Bradgate Park in spotlight

JUST where did Lady Jane Grey live?

It has been usually thought that the ruins of Bradgate house in Leicestershire was the home of lady Jane Grey to ‘nine days’ queen of England, but recently archaeological evidence had thrown that belief into doubt.

Once again, Loughborough Archaeological and

Historical Society played host to Peter Liddle one of the archaeologists responsible alongside Leicester University staff and students for a five year project on the site of the house.

In an informative and beautifully illustrated lecture at Charnwood Museum, Peter explained the findings this work has revealed. The site had been redeveloped during the sixteenth century by the Grey family.

Early finds recovered by the archaeologists suggested that an older house may have continued to exist there until the mid-sixteenth century and would thus have been Lady Jane’s home. This raised the possibility that she did not live to see the construction of the house, the remains of which we see today.

However, results from the final year of the dig conducted during 2019 suggested otherwise. It seems possible now that the ‘new house’ existed during Lady Jane’s life time and thus modern archaeological work seems to have so far confirmed previous suppositions about the young queen’s childhood.

The society’s next lecture will follow the society’s AGM, taking place on Thursday, March 12, 7.30pm at Charnwood Museum, when Professor Martyn Bennett, president and chair of the society, will talk upon: “Accustomed prophanation… kidnap, womanly valour and propaganda? Loughborough September 1644.”

All welcome: Free to members of the society, £5 for visitors.

The society’s Annual Ian Keil Lecture will take place on April 21, when Professor Kate Williams will present a lecture on Mary Queen of Scots.

Details are available on the society’s website: www. oughboroughpastandpresent. org/events.htm