Just when I'm sure it wasn't a weird throuple between Hugh, Eleanor and Edward, some weird detail pulls me back in. I mean, she was clothes shopping for him.
But it is probably nothing, am I right?
Unlike most European people of his day, including nobles, Edward II not only could swim, he enjoyed swimming for pleasure and exercise.
You can still visit the much changed shrine, which still exists and welcomes pilgrims even today.
Source: Kathryn Warner's blog
Image: Our Lady of Walsingham
Scholars over the centuries have speculated that Edward II was illiterate, but that is not so. He received the normal education of a young man of his class, and though there's no evidence he was a a particularly good student, there's no evidence that he was a bad one either. He did own a library of books, including books in Latin, and he was also known to borrow books from various theological libraries.
Two pounds was a lot of money at the time, and Edward would have been 13 when he and his tutors began using this book. Edward I and the tutors may have overspent on the book, as Edward II didn't grow up to know Latin well and as king famously asked for Latin documents to be translated into his native Anglo-French so he could read them. He was, however, interested in theology for most of his life. It may have just been that he wasn't great or quick at reading Latin, so he wisely used translators when it counted.
Source: Kathryn Warner's blog.
Image: Public domain Medieval Latin
Berkhamstead is less than six miles from what was Kings Langley Palace, Edward II's favorite residence and the place where he eventually buried his murdered friend Gaveston.
During the High Middle Ages, Berkhamsted was the seat of the earls and then the dukes of Cornwall, including Gaveston. It eventually became a favorite residence of Edward II and Isabella's grandson Edward, known as The Black Prince.
Contrary to popular mythology, Isabella was not kept at Berkhamsted or any other castle for the rest of her life, post-Mortimer. Her house arrest, which began at Berkhamsted, was short lived and she did not go mad. She eventually just settled into the life of a dowager queen and was well-treated by Edward III.
Image: Historic UK.