The Battle of Blore Heath

Saturday 23rd September 1999 was the 540th anniversary of the Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle in the War of the Roses. To celebrate there was a re-enactment of the conflict and some of the major characters involved came in to school on the eve of the battle to tell us all about it.

		Lancastrian Lord Dudley, Yorkist Captain Ward and Lancastrian Simon de Montfort enter the hall.
	Simon shows off his armour. It is more flexible and less heavy than one imagines. He could still climb onto his horse!
		Demonstrating the use of bills and halberds, weapons used by soldiers in hand to hand combat in the War of the Roses.
	Simon de Montfort - a real knight in shining armour!
		A yeoman (employed by a nobleman to fight for him) with a small shield used to punch enemies in the face.
	Two Yorkist ladies in typical Medieval dress.
		A Medieval market stall.
	The Yorkists advance and the Lancastrians retreat.
		The death of Lord Audley. The Lancastrians try to regroup but Lord Dudley is captured.
	The Lancastrian camp is in disarray. Many troops decide to change sides. The battle is lost.

    to find out more about the real battle

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