Barbara Gaskell Denvil - Author

Citing exact proof is hard on Facebook. It would take so many pages. There is also logic. When it is documented that something strange happened, you automatically search for reasons. But I have always loved the late medieval period in England, have walked those roads, have gazed at the old buildings, and read every single thing applicable. I used to work for years in the British Museum Library - that helped a great deal. So much is available there which is shut to the public.
Late medieval England had a very different culture. Danger was very real and the nobility was so powerful, so was the church. Many nobles had much stronger armed backers than any king, and certainly did not just accept what the king told them.
The ordinary people had far less power, but the Commons did sit on the Council and could make themselves loudly heard. The idea that Richard III just snapped his fingers and everyone had to obey, is utter rubbish.
Loyalty was considered incredibly important - not only to the king - but to your ancestry. The vast majority of people believed totally in the truth and importance of the church, while still accepting they knew that priests often ran off to brothels, in some monasteries there was wild partying, nuns and monks played together, and meanwhile the bishops, abbots and archbishops could march around breaking the law and leading their own political plots.
This was an era of increasing trade and wealth, ambition and faith, including the acceptance of the inevitable corruption and battle.

Hello lovely friends out there. Here's me being boring again.
I am not any expert. I claim nothing.
But I have researched the late medieval period, especially in England but also some aspects in Europe, for around 70 years. Yes - absolutely true. And I have enough determination to keep going and make sure I got to the bottom of things and not just accept rumour and gossip.
If you want to accept some stories without research - then fair enough. But accept that you might be believing fantasies.
For instance, once King Edward IV died in April 1483, his in-laws made a concerted effort to take control of the country and some attempts were made to grab the new young king and rule through him. (Not unusual actually, happedned ofyen over years and various kings). Richard III, then Duke of Gloucester and the official Protector, Defender and Constable of all England, put a stop to these insurrections. So the dowager queen grabbed all her daughters and as much royal property as she could, and dashed into Sanctuary. Now Westminster Sanctuary as huge, a large area behind the Abbey, with an inn, many houses and other buildings. The queen promptly moved into the archbishop's house and settled in considerable comfort, staying there for quite some months.
This is well known and there has never been any doubt - it is totally documented.
So please don't imagine this fragile woman shivering in the freezing crypt.
Any questions?
What else isn't clear?
I'd love to answer (if I can) any questions concerning that time and the chaos that followed - or anything else.
I love your questions and thanks so much for reading my posts.

Thanks to all you lovely friends for your encouragement - so I'll cover a little more. My own considerable research into that period of history always made is obvious to me that the princes in the tower had never been murdered by the king. It made no sense. Their illegitimacy had been proved and accepted by the 3 houses of parliament - Nobility, Church and Commons, and was officially recognised. Folk were not idiots at that time and would not have just accepted one word, the way the Shakespeare play suggests. And we also have absolute proof that the usurper Henry VII once on the throne, quickly destroyed all previous documents and spread the rather silly rumour of the boys having been murdered. So we should believe it???? A midnight murder on two sons of a king, illegitimate or no, was ridiculous at that time. And no - they were never kept in dungeons - they slept in a comfortable apartment in the Tower with pages, staff and guards. Some idiot murder is impossible. And now we are facing virtual proof at last - please believe it. # # #

Oh dear - please forgive me. I know I'm boring and most of my lovely friends out there are not in the slightest interested in history.
But it fascinate me. The English late medieval is the period against which all my books are set.
It fascinates me.
I jst want to say how amazing these new discoveries are concerning the "princes in the tower" - and (thanks to Lee Blake for the great point) - I do so hope the new King Charles will agree to DNA tests being done on the bones once found under the tower stairs..
Although there is absolutely no possibility of anyone at that time being able to dig, unseen, beneath stairs, in order to bury bodies - the suspicion remains and needs to be proved one way or the other.
As for Elizbeth Woodville - sorry - she was never frightened while hiding in the Abbey cellar. While staying at Westminster Sanctuary, she and her family moved into the archbishop's home and lived extremely comfortably without a shred of fear.
She had already been plotting and planning with her brothers and sons long before Richard III (at that time the Protector and Constable) even arrived in London.
Not a nice woman, BTW. Years before while queen, when she had seen a very rich gentleman imprisoned and accused of crime, she claimed his entire fortune and property. He was then found entirely innocent, but the delightful queen refused to give back a single grain of the property she had confiscated. Charming. Now there's a man who might have been found shivering in a cellar.

History is so boring to so many of us, but I've always been a bit of a history fanatic. In particular I adore writing my novels set in late medieval England. One of the kings whole ruled at this time was the mysterious King Richard III. There are probably more lies, rumours and dark stories surrounding him than with any other English king before or after - but that just makes him more interesting.
The murder of the princes in the Tower has always been the worst suspicion, although it always made little sense to me.
Yes indeed - others have also been suspect - Margate Beaufort indeed - Henry VII himself - and so on.
But now - at long last - undeniable documentation has been discovered across Europe which absolutely exonerates King Richard.
No murders took place.
It may take some people a long time to accept this, but it is incontrovertible proof.
Fascinating.
What do you think ???

Life threatens to be so tragic at present and I can only be thankful that I do not live in Israel, Palestine or Ukraine, nor several other countries that are suffering terrible conditions.
But even here in the safetry of the West, apart from the cost of living, so many other threats abound from different communities with different beliefs.
Yet we are humanity - with insufficient intelligence and realisation of beauty and hope..
Why don't we give out happiness, understanding and kindness?
Why don't we obey all religions which ALL teach love?
Why don't we aim for peace everywhere and stop spreading threat and woe and hatred?
This country is NOT at war so why do some people try to start one.
Even those preaching imminent disaster, add to the disaster themselves by causing hurt, damage and destruction.
Please - spread happiness.
It works.

Happy Bonfire Night - Guy Fawks night - have fun # #

HAPPINESS
Do we still want it?
Love as well? Yet we seem to worship hatred and victimhood.
What would you all tell me please -
WHAT DOES HAPPINESS REALLY MEAN?

happy samhain to everyone
tHAT'S THE ORIGINAL OLD PAGAN NAME FOR 31ST oCTOBER) - AND NO PUMPKINS.
hAVE A LOVELY DAY

Wonderful NATIONAL CAT DAY today
Love to all cat owners.
Do you have pictures of your cats?

War is such a terrible thing.
What brings such hatred into our hearts?
We can hate for much small reasons - even politics provokes hatred.
Relicion of all kinds teaches LOVE.
So why do folk wage war over different religions/ Over different ideologies?
Even over various beliefs such as who we are and how to protect the world?
I love people. I am not a follower of any specific church, but I do adore the kindness, love and help we try to give each other. # #

I do strongly recommend the new JK Rowling - Robert Galbraith thriller in the Strike series.
I believe it is the best so far.
The characterisation is excellent, the writing is so good - and it is absolutely gripping from beginning to end.
I couldn't put it down.
Strongly recommended

hello lovely people.
It's a busy day today because today is the LAST DAY OF CURRY WEEK
It is also OCTOPUS DAY (sych an amazing creature and far too clever to eat)
And it seems also to be SMILE DAY.
How do we celebrate it all on the same day ????
TRY

The media loves to promote the negative drama.
But the world is still a wonderful place of opportunity. Nature blooms.
Warmer or cooler - beauty survives.
I ignored the news and watched 2 beautiful programmes on TV yesterday - a documentary on the recovery of birds of prey in Britain and how many species have been saved, re-introduced - and helped to thrive. It was so inspiring and beautiful.
Then later I watched the last part of LORD OF THE RINGS on film and rediscovered pure magic and the glory of talent and inspiration.
We all win in the end if we decide to.

NATURE IS WONDERFUL
AND SO ARE WE WHEN WE WANT TO BE

One year since the late queen's funeral

Yesterday was the anniversary of the Battle of Britain, but I missed it. So here goes - just one day late. I was born just after the war ended but remember the dreadful poverty with everything rationed. One egg a week seemed such a wonderful treat.
The world today is a thousand times better (except in Ukraine and some other sad countries) so this is to thank all those who helped win the WW2

The magic of Harry Potter changed the world of children for some years - but sadly - not for life.
The great joy of reading seems to have flown away yet again.
Perhaps we all feel too poor to buy them but they certainly come cheap with eBooks.
Do any of you have lovely children who still love reading books?

My book SUMMERFORF'S AUTUMN - Aas linked below - is out for sale on Audible today.
I think this particular narrator is so good - I really am impressed by his narration of my books.
Let me know what you think if you have a look.
Rain today - so it's actually autumn now at last

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sumerfords-Autumn-Audiobook/B0CFB85HMR?qid=1694507920&sr=1-2&ref=a_search_c3_lPro

Sorry to be boring about my own work - but I genuinely do love it. I love doing it and I won't ever publish until I'm satisfied.
Not that the author is ever the perfect critic of their own work - but here goers.
My gorgeous Historical Mystery - crime - romance book, Number 4 in the general series, is about to be published on Audible on Tuesday coming.
You have just 2 days to pre-order SUMMERFORD'S AUTUMN - and then sit back, close your eyes - and listen.
Then please do tell me if you love it.
https://www.audible.com/pd/Sumerfords-Autumn-Audiobook/B0CFB7ZW5D?qid=1694337575&sr=1-4&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_4&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-
90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=VF1VD5N40BZ5PJR4EGG2&pageLoadId=Zsu0KYAjq4os92KM&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c

8th September - it's the one year anniversary of our Queen's death. She was a remarkable and dedicated monarch and even those uninterested in royalty were highly impressed by her endless service. I like King Charles - better than the first 2 Charles - and although royalty has never effected me personally, I do adore history and the royal family has been such a large part of that since before 1066.

After a busy day yesterday, now I'm back to my writing.
Sweeps of memory, imagination and inspiration spin back into my life.
Fairies, witches and tigers leap through the window.
Well - that's better than the dull grey weather outside. My computer studio is sunny, ruled by my head.
I do wish you all a wonderful day

IT IS INTERNATIONAL DOGS DAY TODAY -

I also had a dog I miss now - Dodger was - and is - a darling.
Who has dogs they love? I'm sure there are many.

538 YEARS AGO TODAY, THE BATTLE OF BOSWORTH WAS FOUGHT.
IT WAS A BRILLIANT DAY OF HEAT AND ENDLESS SUNSHINE - ALSO OF GREAT COURAGE AND EVEN GREATER LOSS

In China and Vietnam, where we focus our work to end bear bile farming, over 12,000 bears – mainly moon bears but also others such as sun bears and brown bears – are held in captivity on farms and “milked” regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine. Usually twice every day.

Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages. In China, the cages are sometimes so small that the bears are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Some bears are put into cages as cubs and never leave them. They may grow too large to fit through the cage door or, as in the case of Franzi remain stunted and tiny because they simply have no room to grow. Bears may be kept caged like this for up to 30 years. This has a terrible effect on the physical and mental well-being.

The bile, which is stored in the gall bladder, is collected by means of various extraction methods, all of which cause massive infections in the bears. Most farmed bears are starved, dehydrated and suffering from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that not only contaminate their bile but ultimately kill them. Very few receive appropriate medication or any type of veterinary care. Animals Asia has also seen instances of old or very sick bears – those who fail to produce bile – simply left to starve to death in their cages.

Pathology reports have shown that bile from sick bears is often contaminated with, blood, pus, faeces, urine, bacteria and cancer cells."

I QUOTE HERE ON A CONDITION I FIND HEART RENDING. ANIMALS ASIA IS A CHARITY WHOSE WORK IS OUTSTANDING, AND THEY PROVIDE THE MOST GLORIOUS VIDEOS TO SHOW HOW THEY RESCUE THESE BEARS, AND HOW THE BEARS DISCOVER FREEDOM. THEIR REACIONS ARE AMAZING.
THIS IS A CHARITY TO WHICH I DONATE WITH THE GREATEST OF PLEASURE. I AM NOT ASKING ANYONE ELSE TO DONATE BUT THE SITUATION IS WORTH SHOWING HERE.
I NEVER SHOW CHARITIES ASKING FOR DONATIONS - THIS IS THE FIRST - AND LAST TIME i SHALL DO IT.
i PROMISE!
https://www.facebook.com/B.GaskellDen