The Antiquary - Issue 3, October 2022 - printed copy. 28-page A5 magazine
Welcome to the May 2023 issue of The Antiquary. With the coronation of King Charles III now fast approaching, in fact it may well be all over by the time you get your copy of the magazine, I have decided to give you an issue that has a royal flavour to it. There are two articles on the history of the coronation itself - the first looks at the extraordinary elements of Catholic ceremonial and regalia within the ceremony, which survive the English Reformation. The second looks at the most extravagant and absurd coronation of them all - that of George IV (show above receiving his regalia) in 1821. Sticking with the royal theme, the first article in the issue looks at the history of the display of the royal arms in English churches, why they were displayed, and what the heraldry signifies. Lastly, for a bit of variety, on a recent visit to Norfolk I came across the story of the bizarre burial of a Norfolk gentleman - I thought I would share that with you. As well as that article, the article on the royal arms has a Norfolk bias to it, illustrated solely with examples from the county - but that just indicates what a rich source of treasures Norfolk is, I never tire of exploring its history and churches. I do hope you enjoy the issue.