Article on pages 18 - 19 of Dickon Independent issue 81

Tewkesbury Battlefield Walk

On Sunday 1 May Bill and I went to Tewkesbury Museum for the unveiling of Karen Sarkar’s painting “Melee: Tewkesbury, 4 May 1471" by the Mayor of Tewkesbury. Afterwards many of us crammed into a room upstairs to hear Steve Goodchild explain why the battle of Tewkesbury was fought, before taking us on a walk round the battlefield.

Before Steve began a member of the audience passed around a medieval German sallet from about 1460, another medieval helmet from slightly later with overlapping pieces to protect the neck, and a pole axe. He also had a genuine sword to show us. Both helmets were exceedingly heavy, as were the weapons. Further confirmation of how fit these knights were to wear armour and a helmet, then have the strength to wield those weapons.

Steve took us down an alley way, along Saffron Road and Swilgate Road, to Abbots Walk, the footpath behind the abbey. First stop was a memorial with four plaques on it about Tewkesbury. One says it was the site of Holme Castle, but that’s wrong. Another identifies the fields as The Vineyards, part of the battle site. The third plaque commemorates the purchase of the abbey by the town, when Henry VIII destroyed the monastery. The final plaque lists the royal charters granted to Tewkesbury. The view of the back of the abbey is magnificent.

The footpath then took us past the Gastons, now built over, where the Lancastrians camped. Off the footpath, down Abbots Road, and across the A38 to the field where the two armies clashed - Prince Edward’s coming from the Gastons and Edward IV coming from the south, from Tredington.

From there you can see the deer park (Tewkesbury Park) where Edward IV hid archers and Somerset tried to go for a flank attack. This failed due to Edward’s hidden archers. Somerset killed Lord Wenlock when he returned to the Lancastrian lines, for not coming to his support.

We went out onto Lincoln Green Lane next to walk to Bloody Meadow. The Lancastrians broke up after Wenlock was killed and were pursued to Bloody Meadow. It’s next to where the festival is held - re-enactors camp in it now.

Finally to Windmill Hill at the end of the council car park where Queen Margaret could have watched the battle. Holme Castle was built there - the remains were found under the council car park - it was a manor house rather than a castle, and home to the Earls of Gloucester. But most of it had gone by the time of the battle.

The walk took about two hours and cost £4 each but was well worth it. Steve explains the battle very well at each stop and you get to see Tewkesbury from the back streets.

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