Richard III's chancel arch and boar badge
Spacious aisles and doorways, light-flooding windows and a chancel arch with the head of a king ! Richard Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, created St Mary's to be a stunning collegiate church in the late 15th century.
Barnard Castle is very proud of its association with Richard III and his boar badge forms part of the town coat-of-arms. Richard became Lord of Barnard Castle in 1474, aged 21, after marrying Warwick’s daughter, Anne. A number of extensive and stylish improvements were carried out in the castle during his lordship, including a stunning oriel window, crowned with his boar badge, overlooking the river Tees. Richard’s boar badge can be seen on several buildings including the castle and church –in fact, he put his mark on this town more than anywhere else in England!
“Richard to the Receivor of oure lordshippe of Barnardes … Forasmoche as we of oure grace especialle have yevene and graunted towardes the building of the Chruche of oure blissed lady within oure said lordshippe the summe of xl li.” 6th October 1483
Richard was a generous benefactor of St Mary’s both as Duke of Gloucester and as King, re-establishing the church to become a focus for worship, prayer and education, with residences for twelve priests at Amen Corner and possible further buildings on Newgate. The College’s foundational aim was to pray for King Edward IV and his queen Elizabeth; Duke Richard and his wife Anne; all their heirs; their ‘lady mother’, and late father Richard, Duke of York; their deceased brothers and sisters, and all the faithful departed. Hence the new chancel arch was designed to reflect the principal dedication: Richard’s brother Edward IV on the left, and Richard himself wearing a ducal coronet on the right. Richard’s boar also features on the exterior wall of the south transept where a new window was inserted during his lordship.
Whilst the College buildings appear to have been completed by 1485 – a new font was donated In the later C15th – Richard’s death at Bosworth put an end to its full legal establishment. St Mary’s was left to inherit a wider, taller and more open church, which was fully commemorated in 2024 by the Windows for the King project.
