Nigel's Photo Blog

  Battle of Bosworth Site This evening, I am focusing on the correct site of the Battle of Bosworth which occurred on August 22nd 1485 in rural Leicestershire. This defining battle was fought between the armies of King Richard III comprising about 12,000 men and Henry, Earl of Richmond with about 5000 men. The battle was won by Henry who later that day was crowned Henry VII. This battle represented the conclusion of a 30 year long, vicious civil war in England and the commencement of the Tudor dynasty which lasted for nearly 118 years. By way of a recap , the Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the Houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians. The defeated Richard III was buried in nearby Leicester as described in this blog post. Some six years research by archaeologists and his

  King Richard III of England This evening, I am reporting on an amazing pierce of archaeological detective work which resulted in the finding in 2012 of the skeleton of legendary English king, Richard III  in a Leicester car park in the English East Midlands. Richard III Burial Site, Leicester After defeat at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, where Richard fought and died, his body was unceremoniously buried in the small Greyfriars Church which, post Reformation, was demolished leaving only tantalising evidence of its existence. Car Park Excavation site, Leicester A team, mainly comprised of experts from Leicester University, subjected the bones to rigorous forensic examination with benefit of maternal DNA from a 17th generation descendant of Richard’s sister. Representation of Richard III at Bosworth Visitor Centre, England Richard’s death marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty (1154-1485) and commencement of reign of the Tudors (1485-1603). Whilst the skeleton indicat

   This evening, I am posting information on the Battle of Edgehill which took place on October 23rd, 1642. Location is about ninety miles NW of London. This was the first major clash of  the English civil war, a conflict which lasted until 1651. The country was split between the forces of King Charles I, who believed in the Divine Right of Kings and those supporting the democratically inspired forces of Parliament.  These became known as Cavaliers and Roundheads respectively. Oliver Cromwell rose through the ranks to lead the Parliamentary forces but did not have a meaningful role at Edgehill. Edgehill was fought between armies of roughly equal size, about 15000 in each. The Royalists were led by Prince Rupert of the Rhine and the Parliamentarians by the Earl of Essex. The two opposing armies were both en-route to London and it was by chance   they found each other in close proximity. The King drew up his army along Edgehill whereas   the Parliamentarians under  the Earl of Es

 This evening, I am focusing on Middleham Castle, located in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England. This video clip was taken from atop the castle and places the building in context of the local landscape. Location is about forty-five miles NW of the city of York. Middleham Castle had its genesis after the Norman Conquest of England when, in 1069, land in the area was granted to Alan Rufus, a nephew of William the Conqueror. The first castle, a wooden motte-and-bailey structure- was built on a hill about 500 yards to the S.W. of the present castle, a site known as ‘William’s Hill’. The foundations of this castle are still visible. First Castle on William’s Hill The historical chronology after construction of the first castle was a s follows: By 1086 the first castle was in hands of Alan Rufus’s brother, Ribald. First castle abandoned in 12th century when the new castle was built centred on a massive stone keep and a bailey. Construction started around AD 1170 under Robert Fitzran

  Flatford Mill, England This evening, I am focusing on Flatford, including Flatford Mill and Willy Lott’s Cottage, on the River Stour in Suffolk, England. This hamlet is located in the Dedham Vale made famous by the paintings of English artist, John Constable (1776-1837 ). Flatford Mill, which dates from 1733, was owned by John Constable’s father and features in five paintings by the famous artist. The mill ground locally grown cereals and was powered by water, Flatford is now a popular visitor site where England’s National Trust (not-for-profit) plays a prominent role. Location is about eighty miles N.E of London (near Colchester) .   Thatched house at Flatford   Flatford,   River Stour at Flatford   River Stour at Flatford   High-end property at Flatford,

    This evening, I am posting information on the stunning, scenic view known as Symonds Yat on the borders of the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, close to the border with Wales. Location is about 127 miles N.W. of London, near Ross-on-Wye. Here, the River Wye meanders through an ancient landscape of limestone rocks and where traces of man have been found dating back 12000 years. Iron ore was worked here from Roman times. The River Wye has a length of 155 miles. It rises in Plynlimon in mid-Wales and empties into the estuary of the River Seven. For much of its length the river forms part of the boundary between England and Wales.The Wye Valley is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which indicates an official conservation area.  Yat is on Old English word for gate or gorge. Images s hown here were taken from the vantage point of Symonds Yat Rock from where buzzards and other birds of prey can be seen. Here is a video clip of the view.  

  Feature at Painswick Rococo Garden, England This evening, I am reporting on a unique garden in Central England. Location is in the Gloucester/Stroud region, about 111 miles N.W. of London. Painswick is a restored ‘Rococo’ garden from the 18th century. Fortunately, the original garden was painted by artist, Thomas Robins in 1748, a valuable source of reference to aid restoration which began in 1984. Whilst popular on the Continent of Europe in the 18th century,the Rococo style was fashionable for only a short time in Britain. The object was to provide a haven of peace and tranquility and allow the visitor to absorb the ambience of the creation throughout all seasons. The garden is managed and controlled by a charitable trust (not-for-profit) . Facilities include a restaurant and shop. the site is a popular location for weddings.   Chapel at Painswick Rococo Garden Overview of Painswick Rococo Garden Painswick Rococo Garden with Kitchen Garden   View from Chapel a

This evening, I am posting information on Brancepeth in County Durham, N.E. England. (The city of Durham is about 270 miles north of London.) The name reflects historic migration patterns combining elements of Old Scandinavian and Old English. It means path or road of a man called Brandr. Brancepeth is s small village with population of 400 persons. Location is five miles S.W.of the city of Durham. The two principal visitor sites are the castle and church. These are discussed below. Brancepeth Castle The Neville family controlled the property from the 1066 Norman invasion through to the 16th century when it was confiscated by the Crown as penalty for the Nevilles leading a plot to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I. After a short spell under royal control it was gifted by James I to a Robert Carr and thereafter underwent a succession of ownership changes. Today the castle is owned by the Dobson family.   ( At one time the Neviilles' were positioned in the highest echelon of En

  Broadway Tower, English Cotswolds. This evening, I am posting information on Broadway Tower, a folly (no functional use) which dates from 1789 and reaches a height of 1024 feet (312 metres), the second highest vantage point in the Cotswolds. Location is near Moreton-in-Marsh and Chipping Campden and hence suitable for inclusion in tours of the Cotswolds region. The Cotswolds district is about 100 miles NW of London   The tower was designed by architect, James Wyatt for the 6th Earl of Coventry who in turn followed a vision of leading landscape designer ‘Capability’ Brown. Landscape view of Broadway from Broadway Tower, Cotswolds. The building’s eccentric design has, over the years, inspired eccentric occupants including a book and manuscript collector and Arts & Craft Movement members. During military conflicts in the 20th century, the Tower was used as a lookout (for military aircraft). The local parkland is conducive to hiking and cycling and a small herd of Red

Tonight, I am posting a reprise of a day tour of the heart of the English Costwolds. Location is about eighty miles N.W. of London. Landscape view of Long Compton The following sites were accessed within a day from a 'hub' of Moreton-in-Marsh Many of the village churches date from around the 12th century AD and doubled as refuges and community centres.. At the time the only religion was Roman Catholic which was replaced by Protestantism and the Anglican Church after around AD 1540. First was a landscape view of Long Compton followed by a visit to a Bronze Age (1800-1500 BC) standing stone at Rollright. Bronze Age standing stone at Rollright. Deformed shape is due to persons in days past removing small pieces for memento purposes.  Stone circle at Rollright which is about 4500 years old. Then to the village of Long Compton and its lychgate and church. Long Compton Lychgate Long Compton Parish Church Next to the even smaller village of Barton on the Heath and its ch