Towton remembered

Today is the anniversary of the battle of Towton in 1461. Fought in a snow storm for at least part of the day Palm Sunday Field, as contemporaries termed it, is thought to have been the bloodiest battle ever fought in this country. Whilst estimates of casualties both at the time and made subsequently by historians vary there is no doubt that the death toll was very high indeed. 

As Towton is in my home area, which helped form my interest in the later middle ages, and because I used to organise events to commemorate the battle when I still lived in the area, I like to post something here each year on the anniversary.

Last year’s post gave links to my previous posts about the battle and was combined with some topical reflections on warfare and remembrance in the light of the war in the Ukraine. That was prompted by a piece from the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society. I think it worth sharing again and it can be seen at The Battle of Towton 1461

In the past twelve months I have come upon several online pieces about the remains of 38 victims of the battle, aged between 17 and 50, whose bones were recovered from a mass grave from the site of the lost memorial chapel at Towton, or, in one case, close by at Towton Hall. Modern forensic archaeology can reveal something about these men and their life before the battle and it can also reveal shocking details of how they met their deaths on that snowy day.

The solitary individual from Towton Hall was 6’1” and aged between 36 and 45 when he died, and is described in posts at Battered soldier's body tells bloody tale of the Wars of the Roses and from Murray and Blue at Skeleton from medieval battlefield goes on display at York museum….

The bones from the mass grave are described in A game of thrones written in bones: The skeletal collection from the Battle of Towton. Like other studies this highlights the fate of one in particular who is now known as Towton 25.

The injuries suffered by this group of men are shown in a video which looks at the types of weapons used at the battle and how they were used to such lethal effect. This is from History Hit and can be seen at These Skeletons Reveal Horrific Injuries From The Battle of Towton

One of these anonymous men, the one now catalogued as Towton 25, was, like the man at Towton Hall, in the 36-45 age range, had recovered from previous head injuries, but died that Palm Sunday very violently as can be read at Towton 25

We cannot know his name but modern facial reconstruction can give a good idea of his appearance as can be seen at The Face of Towton 25 Man (Artistic Reconstruction)

Whichever side he was on - although the skeletons are thought more likely to be those of Lancastrian soldiers - or wherever he came from are lacking but that attempt to clothe his bones in virtual flesh restores his humanity, and reminds us that battles centuries ago were fought by flesh and blood men, not just coloured blocks on a map.