Museum marks anniversary for bloodiest battle of Roses

Visitors to the Royal Armouries in Leeds were greeted by dramatic sights as the museum hosted two days of events to commemorate the Battle of Towton.

The events marked the 550th anniversary of the battle which was fought on Palm Sunday in 1461, near the Yorkshire village of the same name which lies to the south of Tadcaster. Towton is remembered as the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil, with an estimated 50,000 soldiers from the Houses of Lancaster and York fighting it out in the midst of a snowstorm.

Royal Armouries’ creative director Peter Armstrong said: “The Battle of Towton has particular significance for us, as our headquarters are based in Yorkshire.”

Museum visitors were able to examine artefacts from the battlefield, enjoy living history demonstrations, and participate in talks and handling sessions, conducted by the Wars of the Roses Federation.

The Royal Armouries is also running a further commemorative event on April 9 with a History in Your Hands seminar.

People will be able to learn more about the arms and armour of the period and find out how the battle unfolded.