Tewkesbury Battlefield Walk

On Saturday 4th May 1471, the “Wars of the Roses” came to a head at Tewkesbury. This was a clash between the 2 great houses of Lancaster and York, each fighting for the crown of England. On the Yorkist side stood King Edward the IV, a strong and determined man who had regained his throne only weeks earlier. Against him were the Lancastrians led in the field by Edward Prince of Wales, the teenage son of Henry the VI and Queen Margaret of Anjou, fighting to restore his father's cause and secure his own destiny as a future King of England.

The walk seeks to take you into the battlefield through the Lancastrian lines explaining the positioning of the Lancastrian forces and detailing their commanders and tactics. We will make our way to the front line of The Gaston Field and discuss the Yorkist advance to the field and their tactics developed to meet the Lancastrian threat. We will examine the “ambush” tactics employed by both sides before making our way back towards the town looking at how the topography influenced the rout that was to follow. Our walk will conclude at Tewkesbury Abbey where will discuss the events that occurred there and, in the town, following the Lancastrian defeat.

The walk lasts approximately 2 hours and covers a little under 2 miles on well-trodden paths.

Date and Time:

Sunday 21st June

10am

 

Starting Location:

Short stay car park in Gander Lane

 

Tickets:

£5

Limited numbers - 15 maximum