Towton Battlefield Trail

Good Friday dawned quite dull but by lunchtime it had brightened up so we decided to take Archie for a wander. Towton Battlefield is about six miles away from where we live, there isn't much there apart from the information boards, but it's a nice walk. I wrote about it in my A History Tour In Four Parts post back in 2013.

The Battle of Towton took place during a snow storm on Palm Sunday, the 29th of March 1461, during the Wars of the Roses and it was probably the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. Approximately 50,000 soldiers were involved in the battle and it brought about a change of monarch with Edward IV displacing Henry VI, establishing the House of York on the English throne.

A memorial cross, known as Dacre's Cross, stands by the side of the road.

A wreath had been laid just a few days prior to our visit commemorating the anniversary of the battle which had taken place 570 years earlier.

The start of the trail. 

There's well positioned information boards along the trail.

The information boards give a good insight into the history of the battle and other interesting facts.

This area is known as Bloody Meadow. Up to 28,000 men lost their lives during the battle.

The weapons of the time were very different from those used today, though still really quite gruesome.

Artefacts from the battle have been recovered over the years.

Even through it had brightened up, a bitterly cold wind was blowing so we didn't walk the whole trail but it was far enough for Archie. It's nice to be out in the countryside.

The hawthorn is just coming into flower.

There's some lovely scenery, though it's always nicer on a sunny day.

Archie enjoyed his walk. He went to the groomers last week and is sporting a very short haircut, which was lovely for him when the weather was warm, not so comfortable now that the cooler weather has returned.

We've had mixed weather over the Easter weekend, a little sunshine, some dull days and lots of wind. At least we missed out on the snow which some parts of the UK experienced.