Battle of Tewkesbury
May 4, 1471
On the same day that Edward IV was celebrating his victory over Warwick, Queen Margaret of Anjou and Edward, Prince of Wales landed with about 1,000 mercenaries at Weymouth.
The following day a large army under the Duke of Somerset and the Earl of Devon met her at Cerne Abbey. From there they marched to Exeter to gather more recruits.
Edward IV quickly learned of Queen Margaret's presence and marched from London to Windsor with 6,000 men and awaited further news. The Lancastrians had marched from Exeter to Bristol via Taunton, Wells and Bath.
Edward realised they were heading for Wales and a rendezvous with the Earl of Pembroke's army. He marched to head them off, giving orders that the gates of Gloucester were to be closed stopping the Lancastrians from crossing the River Severn. With the Gloucester crossing denied them, the Lancastrian army marched up the Severn towards the next crossing point at Tewkesbury.
Edward's army shadowed them, marching on a parallel course. At Tewkesbury the Lancastrian army of 6,000 men decided to give battle rather than risk a crossing of the Severn with the Yorkist army so near.
On the morni
ng
of May 4, 1471 the Lancastrian army deployed for battle to the south of
Tewkesbury. Somerset was on the right, the Prince of Wales and Lord Wenlock in
the centre and the Earl of Devon held the left. To their front were a number of
ditches and hedges that made it difficult for the Yorkist army to advance.
Edward IV had deployed his army of about 5,000 to 6,000 men with the Duke of Gloucester commanding the vanguard on the left. Lord Hastings commanding the right, and himself and the Duke of Clarence in the centre. This left a small force of about 200 mounted men protecting his left flank. Following a general bombardment of the Lancastrian position with artillery and archers, Edward ordered the advance.
Whether by chance or design, the Duke of Somerset came upon the Yorkist left and
attacked them in the flank as they advanced. However, the rest of the
Lancastrian army did not support him. Somerset was then attacked in the flank by
the Yorkist cavalry wing and routed. The rest of the Lancastrian army soon gave
way and ran from the battlefield back into Tewkesbury pursued by the Yorkists.
Many were slaughtered on the way including the Prince of Wales, Wenlock and
Devon. The Duke of Somerset and a number of other Lancastrian fugitives tried to
hide in Tewkesbury Ab
bey,
but were dragged out, tried and executed.
Sir Maurice Berkeley of Beverstone, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Bingham of Welcome Bingham, knighted after battle
Sir Humphrey Blount of Kinlet, knighted after battle
Sir Edward Brampton, godson to Edward IV
Sir William Brandon of Sohan Court, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Brooke, Lord Cobham, knighted after battle
Sir George Browne of Betchworth, knighted after battle
Sir John Clay of Cheshnut, knighted after battle
Sir Richard Corbet of Moreton Corbet, knighted after battle
Sir Thomas Cornewall of Berrington, knighted after battle
John Courtenay of Exminster and Kenn, knighted and made a banneret at Tewkesbury
Sir Philip Courtenay of Kingston and Molland, knighted
Sir John Crocker of Lineham, knighted after battle, standard bearer to Edward IV
Sir Richard Croft of Croft, knighted after battle
Sir James Crowner of Tunstall, knighted on the field after battle
Sir John Donne of Kidwelly, knighted after battle
Sir Henry Ferrers of Peckham, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Ferrers, knighted after battle
Sir Robert Green of Hayes, knighted after battle
Sir Henry Grey of Crawdon, knighted and made banneret after battle
Sir Thomas Grey, Lord Ferrers, Marquis of Dorset, part command of the right wing
Sir Robert Harrington of Badsworth, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Harley of Brampton, knighted after battle
Sir Ralph Hastings o fHarrowden and Wanstead, knighted at Tewkesbury and created banneret
Sir Richard Hastings, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir William Hastings, Lord Hastings, commanded the right wing
Sir John Heveningham of Heveningham, created knight banneret
Sir Roger Kynaston of Middle and Hordley, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Nicholas Latimer of Duntish, created knight banneret after Tewkesbury
Sir John Lingen of Sutton and Stoke Edith, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Nicholas Longford of Longford, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Thomas Montgomery of Faulkborn, joined Edward IV’s army at Nottingham, fought at Barnet and Tewkesbury, escorted Margaret of Anjou home to France
Sir Simon Montfort of Coleshill, created knight banneret after Tewkesbury
Sir Christopher Moresby of Scaleby and Windermere, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Williwm Motton of Pickleton, knighted at Tewkesbury
John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, hereditary Earl Marshall of England, presided over the trial of the Lancastrian prisoners with Richard, Duke of Glouceste
Sir George Neville, Lord of Abergavenny, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Parr of Westminster, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Henry Pierrepoint of Holbeck Woodhouse, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Pilkington of Pilkington and Sowerby. knighted at Tewkesbury
Edward Plantagenet, King Edward IV, commanded the Yorkist forces
George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, brother to Edward VI and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, fought with the middle ward of the army
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, brother to Edward IV and George, Duke of Clarence, commanded the left wing of the Yorkist army
Sir Poole, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Laurence Rainsford of Rainsford, Queen Margaret stayed at Gupshill Manor before the battle; afterwards the manor house was in the possession of the Rainsford family
Sir Richard Ratcliff, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Roger Ree of Woodham Ferrers, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Terry Robsart of Norfolk, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John St. Lo of Chew Magna, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir William Sandys of The Vyne and Andover, Hants, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Savage of Clifton, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Saunders, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Skrene of Essex, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir John Stanley of Elford, created knight banneret
Sir William Stanley of Holt, created knight banneret
Sir Thomas Strickland of Sizergh, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Roger Tocotes of Bromham, created knight banneret
Sir James Tyrell of Gipping, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Thomas Vaughn, in exile with Edward IV, fought at Barnet and Tewkesbury
Sir John Willoughby, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Henry Wingfield, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Thomas Wingfield, knighted at Tewkesbury
Sir Edward Wodehouse of Kimberley, knighted at Tewkesbury
Lancastrians
Sir Humphrey Audley, executed after battle
Henry Barron, killed in battle
John Basset, taken prisoner and later pardoned, died in 1485
Sir Robert Baynton of Farleston, taken prisoner and later pardoned, died in 1472
Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, commanded the Lancastrian army, executed after battle
John Beaufort, Marquesss of Dorset, killed in battle
Sir William Boteler of Warrington, died 8 June, 1471 from wounds in battle
John Butler, Earl of Ormond, reported killed in battle
Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormond, received a pardon after battle
Sir William Cary of Cockington, executed after battle
Robert Clerke, executed after battle
Sir Gervaise Clifton of Brabourne, executed after battle
Sir Hugh Courtenay, executed after battle
John Courtenay, Earl of Devon, son of Hugh Courtnay, killed during battle
Walter Courtenay of Exeter, killed in battle
Thomas Cruyws of Cruyws Morchard, according to family tradition either died from wounds received in battle or executed after battle
Jhn Daunt of Wootton-under-edge, killed in battle
Sir John Delves, executed after battle
Edward of Lancaster, Prince of Wales, killed on the field of battle
Sir William Fielding of Lutterworth, killed in battle
Sir Thomas Fitzhenry of Monnington, reported slain by Warkworth, but mentioned in August 1471 as being pardoned
John Flory, standard bearer to the Duke of Somerset, executed after battle
Sir John Fortescue, pardoned after battle
Sir Thomas Fulford, pardoned after battle
Sir John Giles, pardoned after battle
Mr. Gough, executed after battle
John Gower of Clapham, sword bearer to Edward of Lancaster, executed after battle
Sir William Grimsby of Grimsby, pardoned after battler
Sir Edward Hampden of Beckley, killed in battle
William Hemmer, died in battle
Sir Nicholas Hervey of Eastbury in Godalming, killed in battle
Robert Jackson, executed after battle
William Joseph, King’s secretary, received pardon on 17 December 1471
Sir Robert Knollys, killed in battle
Lechfield of Westminster, beheaded after battle
Sir William Lermouth of Bamburgh, killed in battle
Sir John Lewkenor of West Grinstead, killed at Tewkesbury
Queen Margaret of Anjou, taken prisoner after battle but pardoned as “Ladye Margaret qwene”
Dr Ralph Makerell, Parson of Risby, companion of Queen Margaret and John Morton, pardoned by Edward IV after battle
Lewis Miles, Lancastrian squire, beheaded after battle
Dr. John Morton of Bere Regis, afterwards Bishop of Ely, Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal, pardoned after battle
Sir William Newburgh of East Lulworth, executed after battle
John Parker, squire, pardoned by Edward IV after battle
Sir Seinclere Pomeroy of Berry Pomeroy, killed in battle (?) post mortem states he died on 31 May 1471
Sir Henry Roos of West Grinstead, executed after battle
Sir John Seymour, knight, killed in battle
Sir Thomas Seymour, knight, killed in battle
Thomas Tarlaway, killed in battle
John Throckmorton of Haresfield, pardoned after battle
Sir Thomas Thresham of Sywell, executed after battle
John Turnbull of Calais, beheaded after battle
Sir John Urman, killed in battle
Sir William Vaux of Harrowden, killed in battle
John, Lord Wenlock of Someries, joint commander of the Lancastrian centre, killed by the Duke of Somerset
Sir Robert Whittingham of Salden, killed at Tewkesbury
John Walleys, pardoned after battle
Henry Wrottesley, killed at Tewkesbury
John Wroughton of Broad Hinton, Lancastrian squire, pardoned after battle
We thank Graham Turner for his permission in allowing us to use his artwork on the Battle of Tewkesbury.
You can view his
website at