Memorial details
- Memorial type
- Sundial
- District
- Hinckley And Bosworth
- Town
- Sutton Cheney Nr Market Bosworth
- County
- Leicestershire
- Country
- England
- Commemoration
- Wars of the Roses (1455-1487), 15th Century Wars (1400-1499)
- Lost
- Not lost
- WM Reference
- 64893
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Current location
Nuneaton
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park
Ambion Hill
Sutton Cheney Nr Market Bosworth
Hinckley And Bosworth
Leicestershire
CV13 0AD
England
OS Grid Ref: SK 402 006
Denomination: Undefined
- Description
- Sundial with a central gnomon topped with a crown. Set at ground level is an inscription which tells the story of the Battle of Bosworth derived from the chronicle of Polydore Vergil, an Italian at the court of Henry VII. The sundial marks the points of the compass and the distances to other battlefields of the Wars of the Roses. Around the outer dial are three thrones bearing the names of Richard III, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond and Thomas, Lord Stanley. The throne to Lord Stanley is shorter than the other two thrones. Rose bushes are planted around the dial between the thrones to form an outer circle.
- Inscription
- Tablets set within the ground around the dial: On the 22nd of August 1485 over a thousand/ men lost their lives on Bosworth Field./ This monument commemorates them and the many/ thousands who were killed during the Wars of the Roses. Early in the morning men prepare their souls and their/ equipment for the forthcoming battle. Sounds of stone on blades and murmured Latin prayers are soon drowned/ out by the din of the drums calling the men to muster. Cannons blasting their shot snatching men from/ the ranks, storms of arrows finding their prey./ The surge of men towards their enemy,/ the ring of steel on steel and the dull thud/ of steel on bone. Spurs rake back in a desperate charge/ with victory in sight, treachery is unleashed. A King falls. Bodies strew the field, blood soaks the ground/ and screams and moans of the injured fill the air./ Away from the carnage a new King is crowned./ God is praised for the unlikely victory/ and the Tudor dynasty begins. The last of the Plantagenet Kings, slung naked/ across a horse. A victor leads his tired army to/ Leicester and a day's deeds are recounted./ The dead King's body is viewed by the masses/ before the Grey Friars put him to rest. Throne: RICHARD III Throne: HENRY TUDOR, EARL OF RICHMOND Throne: THOMAS, LORD STANLEY
- Inscription legible?
- yes
- Commemorations
- Wars of the Roses (1455-1487)
Total names on memorial: 3
Served and returned: 2
Died: 1
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname,rank
Order of information: Undefined - 15th Century Wars (1400-1499)
Total names on memorial: 3
Served and returned: 2
Died: 1
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname,rank
Order of information: Undefined
- Wars of the Roses (1455-1487)
- Components
- Sundial
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Metal - Architectural details
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Metal - Seat
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Wood
- Sundial
- Listing information
- This memorial is not currently listed. Find out how to nominate this memorial for inclusion on the National Heritage List for England
- More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website
- Condition
- History
- Red and white rosebushes encirle the dial. The red rose represents the House of Lancaster and the white rose represents the House of York.
- Trust fund/Scholarship
- No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.
This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.
This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:
© WMR-64893
For queries, please contact [email protected].