One More Week to Find King Richard III

Published September 10, 2012 | By CDoart

♕ Leicester News ♕

The Search for King Richard III extends for at least another week!

Richard Buckley, head archaeologist of the University of Leicester describes the success of the last two weeks:

There was an incredible turnout at the dig and the level of public interest in our work is phenomenal. I would like to thank the public for their generous support and it has provided huge motivation for us to continue our quest.

We are now tantalisingly close in our search and will investigate the choir where Richard is presumed to be buried. Whether we find Richard or not, this dig has been a huge success in terms of revealing the heritage of Leicester and I am proud that the University of Leicester has played a pivotal role in the telling of that story.

The success of the archaeological research already has been impressive and has convinced City Mayor Peter Soulsby to authorise the digging team to continue for at least another week.
Here a short overview of what they already found out:

The archaeological research

determined the location of the Franciscan friary

found the eastern cloister walk and chapter house

located the church within the friary

uncovered the lost garden of former Mayor of Leicester, Alderman Robert Herrick (who is reported to have still known the location of King Richard III’s burrial place in the early 17th century)

found medieval floor tiles from the cloister walk of the friary, window tracery, elements of the stained glass windows of the church, a mediaval silver penny and a stone frieze believed to be from the choir stalls.

won wide interest and support, so that 1.500 visitors stormed (in well ordered groups of visitors) the digging area in the three hours on opening day, Saturday 8th of September 2012, and wanted to know more about King Richard III.

The extended time period for the digging now enhances the chance to find King Richard III, as the choir of the Greyfriars’ church in Leicester is located and part of it already opened, as photos from the Opening Day last Saturday reveal:

Trench 3 at Leicester (Source: Richard III Society, shared on Facebook 09.09.12)

Site Map of the digging (Source: Richard III Society)

Site Map of the digging in Leicester (Source: Richard III Society, shared on Facebook 09.09.12)

King Richard III is believed to have been burried in the choir of the Greyfriars’ church.

Further good news is:

The digging is being filmed by Darlow Smithson Productions for a documentary to be shown on Channel 4 later this year!

More impressions and findings from the digging in Leicester:

A 14th-century inlaid floor tile from the church of the Greyfriars (Credit – University of Leicester)	Copper alloy letters found on the site, perhaps from tomb inscriptions (Credit – University of Leicester)	Stone Frieze which may be from the Choir stall. (Image credit – University of Leicester)
Medieval inlaid floor tiles from the friary (Credit – University of Leicester)	Architectural fragments from the friary buildings (Credit – University of Leicester)	Karen Ladniuk (Richard III Society) cleaning a path made from re-used medieval tiles (Credit – University of Leicester)
Medieval remains uncovered on site (Credit – University of Leicester)	Checking the trenches (Credit – University of Leicester)	Philippa Langley (Richard III Society) showing a group of visitors around the site at the public open day (Credit – University of Leicester)

More news about Leicester:

Report about the Opening Day, last Saturday, 8th of September 2012 at the website of the University of Leicester. They show exhibits of finds, the location and confirm that the digging will go on for another week!