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York has designs on Richard III’s tomb – pictures

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Opinion

RIP, son of York. Could this be Richard's tomb? Images: the Richard III Society
RIP, son of York. Could this be Richard’s tomb? Images: the Richard III Society
Even if the campaign to bring Richard III back to York fails, the former king will be surrounded by memories of his favourite city. That is, if a new design for his tomb is accepted.

The Richard III Society has released these artist’s impressions of what the Plantagenet’s last resting place could look like. As things stand, if approved it would be placed in Leicester Cathedral despite calls for Richard to be interred at York Minster in accordance with his wishes.

But the society have included a couple of nods to his York connections. The 7ft-long, regal-sized monument would be made of magnesian limestone, the Minster’s building material.

The tomb would be made from the same stone as York Minster
The tomb would be made from the same stone as York Minster

richard-III-tomb3“The magnesian limestone represents Richard’s journey from darkness to light and also his important connections with Yorkshire and the city of York,” a spokesman for the Richard III Society said.

And the tomb would include Richard’s personal emblems among its decorations, including the white rose of York. The society says it has already raised £19,000 of the £30,000 cost of the memorial. The tomb was commissioned by the society’s Philippa Langley in February 2010, to mark the beginning of the Looking For Richard project which culminated in the discovery of his remains under a Leicester car park.

Meanwhile Leicester Cathedral authorities have already opened consultations on the royal reburial within its confines. But with an e-petition calling on the government to bring Richard III to York close to reaching 21,000 signatures as at February 13, they shouldn’t regard that decision as set in stone.