On the 19th August 1485, a motley but powerful army made its way through Lichfield, on route to winning one of the most important battles in British history.

Imagine thousands of medieval soldiers, drawn from all corners of France, Wales, Scotland and England. With swords, bows, cannon and warhorses they marched, past our castle-like Cathedral Close and through the streets of medieval Lichfield.

Their leader Henry Tudor had landed in Wales from France barely three weeks before, marched to Shrewsbury then Stafford and, with his growing army, came to Lichfield. His plan was to defeat King Richard III and take the Crown of England.

Lichfeldians came out onto the streets to welcome them and did so madly enthusiastically, with guns fired into the sky, ‘cracken on high … a goodly sight to see’ and the streets packed with people ‘both old and young’.

Crucially, it was said that Lichfield’s religious leaders treated Henry Tudor formally, as if he was already the King. According to Polydore Vergil, writing only 20 or so years later, he was ‘received by the clergy as King, with entreaties’.

It was almost as if Lichfield had already picked its side for the forthcoming final showdown of the Wars of the Roses… But had it chosen wisely?

Henry’s army camped outside Lichfield before entering the city and we think between Hopwas and Tamworth on the 19th.

The sight must have been extraordinary. Tents and fluttering pennants stretching into the distance. Campfires roaring and flames dancing as darkness fell. The smells and smoke of sizzling meat. Shouts and songs in a dozen different languages and thick accents filling the air.

It was on his way to Tamworth that Henry supposedly ‘lost touch with his army in the darkness’, and had to stay in a village a few miles away for the night before rejoining his army the following day.

We think that sounds decidedly odd, even though taken at face value by many historians since….

We think the reality could be much more interesting… Just to the east of Lichfield and north of Tamworth stands Haselour Hall, a home to one of the most influential and powerful women who ever lived in medieval Britain – Margaret Beaufort.

Haselour Hall is stunning. It’s been rebuilt since the 15th century but is likely to have been very impressive back then too.

Margaret was many things: wealthy, politically astute, an influencer, a power player in the middle of medieval politics, and a mastermind who likely orchestrated this whole campaign and attempt to seize the throne.

Margaret was also Henry Tudor’s mother….

So if Henry did pop in that night to see his mum and say hello, it likely wasn’t just for a cup of tea and a catch-up. Not least, Margaret’s fourth husband was Sir Thomas Stanley, who, together with his brother Sir William, were amongst the most powerful men in England, each with their own armies.

Stepdad Sir Thomas’s huge personal army, numbering around 3000, had itself marched through Lichfield just a few days before. The Stanleys were said to have stage managed Henry’s grand entry into Lichfield and William’s army lingered behind, forming what was effectively a rearguard to the north.

Who might have been there that night at Haselour? The Stanleys? Other powerful figures going against the king? What difference did their coming together make? What might have been discussed and decided in secret?

We will likely never know, and of course maybe Henry really did just somehow lose track of his 6,000-strong army somewhere between Lichfield and Tamworth…

The next morning, Henry went back to his troops at Tamworth, who were very relieved to see him, then marched to Atherstone. The day after, they headed to a site just south of Market Bosworth.

The 22 August 1485 has gone down in history: The Battle of Bosworth Field. Thousands faced off against each other. The fighting was intense, fearsome and brutal. Over 1000 died.

Then Richard III saw a chance. Henry was spotted, isolated and some distance from his main army. Richard and his personal cavalry galloped forward fast, across the battlefield to take the young challenger down.

But, seeing Henry Tudor in peril spurred William Stanley to now finally commit his army to the battlefield in support of his step-nephew. Richard fought bravely and valiantly but William’s men took his horse from under him, prompting Shakespeare’s famous but improbable line ‘A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!’, and brutally killed the king.

Which individual did the actual deed has been open to speculation, and one good candidate has a very local link – Thomas Woodshawe, then tenant of Middleton Hall.

It looks like in those days before, when Lichfield had filled the streets in support of Henry, the city had indeed chosen the right side, and as they say, the rest is history….

Henry Tudor was crowned just a short distance from the battlefield by his own stepdad Sir Thomas, became Henry VII and the Tudor dynasty had begun. He reigned until his death in 1509 from tuberculosis.

His adversary, King Richard? Richard’s body was thrown naked over a horse and taken to Leicester where, in 2012, it was found buried under a car park. After being subjected to detailed forensic analysis (and a fair few TV documentaries), it was interred with full pomp and circumstance in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.

And Margaret Beaufort? Margaret enjoyed immense power, shaping politics and high society for the first 24 years of the Tudor dynasty. She outlived her son just long enough to set the agenda for his successor too, a certain King Henry VIII. When the new king appointed his first privy council, the 18-year old Royal went with the advice and recommendations of his grandmother.

Margaret died just five days after his coronation and was laid to rest at Westminster Abbey. She is still there today, in a tomb of bronze and black marble crafted beautifully by Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano.

No ending up under a bleak Leicester car park for this remarkable medieval matriarch who had a home here in Lichfield and perhaps masterminded the overthrow of a king, his replacement by her son and the creation of the mighty Tudor dynasty, a whole new chapter of English history…

JT

(This portrait of Margaret Beaufort is from the Royal Collection and can be seen in the Haunted Gallery at Hampton Court. A big thank you to Graham Turner – Artist for permission to use his painting of Henry Tudor being crowned at Bosworth. The photograph of Haselour Hall is by estate agents Aston Knowles.)