I’ve just got back from a trip to the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre this past Sunday. It’s a very moving experience walking the ground where the Middle Ages ended and the Tudor period began, especially when you remember that the "English" crown was won by a Welsh army.
This is how the Welsh changed history on 22nd August 1485.
The Landing and the "Son of Prophecy"
Henry Tudor, born at Pembroke Castle, landed at Mill Bay, Pembrokeshire, on 7th August 1485. To many Welshmen, he was not just a pretender to the throne, he was the Mab Darogan (the Son of Prophecy), the leader predicted by the bards to expel the "Saxons" and bring a British (Welsh) king back to the throne.
The 200-Mile March through Wales
Henry’s plan was pure genius. Rather than making a beeline for London, he led his troops on a 200-mile march through the heart of Wales, from Haverfordwest to Cardigan and Machynlleth. This gave him the opportunity to rally support from the local lords, particularly Sir Rhys ap Thomas. By the time he entered Wales through the border at Shrewsbury, his original contingent of 2,000 had grown to over 5,000, mostly seasoned Welsh fighters.
The Turning Point at the Marsh
Meanwhile, during the course of the battle, Richard III made a desperate and famous cavalry charge to personally dispatch Henry.
The final stages of the battle were fought near a marsh at the foot of Ambion Hill. It was a Welshman who delivered the coup de grâce to Richard with a halberd while Richard’s horse was bogged down in the mud, according to the chronicler Jean Molinet. In some Welsh legends, the blow was delivered by Rhys ap Thomas himself.
A Legacy Left on the Field
Walking through the Fenn Lanes and seeing the Leicester Cathedral, where Richard III was finally laid to rest, it is easy to remember that the Tudor family, perhaps one of the most well-known in history, was founded through Welsh determination. Although the Tudor family would have a complicated history with Wales, Bosworth is, in many ways, a Welsh victory.
Visit the Site
If you decide to visit, the site is near Market Bosworth in Leicestershire.
