Tewkesbury Medieval Festival 2014: The Battle

This year I had the chance to go back to the Tewkesbury Medieval festival for the second time. Last year I joined a family from church on one of the hottest days of the summer. I got some great shots of the battle re-enactment (click here to see those) so this year my dad joined me. I decided I wanted to get some different shots from last year, trying to focus on a few different parts of the battle.

This year the festival was privileged to have Prof Ron Hutton join the commentary team and his knowledge of the time was invaluable in setting the scene and giving us some extra info about the battle, most of which I remembered from my own reading. 

The Duke of Somerset.

A Lancastrian soldier complaining the commentary is biased.

The first meeting of the two sides, King Edward IV and his entourage make for the middle of the field.

Couldn't resist taking this shot.

Somerset walking back after his first foolish assault failed.

Duke of Clarence making his own assault on the Lancastrians.

After Somerset killed Wenlock, Prof Ron Hutton had a few choice bits of insulting information about him for the audience! - not a happy duke.

After a humid day, thankfully not as hot as the same time last year, the heavens opened or as Prof Ron Hutton put it "the heavens wept".

Preparing for the final moments.

Prince Edward, the Lancastrian's choice for king, eyeing his competition, Edward IV.

Waiting for the fight to conclude, for the victor to be chosen.

Nerves from the Duke of Clarence?!

And young Richard, Duke of York.

The familiar ending to this tale.

The reaction at the end of the battle was much different from last year's exhaustion. There were smiles all round and some relieved re-enactors who seemed to be grateful for the rain.

The dead rise to congratulate the victors!

Others just sit and survey the scene.

And that's it for my photos of Tewkesbury 2014.

I hope these have inspired some people to join the fun next year. There are more photos of the entire event on the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival Flickr Page

Click the links to see my photos on The Jesters and The Falconry.