THE confirmation that the bones buried in a car park in Leicester were those of King Richard III, killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, serves to remind us of the links this crucial part of our national history has with this area.

The mother of Henry Tudor, who went on to defeat King Richard, was Margaret Countess of Richmond; she was one of the most powerful people of the time and following her death in 1509 was buried in Westminster Abbey; her parents the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort lived at Wimborne and are buried in the Minster.

Margaret clearly had close links with the area and by her will founded Wimborne Grammar School in 1511 which became Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in 1562 until it moved to the new Queen Elizabeth Comprehensive School at Pamphill Historians will no doubt now wish to reassess the reputation of King Richard III in the light of confirmation of his remains being discovered, but what I think is beyond doubt is that Margaret, Countess of Richmond played a key role in supporting her son Henry Tudor to challenge Richard to be the rightful king of this country, a matter which was decided at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. Henry Tudor, as King Henry V11 ruled England until 1509.

In 1496 Henry visited Christchurch Priory and it is not beyond the stretch of imagination to think that he might have gone a bit further and visited Wimborne Minister. And if he did, would he have gone along the forerunner of Castle Lane to reach Wimborne from Christchurch? That is something we will never know!

GORDON CANN, Craigmoor Avenue, Bournemouth