One of Leicester’s best known legends, first published by the cartographer John Speed in 1611, tells the story of King Richard III catching his spur against a stone of Bow Bridge on his exit from Leicester shortly before his fateful demise at Bosworth Field on 22nd August 1485. An old woman is supposed to have prophesied that he would strike his head against the same stone on his return after his death. It is said that he did!
The story goes on to say that after the destruction of the Grey Friars following the Dissolution, Richard was dug up and thrown into the river near this spot.
We now know this to be false since The King’s remains were discovered in September 2012 on the site of the Priory.
The present Bridge was built in 1862 and was designed as a memorial to Richard and there is a statue of the King in nearby Castle Gardens.
Richard was given a final resting place in Leicester Cathedral on 26th March 2015.
Parking in RIII Rd or Bath Lane (limited)
(See also GC4K93X - The Friars and the Royal Bones, GC4Y555 - The Grey Friars, GC4Y98D - The Newarke Gateway, and GC5MCNH - The King is Dead, Long Live the King.
++++++Congratulations to Sixxdog_UK & Nikki6 for FTF & ratcliffe for STF.++++++