A couple of years back, I set off from London to Leicester to see the tomb of King Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England who died from wounds suffered at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

For those who came in late, King Richard’s mortal remains were found under a parking lot in 2012 on ground that had once been the Grey Friars Friary where Richard had been interred. Then came the dissolution of the monastaries and the Reformation and the King’s remains were lost until 2012.

When I got to Leicester, I found out that the cathedral (which is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours) was closed for renovations. See my blog post from 2022, “A Visit to Leicester but No Parking Lot King.”

I had been captivated by the story since the discovery of “the King in the parking lot.”

It Was Worth the Wait

The cathedral, seen above is, perhaps, not as grand as some I have visited. It is, however, a warm and welcoming place. The new tomb of King Richard is simple but elegant.

When the King laid in rest before his reinterment, this cloth covered the casket.

On the left, you see historic figures from his reign. On the right are important people who were involved in finding his remains and working to assure he was laid to rest in the cathedral. The fabrics used are beautiful and give an almost three dimensional feel to the figures. A docent told me that the depictions of the modern figures were true likenesses of them. She knew them all.

Stained Glass and Other Delights

Elephants Galore

I thought it a bit strange to see an elephant sculpture outside the Cathedral. Inside, I found more. It was all part of a fundraising campaign for a local hospice.

One final note for train travellers to Leicester. Their station restrooms are clean and safe.