Latest News - New Archaeological Find!

Introduction to Press Conference by Heather Broughton

Leicestershire County Council (28th October 2009)

On behalf of Leicestershire County Council, welcome to Bosworth Battlefield Visitor Centre.  We are delighted to reveal this morning significant news regarding the Battle of Bosworth, and a panel of experts alongside me will give you this breaking news.  On that point, can I suggest we take questions at the end of our short presentation.

Details of the panel members are in the packs of information you will receive after this briefing.  

By way of background, Leicestershire County Council has managed and developed a heritage centre here on this site since 1974.  There have been a number of theories as to where the battle took place in this area and in 2005, the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded funding to Leicestershire County Council for the redevelopment of the Heritage Centre, and the funding for the first time for an archaeological survey to research the actual battle.  This was achieved with the support of English Heritage, local landowners and regional museum bodies.  We commissioned the Battlefields Trust to lead the search.

Our Discoveries

The headlines of our discoveries are:

• Four years of intensive archaeology have identified the area where the Battle took place that is not far from here.
• As a result of what has been discovered, our understanding of medieval warfare, and action in battle, has changed.  This knowledge is of international significance.
• As a result of archive and historical research over the last four years, it is now almost certain that Crown Hill, in the nearby parish of Stoke Golding, and previously the ‘anecdotal’ location where Henry was crowned after the Battle, was indeed the location where Henry became King.
• We have the best evidence of cannon and gunpowder used in a major battle anywhere in the world and the largest group of cannonballs ever found on a medieval battlefield site in Europe, here in Leicestershire at Bosworth.

A Selection of the Finds

Summary from the County Council

The partnership between the County Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, local landowners and the Battlefields Trust will work to define the boundaries of the battle over the coming months and agree a conservation plan and to ensure protection for the Battlefield for present and future generations.  Battlefields have yet to receive statutory protection under law, but Leicestershire County Council knows that English Heritage is working very hard to improve safeguards and public appreciation of their significance.  Jon Humble the English Heritage Inspector of Ancient Monuments is also here today to answer questions.

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre is in the ideal place to act as the gateway to the Battlefield; the exhibition will be updated from Easter to reflect the new finds and their significance, and a trail for visitors is under development.

Leicestershire County Council would like to thank everyone who has been involved (volunteers, field workers, universities, etc).  We are all immensely proud of what has been achieved.

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