Superb talk last night from the legendary David Santiuste on relations between 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 & 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 in the age of Richard III, a multi-layered story not just of military conflict but also trade, migration and high politics. Fascinating stuff and superb Q&A session. Thanks, David!

Rest in Peace, Queen Elizabeth II. Our condolences to The Royal Family from the Towton Battlefield Society

Great night with the legendary @HelRae1461 who ran us through the common characteristics of “rubbish rulers” whose reigns often resulted in rebellion - Helen concluded with 🇫🇷 Louis XVI & 🇷🇺 Nicholas II, the ultimate monarchical failures. Superb & lively evening, thanks Helen!

#OTD: ⚔️ Wakefield, 1460 - Richard, Duke of York, is killed after leading his troops on a sortie from his Yorkshire stronghold of Sandal Castle. His son Edmund, is also killed and leadership of the House of York transfers to a young Edward, the Earl of March #roadtotowton

30 December1460, Battle of Wakefield. Richard Duke of York is killed after leaving Sandal Castle near Wakefield to fight a Lancastrian army at least twice the size of his own Speculation remains on the reasons why, but the Lancastrians had eliminated a major thorn in their side.

On 2 February 1461, Jasper Tudor's mainly Welsh force was defeated by the Yorkists at Mortimer's Cross. The bard Robin Ddu, however, retained hope for Wales and the Tudors: "The dishonourable white dragon has triumphed, But the red dragon will yet win the field."

OTD: 2 February 1461, Edward of March wins the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross. Before hostilities, a parhelion could be seen and the victorious Yorkists subsequently adopted “the sunne in splendour” as their symbol (modern not actual footage below!) #roadtotowton

This month’s meeting starts at 1930hrs 6 March 2023 at Saxton Village Hall and we’re looking forward to hearing “How large were medieval war horses?” answered by Prof. Oliver Creighton.

#OTD 6 March 1461: after being proclaimed King in London, Edward despatches Warwick north in pursuit of Henry and sends Norfolk to recruit new troops. #roadtotowton

#OTD: 29 March 1461: first blood is drawn after Clifford’s “Flower of Craven” attack the Yorkists at Ferrybridge. After intense combat and an outflanking move, the Yorkists recapture the bridge and begin their drive north to York.

#OTD 29 March 1461: Henry’s forces, commanded by Northumberland and Somerset, move up from the village of Towton to secure the ridge which straddles the Great North Road. Both forces are destined to fight that day in harsh wintery conditions.

#OTD 1461 the battle of #Towton was fought. ‘The northern party made them strong with spear & with shield. On palmesonday afternoon they met us in the field. Within an hour they were right fayne to flee & eke to yield 27,000 the Rose killed in the field’ smarturl.it/Towton1461

#OTD: 29 March 1462 the Yorkist army arrives and draw their battle-line up opposite Henry’s forces who are arrayed on the high ground and blocking the route to York. Outnumbered and dominated, the Yorkists need to find a tactical advantage to avoid defeat

#onthisday 29th March 1461 Battle of Towton. In 1996 at Towton Hall in Yorkshire a mass grave containing the remains of approximately 50 individuals discovered. All males who had suffered extensive wounds inflicted by medieval weapons. 28,000 dead cited for this battle.

Fauconberg, the 💯 Years War veteran, orders the Yorkist archers to shoot a single volley and retreat. He capitalises on the weather and the response from Henry’s forces sees their arrows fall 40 yards short of their 🎯.

#OTD 29 March 1461 Fauconberg’s archers advance and retrieve the Lancastrian’s fallen arrows, shooting them back at their lines. The Yorkists follow this up with volleys of their own arrows and this force multiplying storm devastates the Lancastrian forces

#OTD 29 March 1461 facing increasing casualties, the Lancastrians charge down from their held high ground and are met by the Yorkists in the fields between Towton and Saxton, hours of brutal hand to hand combat follows in cold, snowy and muddy conditions.

#OTD 29 March 1461 As reinforcements arrive under Norfolk, the Yorkists get the upper hand and the Lancastrians fall into disarray. As they retreat, they are pursued to York by Edward’s cavalry leaving a corridor of corpses 8 by 3 miles long.

#OTD 29 March 1461 immediate post-battle tallies point to 28k death, later chroniclers report figures of 30-35k. Rivers ran red with blood and mass grave pits were filled. Soldiers came from across 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 ☘️ & 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 so Towton’s impact would be felt far and wide. We will remember them

29 March 1461: Edward IVs Yorkist army crushes the Lancastrians in the snow at Towton, North Yorkshire. I took this view of the battlefield from the Lancastrian positions: the Yorkists were drawn up on the skyline. #OTD #WoR