Well, a very jam packed day today! We spent the whole day at the Bosworth Battlefield Centre, from 9.45am to 9.45pm and had a wonderful time learning all about the background to the battle which saw the birth of the Tudor dynasty, learning about weaponry and warfare, and also learning about the various theories on where the battle actually took place.
Highlights of the day included:-
- The Captain’s talk – A fantastic, and rather gory at times, talk and demonstration on the weapons used at the battle and the armies who fought. I now know how to tickle someone’s cauliflower with a pitch fork, i.e. slice their head open and cut into their brain. Don’t mess with me!
- The Falconry Experience – Tim and I have been to many falconry displays but this was different in that we weren’t only taught how birds of prey were used by the Tudors, we were also given the chance to handle the birds: Splat the Harris Hawk and Becky the Buzzard. It was amazing!
- The exhibition – The discovery centre at Bosworth Battlefield has an excellent interactive exhibition on the history of the battle, the characters involved, the weapons and armour used, and archaeological finds.
- The battlefield trail – We didn’t walk the full trail but we did walk up to the top of Ambion Hill to survey the surrounding countryside to see where Richard III, the Stanleys and Henry Tudor (VII) camped prior to the battle, to locate the actual battle site and to see the spring or well which Richard drank from prior to the battle. It is incredible that over 500 years on, we can still see landmarks, e.g. church spires, that would have been seen back in 1485 and that the area is still rolling fields.
- Leanda de Lisle’s talk – After a rather yummy three course evening meal, Leanda de Lisle spoke to us about Lady Jane Grey and shared some new findings with us – more later! – and we all enjoyed hearing Leanda’s views on Jane, her relationship with her husband and parents, her short reign, her fall and her death, which Jane herself saw as martyrdom. A very enlightening talk from someone who has done vast research into Jane’s life.
Wow! It really was a fun-packed and very educational day, and we all enjoyed every minute of it. We’ll sleep well tonight after good food, fresh air and a long, but satisfying, day!
You can enjoy some of our photos from the day at http://www.flickr.com/photos/theanneboleynfiles/sets/72157626745358460/
Wow, sounds great! I’m just finishing Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen and so this tour sounds ever so exciting to me. Plus Leanda de Lisle’s talk on Lady Jane Grey – please tell us more; I’m very interested since I’ve been doing some research on Jane.
Sounds like everyone is having a blast! I look forward to learning more about Lady Jane Grey when you return. Thank you so much for posting these.
I’m glad to see you’re enjoying the Tour 🙂 and thank you a lot for sharing your pictures! It’s great 🙂
What new findings about Jane? Can’t wait to find out! Loved the photos of people trying on the armour. We had great fun doing that at Bosworth last year.
Hello Claire & Tim!
Looks like you are all having a wonderful time. I wish with all of my heart I could be there with you. Please say hello to my friends from last year’s tour. I am following you on the website and see some of my fellow travelers photos. I will think of you on Anne’s execution day on May 19th and our trip to her grave in the chapel. I will never forget the lovely flowers and the feeling of being there. I hope your new group experiences the same feelings I did last year. Have a wonderful trip.
Sincerely,
Carol Stevenson (Massachusetts)
I cannot wait to hear more about Lady Jane Grey. Her life is intreresting to me. Thanks for the pictures and info Claire.
Thank you for posting this great reports of your experiences on the tour. I’m enjoying living vicariously through you. Looking forward to more!
great photos again Claire, so glad you are all having a wonderful time !!!
The photos are great! But I wish they had captions explaining what some of them are – like the skeleton at the battlefield! And I can’t wait to hear more of new discoveries about Mary Queen of Scots and Jane Grey. I am lanquishing from curiosity, envy, and a spring cold. Only the satisfaction of my curiosity will raise me from my doldrums of not having been a part of the tour!!!!!
Here’s hoping that next year, I’ll be posting what a wonderful time I had on one of the tours!