Richard III - Towton

Battle of Towton - March 29, 1461

Towton- Reassessment

After St. Albans, Henry was reunited with his queen, but he refused to let his army advance on London and instead the Lancastrians headed north again, plundering as they went. Manwhile, Warwick acted swiftly and had Edward proclaimed king in London. Edward fully realized that there could not be two kings in England, and on about 12 March he set out for the north. Lord Fauconberg had marched in advance and Warwick had been dispatched to raise troops in the Midlands. Somewhere north of the Trent Edward assembled his large army of about 40,000 soldiers.

A slight Yorkist reverse was suffered at Ferrybridge, where Lord Fitzwalter’s troops were surprised and their commander killed in an attack led by Lord Clifford; but Clifford’s forces was soon caught and Clifford himself killed. The Yorkists then proceeded to the higher ground, where the Lancastrians were drawn up between the villages of Towton and Saxton.

The battle that was fought on this windswept plateau lasted for nearly the whole day. Rather more than 80,000 men took part and this time the snowstorm that set in favored the Yorkists. The advantage seemed to go first to one side then to the other in this fiercely contested battle. About midday the Duke of Norfolk’s troops arrived on the field and took position on the Yorkist right flank. With his numbers thus increased, dward was at last able to turn the Lancastrian left and gradually, they began to fall back, closely pressed by the Yorkists.

Eventually discipline snapped and in the mad rush to cross the Cock Beck and gain the London road thousands of Lancastrians perished. The exact numbers of those who died on the field of battle, or in the marshy fields of the beck, are not known; but there has been no greater slaughter in any battle fought on British soil.

Yorkists Lancastrians

Edward IV, Earl of March, later King of England, crowned 28 June, 1461	William Ackworth, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir John Asherton	John Aldeley,Esq
Sir John Astley	William Antron,Esq
James Baskerville, Esq	John Audley, killed in battle and later attainted
Thomas Baskerville, Esq	Sir Thomas Babthorpe
Sir Richard Beauchamp	Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, attainted
Sir Humphrey Blount	Henry Beaumont, Gent., killed in battle
Sir Walter Blount, knighted	John Beaumont, Gent., killed in battle and later attainted
Humphrey Bourchier, rewarded after battle	Sir Henry Bellingham, attainted
John Bourchier, captured by Lancastrians and later freed	Robert Bellingham, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
William Viscount Bourchier, created Earl of Essex by Edward IV	Sir William Bertram
William Brandon, Esq	Sir John Bigod, Lord Mauley, killed in battle
Edward Brooke, Lord Cobham, rewarded after battle	Sir Henry Bokingham
Sir Thomas Burgh	Robert Bolling, Gent.,killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Nicholas Byron	Edward Brampton, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Robert Chamberlain	Thomas Brampton, Esq, killed in battle
Thomas Claymond, attainted	Thomas Burnby
Sir John Clay	Sir John Burton
Sir Robert Clifton	James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire, executed after battle and later attainted
John Lord Clinton, rewarded after battle	Sir John Butler, attainted
Sir Christopher Conyers	Sir Thomas Butler, attainted
Sir John Conyers	Sir Richard Carey
Sir Roger Corbie, rewarded after battle	Thomas Carr, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Philip Courtenay	Sir William Catesby
Sir Richard Croft the Younger, rewarded after battle	John Chapman, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Richard Croft the Elder, rewarded after battle	Ralph Chernok, Gent., killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Gilbert Debenham	Thomas Claymond, Esq
Thomas Denyes, Esq	John Baron Clifford, killed in battle
Sir Walter Devereaux, knighted	Sir Roger Clifford
Sir John Dinham, rewarded after battle	Sir Gervase Clifton
Sir John Dunne, rewarded after battle	Richard Cokerell, Merchant, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Guy Fairfax	Sir John Courtenay, attainted
William Fiennes, Lord Saye and Sele, rewarded after battle	Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon, executed after battle
Thomas Fitzalan, Lord Maltravers, rewarded after battle	Sir John Crackenthorpe, killed in battle
Sir John Fogge, rewarded after battle	Sir Thomas Crackenthorpe, killed in battle
Sir Geoffrey Gate	Thomas Crawford, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Robert Green	Sir Henry Dacre
Edmund Lord Grey of Ruthin, rewarded after battle	Sir Humphrey Dacre, attainted
Reginald Lord Grey of Wilton, rewarded after battle	Randolph Lord Dacre of Gilsland, killed in battle and later attainted
Gruffyd ap Henry, Esq	Thomas Daniel, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Richard Hakluyt, Esq	John Dawson, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir John Harcourt, Esq	Sir John Delves
Sir Robert Harcourt, rewarded after battle	Everard Digby, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
John Harper, Esq	John Doubigging, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir James Harrington	Sir John Dunn
Sir Robert Harrington	Sir Thomas Elderton
Ralph Hastings, Esq	Edward Ellesmere, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Richard Hastings	Sir Ralph Eure, killed in battle
Sir William Hastings, knighted	John Everyingham, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir William Herbert, knighted	Richard Everyingham, killed in battle and later attainted
Ralph Hopton, Esq	Sir Thomas Everyingham, attainted
Robert Horne, Esq, killed in battle	Sir William Fielding
Sir John Howard, rewarded after battle	Sir John Fortescue, attainted
Sir Richard Jenney, killed in battle	Richard Fulmady, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Henry Lewys	Sir Baldwin Fulford
Sir George Lumley	Sir Thomas Fulford
Sir Thomas Lumley	Sir Thomas Fyndern, attainted
Sir John Markham	Richard Gaitford, Gent., attainted
Sir Robert Markham	Sir William Gascoigne
Geoffrey Middleton, Esq	Sir Ralph Grey
John Milewater the Younger	Sir Thomas Grey, attainted
John Milewater the Elder	William Grimsby, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Thomas Montgomery, rewarded after battle	Sir Edward Hamden, attainted
Thomas Mornington	Sir Simon Hammes, attainted
Sir Simon Mountford	Sir Richard Hammis, killed in battle
John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, officiated as Earl Marshall at Edward IV’s coronation	Sir Edmund Hampden
Walter Myton	Sir William Harhill, killed in battle
Edward Neville, Lord Abergavenny, rewarded after battle	Lord Harry, killed in battle
Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, wounded, later helped solidify Yorkist position in the North	Sir Nicholas Harvey, attainted
William Neville, Lord Fauconberg, created Earl of Kent	Robert Hatecale, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir William Norrys	Sir William Havill, killed in battle
Sir Robert Ogle, knighted	John Hawt
Robert Palmer, Esq	John Haydon, Esq
Sir Thomas Parr	Sir John Heron, killed in battle
Sir John Paston	Sir Thomas Hervey
Sir William Petche	Sir John Heyton, killed in battle
Sir Henry Pierrepont	Laurence Hill, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir John Pilkington	Sir William Hill, killed in battle
John De La Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk	Sir Robert Hillyard, killed in battle
James Radcliffe, Esq	Sir Alexander Hody
John Radcliffe, Lord Fitzwalter, killed in battle	Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter, attainted
Sir Laurence Rainsford, rewarded in battle	Sir William Holland, attainted
Sir William Rainsford	Robert Lord Hungerford, attainted
Sir Henry Ratcliffe	Sir Walter Hungerford, attainted
Sir John Say, rewarded after battle	William Joseph, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir John Scott, rewarded after battle	John Joskin, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
John Lord Scrope of Bolton, wounded but survived	Richard Kirkby, Gent., killed in battle and later attainted
Nicholas Sharpe, Esq	Sir Nicholas Latimer, attainted
Henry Sotehill	John Lenche, Esq, attainted
Fulk Staffork, Esq	Sir Henry Lewes, attainted
Sir Henry Stafford	Richard Lister the Younger, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Humphrey Stafford, knighted	Thomas Litley, Grocer, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir John Stafford, killed in battle	Sir James Luttrell
Thomas Lord Stanley	John Maidenwell, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir William Stanley	Ralph Makerell, killed in battle and later attainted
John Lord Stourton, rewarded in battle	Thomas Manning, killed in battle and later attainted
Thomas Sturgeon, Esq	Sir John Marney
William Sturgeon, Esq	Sir John Maulever
Sir James Strangeways, rewarded after battle	Sir Thomas Metham
Sir Richard Strangeways	Sir William Mille, attainted
Sir Thomas Strickland	John Mirfin, Esq, attainted
Sir William Stoner	Sir Thomas Molyneaux
John Sutton, Lord Dudley, rewarded after battle	Sir John Montgomery, executed
William Tendering, Esq	John Morton, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Roger Thornton of Nether Whitton, Northumberland	Sir Edmund Moundford, attainted
Sir Thomas Thorpe	John Myrvyn
Sir Lancelot Threlkeld of Threlkeld of Cumberland	Sir Henry Narbohew, killed in battle
Sir Roger Tocotes of Bromham, Wilts, rewarded after battle	John Naylor, killed in battle and later attainted
John Touchet, Lord Audley, rewarded after battle	Sir Charles Neville
Sir Thomas Tudenham, of Oxborough, Norfolk	Sir Humphrey Neville
Sir William Tyrell	John Lord Neville, killed in battle and later attainted
Philip Vaughan, Esq	Sir William Newburgh
Sir Roger Vaughan	Walter Nuthill, Esq
Sir Thomas Vaughn, rewarded after battle	William Nuthill, attainted
Ralph Vestynden, Esq, EdwardIV’s standard bearer, given annuity for life	Sir John Pennington
Sir Thomas Walgrave, rewarded after battle	John Penycock, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir John Wenlock, knighted	Henry Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland, killed in battle and later attainted
Sir Robert Wingfield	Sir Ralph Percy, did not suffer forfeiture under Edward IV
Sir Roger Wolferstone	Sir Richard Percy, killed in battle
	Thomas Philip, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
	John Plumpton, killed in battle
	Sir William Plumpton
	John Preston, killed in battle and later attainted
	Sir Henry Roos
	Thomas Lord Roos, attainted
	Sir Henry Ross, killed in battle and later attainted
	Lord Rugemond-Grey, attainted
	Sir William St. Quyntin
	Giles Saintlove, killed in battle and later attainted
	John Lord Scrope of Bolton, killed in battle
	John Smothing, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
	Henry Spencer, Yeoman, killed in battle and later attainted
	Thomas Stanley of Carlisle, Gent., killed in battle and later attainted
	Richard Stuckley, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
	Sir William Tailboys, executed
	Sir Richard Tempest of Bracewell, Yorkshire, betrayed by Henry VI, allegiance to to Clifford
	Thomas Thompson of Guines
	Sir John Tresham
	Sir Thomas Tresham
	Sir Andrew Trollope, killed in battle
	Sir David Trollope, killed in battle
	Sir Richard Tuddenham of Oxborough, Norfolk
	Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke
	Sir Richard Tunstall of Thurland, attainted
	Thomas Tunstall, Esq, attainted
	Sir William Vaux, attainted
	Lionel Lord Welles, killed in battle and later attainted
	Sir Philip Wentworth, attainted
	William Weynsford, Esq, killed in battle and later attainted
	Roger Wharton, Groom, killed in battle and later attainted
	John Whelpdale, killed in battle and later attainted
	Sir Robert Whitingham, attainted
	Robert Lord Willoughby, killed in battle
	Anthony Woodville, Lord Scales, reported killed but survived
	Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, accompanied Henry VI in flight to Newcastle

Back to Wars of the Roses