 13 Feb 13

Pete the Brickie wrote:
Unless Mr Bayley is going to pay for the tomb and all the associated costs of getting the remains here without naming York Minster as his second home and claiming it on expenses, while he still has a single letter to answer from a constituant with a real problem who is still alive he should stop worrying about the feelings of one who died five centuries ago.
Now that all the problems in the country are sorted and he has a bit of time on his hands I can see that it would make perfect sense to back this campaign.

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capt spaulding says...
9:16am Wed 13 Feb 13

I groaned when I read that Hugh had involved himself knowing his full expenses sheet would be extended.

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roskoboskovic says...
9:57am Wed 13 Feb 13

sick of this pathetic campaign.as wrongly implied by gration on look north the people of york are NOT clamouring for the bones return to york it is media driven and young schoolkids are now being drafted in to gain a bit of sympathy.with a paltry 20,000 signatures and that great publicity seeker bayley on board the campaign is doomed to failure.

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dodgydavereturns says...
10:15am Wed 13 Feb 13

Hugh Bayley, picking over the bones of an old carcass!

Who'd have thought?

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RingoStarr says...
11:24am Wed 13 Feb 13

roskoboskovic wrote:
sick of this pathetic campaign.as wrongly implied by gration on look north the people of york are NOT clamouring for the bones return to york it is media driven and young schoolkids are now being drafted in to gain a bit of sympathy.with a paltry 20,000 signatures and that great publicity seeker bayley on board the campaign is doomed to failure.
Eek! Eek! grumble grumble! Wos orl this about I dunno but I knows wot I think OK??

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eboracum99 says...
11:26am Wed 13 Feb 13

Hugh Bayley is like the Guardian newspaper - a different bandwagon every week! Go and boil your head Hugh and make us all happy or better still resign! - You cannot even get your constituents address correct despite being told numerous times - D'OH!

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ismoqed says...
11:55am Wed 13 Feb 13

Interesting! some Yorkist think his supposed last wishes should be respected and RIII returned to York but the minster doesn't want him as the Church has stiched up the deal for Leicester to keep him to aid their tourist revenue, taxpayers are concerned re the expense politicians scent publicity opportunties seems Richard is as contentious now as ever.

Of course one person so far silent could solve it all Come on your Majesty whatever his faults and /or crimes Richard was an anointed king how about burying him at the crowns expense in Westminster abbey along with his wife?

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ismoqed says...
11:59am Wed 13 Feb 13

sorry should have said alongside his wife as she is already there

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whitehorse says...
11:59am Wed 13 Feb 13

And one last time before I give it up- where is the actual documentary evidence stating that Richard wanted to be buried in York- other than the building or commisioning of a chantry chapel. It doesn't constitute a last wish. Lots of kings built lots of chantries- let's face it, they committed bigger sins! Henry V built a chantry to atone for his father's deposition of Richard II. Not sure he wanted to buried in there himself! I agree with the assertion stated by another post that this has become a media bandwagon.

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Old_Town_Leicester says...
12:25pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Well said whitehorse. The plan for a Chantry at York, is clutching at straws in terms of Richard's burial wishes.

By the way, Buckingham Palace was consulted about having Richard's remains placed at either Westminster or Windsor Castle. The Palace made it clear that Richard has been in Leicester for over 500 years and should remain there.

York Minster has commended the care of Richard III to Leicester.

The Queen wants Richard to remain in Leicester. Micheal Ibsen and his sister, Richard's direct descendants, wnat him to remain in Leicester. The Ministry of Justice has witten in law that he is to remain in Leicester. The Richard III Society have commissioned a tomb, to be placed in Leicester.

It really, really is time to give up and let Richard rest in peace...

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History buff says...
2:24pm Wed 13 Feb 13

As it been confirmed that both Ibsens support is reburial at Leiceseter or is it speculation.

If true then this campaign is over as Old Town Liecester is trying to say. If the above is wrong then its worth carrying on.

I think Liecester Cathedrals idea of a fitting monumant is a stone carved neo gothic parking meter.

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Woody G Mellor says...
3:35pm Wed 13 Feb 13

DEKKA wrote:
Woody G Mellor wrote:
DEKKA wrote:
the scum bag should be put back under the car park
Oh, you new him personally dd you?

Ignoramus.
and you think he wasn't?
I have no idea what he was like personally. Just like you don't.

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De Clifford says...
3:45pm Wed 13 Feb 13

It is fantastic that this piece of archaeology has inspired so much interest in the late fifteenth century. As people become more aware of this period of our history it may end the ridiculous Yorkshire v Lancashire rivalry, the majority of Yorkshire Barons were supportors of King Henry VI (The Duke of Lancaster). This meant that the majority of Yorkshire people were also Lancastrians because of their fuedal duties. The City of York had no real allegiance to the House of York, indeed throughout period known as the War of The Roses it supported the King ie Lancaster or York depending on who was winning at the time. As to Richard, both his father-in-law and uncle-in-law swapped sides on several occassions, ending up on the Lancastrian side, and he was forced to set up the Council in the North to administer what was effectively occupied territory. He is seen as a benevolent leader here in the north simply because his effective opposition, the northern barons, either lay in the graves of Towton, were exiles or were children. Richard may have wished to build a Chantry in York but we cannot know that he wished to be buried here as there is no extant testement to this.

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Firedrake says...
4:40pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Whitehorse and De Clifford are right: founding a chantry is not - in itself - evidence of a desire to be buried therein.

The prime source for the chantry intention is John Rous of Warwick - a contemporary of Richard's, certainly, but not regarded as entirely reliable. (In fact he was probably the first person to denigrate Richard, despite having been a staunch Yorkist prior to Bosworth!) Even so, there's no reason to doubt his assertion that Richard at least endowed a chantry in the Minster.

What I would love to know is the source of the claim, so often repeated in these posts, that six altars were actually installed and in use within this chantry. I'm not denying it per se - but if anyone can provide a primary source for it, please do so!

All the above is without prejudice as to where the bones end up.

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bob the builder says...
6:06pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Leicester or Westminster but not York... and wherever it is the Richard III Society should pay the cost, they funded the 'raising' him up, so they can fundraise to re-inter him.

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NoMorePlease says...
8:28pm Wed 13 Feb 13

whitehorse wrote:
And one last time before I give it up- where is the actual documentary evidence stating that Richard wanted to be buried in York- other than the building or commisioning of a chantry chapel. It doesn't constitute a last wish. Lots of kings built lots of chantries- let's face it, they committed bigger sins! Henry V built a chantry to atone for his father's deposition of Richard II. Not sure he wanted to buried in there himself! I agree with the assertion stated by another post that this has become a media bandwagon.
Exactly. Many have asked for the source for this but no one comes up with it. Just guesswork

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Paul Meoff says...
8:30pm Wed 13 Feb 13

"Meanwhile, historian Chris Skidmore has called for Richard III to “lie in state” in York for three days before being buried in Leicester Cathedral."

After 500 years surely he means he should lie in a state in York.

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ismoqed says...
9:39pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Interesting Comments De. Clifford indeed he was running the north on behalf of his brother and increasing his own territorial holdings but nevertheless he did look to the north for support esp when he brought northerners into positions of pwer to replace southerners after Buckingham's rebellion. This is actually quite rare in English history can you give me another example of southerners losing out to northerners?

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