Author: northamptonbattlefields

As usual we will be leading a battlefield walk to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Edgcote, fought 24^th July 1469. The walk will commence at 2pm from outside the Griffin Inn, Chipping Warden. The walk is free to NBS or Battlefields Trust members, £5 to non-members. The walk takes about 3 hours.

*Please note the following*

The walk is on permitted path ways across farmland away from main roads. Some of the pathways are steep and uneven. It is not suitable for people who cannot walk unaided or require the use of a wheelchair or mobility scooter. You are responsible for confirming that you are fit enough to do the walk before we start and are wearing suitable footwear. Dogs are welcome but should be kept on a lead as the area is a working farm and there may be livestock and horses present. In view of the recent hot weather please ensure you have water and sun screen protection with you. Most of the route is open with no shade.

This month sees a talk about one of the pivotal characters in the first half of Edward IV’s reign. Sir William Herbert was Edward’s trusted “master lock” who held Wales for him and ended the siege of Harlech. The first Welshman who broke into the English peerage on merit, his death after Edgcote dealt Edward’s regime a serious blow. Katie Dungate has researched his career as part of her Masters Degree, and will take him through his convoluted and controversial career.

Tickets are now available on the Society’s Ticket Source page:  https://www.ticketsource.com/northantsbattles. These are free to Northamptonshire Battlefields Society members, £5 to non-members. Talks are held at Delapre Abbey. Doors open about 7:00pm, with the meeting starting at 7:30pm. Entry is through the Orangerie Restaurant. 

Tea and coffee will be available before hand, provided by the Abbey volunteers. Please make an appropriate donation.

These tickets are for personal attendance at Delapre Abbey ONLY. Members joining in by Zoom do not need to book a ticket.

This Friday will see our annual commemoration of the Battle of Northampton, when the 786th Northampton Town Mayor, Councillor Mike Hallam, will lay a wreath honouring the fallen on the steps of the Eleanor Cross at 2pm. The ceremony will be preceded by a brief talk about the history of the Eleanor Cross, starting at 1:30pm, and will be followed by a short walk onto the battlefield and a description of the battle. The event is free to attend.

his Thursday’s talk be David Grummitt about the Calais Garrison has been cancelled due to the red weather warning for heat issued by the Met Office. If you have booked a ticket you will receive a notification from Ticketsource, who will handle any refunds.

Apologies for having to do this. David will come and see us in 2027 to give this talk.

Control of Calais and its garrison of professional soldiers dominates the military balance throughout the Wars of the Roses. Who was to be given command of this important outpost, England’s foothold on the continent, was a highly prized political appointment. From Calais invasions of both France and England could be launched. Yet its garrison and how it operated is poorly understood by many historians and students of the period. Our speaker’s ground breaking study of the Calais Garrison, originally published in 2008, is essential reading for anyone interested in the period, and this is a rare opportunity to hear him speak on the subject.

In recent years Dr Grummitt has come to dominate scholarship on how the Wars of the Roses was actually fought, with publication of his study “The Wars of the Roses – War and Martial Culture in England 1455-1487” and the first volume of his trilogy of books for Helion publications. These books, together with his articles for the Battlefield Trust’s various publications on Wakefield and Towton, are transforming our understanding of the key battles of the period. This is an opportunity not to be missed.

Tickets are now available on the Society’s Ticket Source page:  https://www.ticketsource.com/northantsbattles. These are free to Northamptonshire Battlefields Society members, £5 to non-members. Talks are held at Delapre Abbey. Doors open about 7:00pm, with the meeting starting at 7:30pm. Entry is through the Orangerie Restaurant. 

Tea and coffee will be available before hand, provided by the Abbey volunteers. Please make an appropriate donation.

These tickets are for personal attendance at Delapre Abbey ONLY. Members joining in by Zoom do not need to book a ticket.