Stony Stratford’s Dark Royal Connection

In the spring of 1483, our quiet market town of Stony Stratford played witness to one of history’s most intriguing mysteries – a pivotal moment that would lead to the disappearance of a young king and his brother, forever known as ‘The Princes in the Tower’.

Following the death of Edward IV, his 12-year-old son and heir, Edward V, was traveling from Ludlow to London for his coronation. The young king’s journey took him through Stony Stratford, where he stayed at an inn on the High Street thought to be the Rose and Crown Inn on the High Street (now a residential house). It was here that his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (soon to become Richard III), intercepted the royal party.

What happened next reads like a medieval thriller. Richard arrested the young king’s escorts, Lord Rivers and Sir Richard Grey, on accusations of plotting against him. The arrests took place at dawn, likely causing quite a stir among the townspeople who watched armed men clash in their usually peaceful High Street. Both men were later executed at Pontefract Castle.

Edward V was then ‘escorted’ from Stony Stratford to London by his uncle – effectively a prisoner, though he wouldn’t have known it at the time. His younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, would soon join him in the Tower of London. The brothers were seen less and less frequently, until they disappeared from public view altogether.

The fate of the princes remains one of history's greatest mysteries. While Richard III is often blamed for their disappearance, no concrete evidence has ever been found. Their supposed remains, discovered in the Tower of London in 1674, are yet to be conclusively identified. Standing on Stony Stratford's High Street today, it's sobering to think that this was the last place the young Edward V was truly free. Our town witnessed the beginning of a chain of events that would change English history forever.

Spare a thought for the young king who passed through here on his final journey - a journey that began in our town and ended somewhere in the shadows of the Tower of London. Local legend says that Edward V stayed at The Rose and Crown Inn, though like many details of this dark tale, this can't be verified with absolute certainty. It's just another layer of mystery in a story that has captivated historians and amateur sleuths for over 500 years.

So next time someone tells you nothing exciting ever happens in Stony Stratford, remind them that our town played its part in one of British history's most enduring mysteries, The Princes in the Tower. Modern archaeological studies and historical research continue to unearth new theories about what truly happened to the princes, but the events that unfolded in our town that fateful spring morning remain a crucial piece of the puzzle. Some locals even claim that on quiet dawns, you can still hear the echoes of hoofbeats on the cobblestones, a ghostly reminder of that dramatic day.