When I walked into St Mary’s Church in Barnard Castle a few weeks ago, for an event hosted by the Northern Dales Richard III Group, I wasn’t expecting to come away quite so inspired by history.
The speaker for the evening was Annie Garthwaite, the spotlight author born and raised in the North East of England, back on home territory to talk about her latest book ‘The King’s Mother’, the sequel to ‘Cecily’, her first novel with a historical heroine at the very core.
This new novel continues the story of Cecily Neville, Richard III’s mother, a woman of intelligence, political acumen, and determination. Cecily was a strategist in her own right, shaping opportunities for her family at a time when women were rarely remembered, or noted, for their influence.
Listening to Annie bring Cecily to life was a curious starter for me as to how many other female voices have been left out of the history books (turns out, quite a lot!). This new book is a fascinating intersection of Cecily and 3 other incredible women of the same period, and most likely close in terms of friends or acquaintances; Marguerite of Anjou, Margaret Beaufort, and Elizabeth Woodville.
Each of these women, like Cecily, showed courage, cunning, and sheer resilience in an era dominated by male power struggles. Hearing about them side by side made me reflect on how much richer and more human our understanding of history becomes when these women are given the space they deserve.
I was mystified when I arrived at the event and asked by Annie herself to put my hand in a soft bag to retrieve a badge. Each badge had a name assigned to it, but given I literally had no knowledge of this story (yes, I am a total ignoramus on much of the topic of History, much to my shame), or even much about Richard III (although that evening may have just started something…), at that point, I had no idea that the names referred to the main female characters of the story. As the evening progressed, Annie revealed the characters and backgrounds of each of the named women, a really lovely and inclusive touch from Annie.
My badge read Cecily, and I couldn’t have been happier. Cecily has become, in my mind, an inspiration for mothers everywhere, proof of the extraordinary lengths a mother will go to for her children… especially when royalty might be at stake!
I left with a copy of Annie’s first book, Cecily, ready to begin my own journey into her story. I can’t wait to see what unfolds across both novels and to explore this part of history that I’d never really paid attention to before.
As I mentioned, I’ve never considered myself much of a history enthusiast, until more recently. Like many, I am sure, I put that down to how history was taught in school, often focused on dates, battles, and exams, rather than the vivid human stories that make the past relatable.
Events like this remind me how history truly comes alive when it’s told through the eyes of people we’ve often overlooked; the women who influenced kings, brokered alliances, and shaped dynasties. Stories that definitely shouldn’t be swept into a dusty corner but brought into the light as they feel inspiring and deeply relevant even today.
So here I am, unexpectedly hooked on medieval history, all thanks to Cecily, Annie, and a little badge that made me smile.
(And my thanks also goes to a number of my writing group members who put up with my ignorance and ineptitude in this area, and their patience in enlightening me; although I am sure there is a bit of eye rolling that goes on behind closed doors…).
Joanna Long
Barnard Castle Writing Group 