Doing Battle at Bosworth

About trip

The Battle of Bosworth Field, which took place on 22 August 1485, is one of the key events in English history. Not did it only finally bring to an end the long-running Wars of the Roses, but it also signalled the beginning of a new era, as the Middle Ages gave way to the powerful Tudor dynasty. The Yorkist Richard III had only been ruler for a couple of years before Henry Tudor landed in Pembrokeshire with a small and rather ragbag force and advanced on the Midlands. The two armies met at Ambion Hill, south of Market Bosworth, with Richard’s larger force occupying the higher ground and Henry’s scattered below. Nowadays their positions are marked by their standards which flutter from tall flagpoles. A third standard, located some way to the north, belonged to a faction led by Sir William Stanley, who crucially decided to pitch in on Henry’s side at the last moment and, in so doing, tipped the scales by cutting off and surrounding the King. Richard was defeated and Henry Tudor became Henry VII of England. There are interpretative panels all the way along the 1.75-mile (2.8km) Battle Trail, showing the position of the armies and how the fateful day unfurled. The fascinating exhibition at the heritage centre (closed January) is supplemented by regular workshops and re-enactments by local groups throughout the summer months. The Controversial Monarch. A memorial stone now marks the place where Richard was slain, but as the last of the Plantagenets – and indeed the last king of England to die in battle – he’s since received something of a bad press from historians and chroniclers, most notably William Shakespeare. In fact largely thanks to Shakespeare’s play there are few more villainous characters in English literature than Richard III (‘I can smile, and murder while I smile’), but whether the reputation is deserved is doubtful. Although he may have been involved previously in the infamous murder of the Little Princes in the Tower, there is scant evidence to suggest that he was any worse as a king than other rulers of the time, plus he seemed to be an able administrator and leader. There is even a society established to clear Richard’s name and they meet every year, around the date of the battle, at the Church of St James in nearby Sutton Cheney, where the ill-fated King supposedly heard his last Mass before going in to battle. While you're there: A 5-mile (8km) stretch of preserved railway known as the Battlefield Line runs from Shackerstone, where there’s a railway museum and buffet, to Shenton Station next to the battlefield site. The latter was formerly a Victorian ticket office reconstructed brick by brick from its original site in Leicester. Weekend trips (both steam and diesel) operate throughout much of the year. What to look for: Market Bosworth Country Park occupies the site of medieval parkland once grazed by England’s only herd of pure black fallow deer. Originally it formed part of the landscaped grounds of Bosworth Hall, but in the 1970s Leicestershire County Council purchased 87 acres (35ha) and established an arboretum featuring oaks, maples and conifers, as well as meadow and a lake. Where to eat and drink: Besides the numerous pubs in Market Bosworth, look out for the Square One bistro and deli on Market Place and The Batter of Bosworth fish and chip shop on Station Road. The Hercules Inn at Sutton Cheney (closed Monday) serves local sausages and cheese, while the Tithe Barn restaurant at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre provides a handy mid-point refreshment stop. Directions: Walk down the wide track from the car park to reach the children’s playground and adjoining spinney, and continue across the wildflower meadow to the woods beyond. Follow the main gravel path through the trees and bear left at a fork. Look for the wide kissing gate on the left. Go through this and follow the path for just under 0.5 mile (800m) along the edge of woodland and past Looking Glass Pond. Go over a stile and on past the right of Woodhouse Farm. The path continues down along the left-hand side of a field, then crosses a stream to climb the right-hand side of the next. As the hedge falls away the well-walked path heads out across the middle of the field before turning right approaching (but not quite at) the top. It keeps to the top of the next field, then turns left across another to reach the car park of the Royal Arms Hotel. Turn right and walk through Sutton Cheney until, just past the church entrance, you turn right at the road junction (signposted ‘Shenton’). Follow the lane as it forks left and in 550yds (503m) turn off left through Cheney Lane car park and follow the clearly marked path across the fields to the heritage centre. Walk past the heritage centre below the car park and continue across a picnic area to a junction of paths. You can turn briefly left here to visit King Dick’s Well and the memorial to Richard III. To continue the main walk, turn right and follow the waymarked Battle Trail across Ambion Hill to reach Shenton Station. Cross the railway line by the gate and turn left out of the car park entrance on to the lane. Walk along as far as the canal bridge. Go over the bridge in order to double back and turn left beneath the bridge on to the tow path of the Ashby Canal, signposted ‘Market Bosworth’. After 2.5 miles (4km) of easy and peaceful tow path walking, leave the canal at King’s Bridge (No 43), the one after Bosworth Wharf Bridge. Cross this, then the railway bridge beyond for a field-edge path across stiles. This path heads half right across a golf course – aim to the left of the house in front of hilltop woodland. Go over another stile and along the top of a field before joining an unmade lane which takes you into Market Bosworth. At the end join the narrowing road (Back Lane), left and ahead, that comes out in the Market Place. Cross over and walk past The Old Black Horse Inn, then turn left into Rectory Lane. At the end of the lane is the country park.