Issue 14:  2011

Issue 14:  2011

Patron: Robert Hardy Esq. FSA Issue 14: 2011 OUR OBJECTS To promote the permanent preservation of the battlefield and other sites associated with the Battle of Tewkesbury, 1471, as sites of historic interest, to the benefit of the public generally. To promote the educational possibilities of the battlefield and associated sites, particularly in relation to medieval history. To promote, for public benefit, research into matters associated with the sites, and to publish the useful results of such research. O UR AIM S Working with the owners of the many sites associated with the battle of Tewkesbury, the Society will raise public awareness of the events of the battle and promote the sites as an integrated educational resource. We will encourage tourism and leisure activities by advertising, interpretation and presentation in connection with the sites. We will collate research into the battle and encourage further research, making the results publicly available through a variety of media. In pursuing our objects we will work alongside a variety of organisations in Tewkesbury and throughout the world. We will initiate projects and assist with fundraising and managing them as required. We aim to be the Authority on the battle and battle sites. i. 2 2 30/03/2020 CONTENTS Editorial 2 Daventry: a mystical moment 3 The Commemorative Statue 4 Site Interpretation 7 Walks and talks 8 Street Banners 9 Old battle memories of Tewkesbury 10 The Red Rose 11 The Saving of Souls for sale 12 The Web site 14 Horse Pendants 15 A Rover named the Bastard of Fauconberg 17 A talk at Kew 18 Sanctuary at Durham 19 Queen Margaret the Opera 22 A new Tewkesbury Gospel 24 Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses 25 Lots of Henries 26 The Town Museum displays 27 Robet Ingleton MP 29 Interesting discoveries 31 News from Elsewhere 34 New Battle Art 36 i. 1 1 30/03/2020 This edition of the ‘Slap’ has taken a long time to assemble. Mostly it’s been finding content and finding time to research and write it up. I hope that what I’ve managed to come up with is worth reading. If it provokes anyone into a response, I’d be happy to add it to ‘Slap’ Number 15, which will start as soon as this edition has been posted out. These are interesting times, which is a blessing and a curse. There are a lot of things for us to do, many of which are touched upon in the following pages. There’s a great deal in the pipeline concerning the battlefield which simply needs time to resolve. The projects will all be very positive once in place. We think that we’re now close to having all the approvals we need for the commemorative sculpture, which will be a big landmark, and this is discussed below. We have then got a mountain to climb in raising the funds to commission the pieces. It will take a lot less time than getting the necessary consents, though, which now approaches 14 years. We have a commitment to replace the battle-trail leaflet, the old version of which is now out of print, and associated with this to replace the ‘plinth’ which stood on the Bloody Meadow with a proper interpretation panel. This is overdue, but in hand. We are working towards having this piece of work completed in time for the Medieval Festival (July 9th and 10th this year). As a precursor to this, we’ve looked at an interpretation strategy for the whole battlefield, to ensure that the style and wording of the first will be consistent with those which will eventually follow. This is all reflected in the battle-trail leaflet, so that it won’t need a premature reprint. The next big push is going to be around managing the battlefield. We’ve done quite a lot of work to date and will soon be completing a survey of all the key features of the registered battlefield, identifying things like ownership, condition and maintenance or improvement needs. The next step will be to press for the establishment of a Battlefield Management Partnership, involving all interested parties; landowners, residents, interest groups and government agencies. This is following the approach adopted in Worcester. From this, we hope to have our survey adopted as a Management Plan so that we can work together to protect the landscape and improve the ‘visitor experience’. I hope that this ‘Slap’ has been worth the wait. i. 2 2 30/03/2020 DAVENTRY In the ‘Arrivall’ there is a report of a miraculous happening as Edward’s army travelled south. Although the account makes no mention of it, this event was on Palm Sunday 1471. Ten Palm Sundays after the victory at Towton. On Saturday, the King, with all his host, came to a town called Daventry, where the King, with great devotion, heard all divine service upon the morn, Palm-Sunday, in the parish church, where God, and Saint Anne, showed a fair miracle; a good prognositique of good adventure that after should befall unto the King by the hand of God, and mediation of that holy matron Saint Anne. For, so it was, that, afore that time, the King, being out of his realm, in great trouble, thought, and heaviness, for the infortune and adversity that was fallen him, full often, and, specially upon the sea, he prayed to God, our Lady, and Saint George, and, amongst other saints, he specially prayed to Saint Anne to help him, where that he promised, that, at the next time that it should hope him to see any image of Saint Anne, he should thereto make his prayers, and give his offering, in honor and worship of that blessed Saint. So it fell, that, the same Palm Sunday, the King went in procession, and all the people after, in good devotion, as the service of that day asketh, and, when the procession was comen into the church, and, by order of the service, were comen to that place where the veil shall be drawn up afore the Rood, that all the people shall honor the Rood, with the anthem, Ave, three times began, in a pillar of the church, directly afore the place where the King kneeled, and devoutly honored the Rood, was a little image of Saint Anne, made of alabaster, standing fixed to the pillar, closed and clasped together with four boards, small, painted, and gowning round about the image, in manner of a compass, like as it is to see commonly, and all about, where as such images be wont to be made for to be sold and set up in churches, chapels, crosses, and oratories, in many places. And this image was thus shut, closed, and clasped, according to the rules that, in all the churches of England, be observed, all images to be hid from Ash Wednesday to Easter day in the morning. And so the said image had been from Ash Wednesday to that time. And even suddenly, at that season of the service, the boards compassing the image about gave a great crack, and a little opened, which the King well perceived and all the people about him. And anon, after, the boards drew and closed together again, without any man’s hand, or touching, and, as though it had been a thing done with a violence, with a greater might it opened all abroad, and so the image stood, open and discovered, in sight of all the people there being. The King, this seeing, thanked and honoured God, and Saint Anne, taking it for a good sign, and token of good and prosperous adventure that God would send him in that he had to do, and, remembering his promise, he honoured God, and Saint Anne, in that same place, and gave his offerings. All those, also, that were present and saw this worshipped and thanked God and Saint Anne, there, and many offered; taking of this sign, showed by the power of God, good hope of their good speed for to come. i. 3 3 30/03/2020 THE COMMEMORATIVE STATUE I was going to add ‘a progress report’ to the title, but that would be tempting fate. Whenever I report on progress, it always seems that the final approval is imminent but always some unexpected and unknowable delay creeps upon us. On the next page is a minute from a Borough Council meeting twelve months ago. For those who haven’t been following the story; It started in 1997 with a competition to design a commemorative sculpture for the Gloucester Road roundabout; a significant location on the southern edge of the battlefield. It took until about 2005 for County Highways to decide that it would be acceptably safe; there wasn’t a County policy about roundabout art. Since 2005 the ball has been batted between the Borough Council and the County Council. Causes of delay have been varied; retirement of the person with all the knowledge, losing the file, needing to redo all the safety appraisals spring to mind. Legal departments don’t speed things up, either! The delays seem to have reduced to three items now: 1. The County Council are carrying out a structural assessment. They remain concerned that if a car collides with a horse’s legs the horse might damage the car, possibly by toppling onto it. 2. Despite the passage of nearly two years since the last safety audit and our detailed response to the points raised we still don’t know if the ‘powers that be’ are happy to sign it off.

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