March 23, 2003

History on my Doorstep With

History on my Doorstep

With all the focus on the war in Iraq, I didn’t realise that Herefordshire was witness to a much more important conflict in the history of the world: the Wars of the Roses. I knew of battles that happened nearby, such as Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire. A few years ago, Mrs Holford and I did the whole battlefield walk there.

Only tonight did I discover that I have many times driven past the scene of another of the decisive clashes between Yorkist and Lancastrian foes. It is an event significant enough to have had a movie made about it in 1987, available on VHS, but probably not in stock at Blockbuster.

It was at Mortimer’s Cross that the Yorkists routed Welsh Lancastrian supporters headed to join up with Queen Margaret in her attempt to wrest London from York’s chief ally, the Earl of Warwick. And now finally the marker in the pavement in the middle of High Town here in Hereford made sense. (High Town is the pedestrianized city centre.) It marks the spot where Owen Tudor was executed. I walk past it several times a week.

Owen Tudor was the step-father of Henry VI and was one of the leaders of the Lancastrian contingent. He was captured at Mortimer’s Cross and taken to Hereford, where, probably on the orders of Edward, Duke of York (who ten years hence would become Edward IV), he was deprived of his head. It was Tudor’s family who would have the last laugh, because Edward IV’s brother was defeated in battle at Bosworth Field by Owen Tudor’s grandson, who became Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty.

The great keeper of ancient monuments, English Heritage runs Mortimer’s Cross Hill and Battle Centre. This seems like an excellent day out. Unfortunately, it is only open Thursday afternoons between April and September, so once we were able to carefully schedule a visit, I will report back on my impressions.

Now back to the news network of your choice and continuing coverage of the war in Iraq.

Posted by david at March 23, 2003 12:08 AM
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