As I’m sure you know, Lady Jane Grey is a character strongly associated with Bradgate Park, and as the recent TV mini-series shows, fascination with her life is as strong as ever. On February 12th, 1554, Lady Jane was executed on the orders of Queen Mary. On the anniversary of her execution, there will be a parade to mark the date at Bradgate Park: you can find details here: http:\/\/www.bradgatepark.org\/welcome\/latest news\/#!event_2018_02_12_1_250_1_Queen+of+Bradgate+-+Tulip+Procession<\/p>\n
In addition, one of the participants in my Winter workshop has written a poem on the subject of Lady Jane, and this seems like the perfect time to share it with you. Thank you to Angela Yates for writing and sending this, which might make readers think twice about visiting Bradgate after dark…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Poor Jane<\/strong><\/p>\n When nights are dark in Bradgate Park, the ghost of Lady Jane<\/p>\n From Hallgates through to Swithland Woods, goes haunting through the lanes<\/p>\n Behind the War Memorial she lies in wait at night In Bradgate House, where peacocks screech among the ruined walls \u2018I never wanted to be Queen\u2019, she cries, \u2018the truth must now be said \u2018Oh pity me,\u2019 she cries in grief, \u2018for my pathetic life The fallow deer that roam the park, on well-worn lanes and banks Then off she\u2019ll ride to see Old John, another wraith-like ghost Geologists and Scientists, when carrying out their checks And rangers who investigate the oak, the ash the birch To find her head has quite become a miserable obsession The moral of this story is to take your walks by day <\/p>\n Angela Yates<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As I’m sure you know, Lady Jane Grey is a character strongly associated with Bradgate Park, and as the recent TV mini-series shows, fascination with her life is as strong as ever. On February 12th, 1554, Lady Jane was executed on the orders of Queen Mary. On the anniversary of her execution, there will beRead more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":515,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"link","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[16,14,15],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-link","hentry","category-bradgate-park","category-poetry","tag-ghost","tag-lady-jane-grey","tag-old-john","post_format-post-format-link"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/515"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions\/60"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/poetinthepark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWhen lovers pass, their hands she grasps \u2013 the poor souls flee in fright<\/p>\n
\nShe paces, face translucent, pale, along the ancient hall<\/p>\n
\nMy parents\u2019 aspirations made me lose my pretty head.\u2019<\/p>\n
\nEight days I was a \u201cMajesty\u201d, eight months I was a wife.\u2019<\/p>\n
\nAre fearful every night that she will mount their trembling flanks<\/p>\n
\nAnd spectral tales will they exchange, to frighten each the most<\/p>\n
\nFeel bony, icy fingers touch their unsuspecting necks<\/p>\n
\nOccasionally glimpse poor Jane, as she makes her fruitless search<\/p>\n
\nJane knows that she has every right to take back her possession<\/p>\n
\nAnd don\u2019t end your days a victim \u2013 like her Ladyship, Jane Grey<\/p>\n