Some 16 miles west of Leicester lies Bosworth field, scene of an epic clash between the royal houses of Tudor and Plantagenet more than five hundred years ago.

t was here the King Richard III - unfairly immortalised as the evil hunchback king in Shakespeare's play - is said to have uttered his famous last words "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" as he scoured the battlefield for his rival to the throne, Henry of Richmond.

Amazingly the battlefield - the last in the 30 year Wars of the Roses - has survived the march of time and visitors can amble around a 45 minute circular path following the ebb and flow of that fateful day. There is also a visitor centre and cafe to refresh weary legs.

You can do the Battle Trail in either direction but go anti-clockwise to follow the unfolding battle on a series of well-presented information boards with diagrams showing where the armies stood at key times during the day.

When Leicestershire County Council bought the land in 1973 there was some controversy about whether the battle was actually fought here at all. But most historians today agree it is the right site.

On a warm day with clear blue skies you can see for miles and it is a lovely walk which you can enjoy for the scenery alone. Close your eyes and listen closely and you can almost hear the battle cries and ring of steel on steel.

{The Battlefield}

From the car park -£1 pay and display - head away from the Battlefield Visitor Centre towards a gravelled path suitable for buggies and wheelchairs.

A short hop takes you to the brow of Ambion Hill where Richard unfurled his White Boar standard and deployed his 12,000-strong army on the eve of the battle in 1485.

Look towards the church steeple in the nearby village of Market Bosworth and Henry's standard flutters in the wind to mark the spot where he pitched camp with his 6,000 troops.

Follow the path down
a gentle hill with sheep grazing on both sides and after a couple of minutes reach an information board for a battle update.

In a bid to compensate for lack of numbers Henry seized the iniaitive by ordering his troops to advance across open fields towards Richard's forces. - their advance was directly in front of you.

On his right flank - to your left on the hill - was Lord Stanley, a peer with 6,000 soldiers under his command, who was undecided about which army to back despite family connections to Henry.

Richard's artillery - rudimentary canons - and archers opened up as Henry's forces came within range but were unable to fully halt the advance. Soon thousands of footsoldiers were engaged in bloody hand-to-hand combat on the slopes.

Richard eventually gained the upper hand through sheer weight of numbers.

Continue along the path as it sweeps gently westwards and after a quarter of a mile come to the spot which marks a crucial turning point of the battle.

Henry, staring defeat in the face as his troops were swamped by Richard's superior forces, decided on one last gamble and galloped west to plead with Stanley to enter the fray on his side.

Richard spotted the move from his hilltop vantage point and foolishly charged with 800 mounted bodyguards in a bid to catch Henry in the open.

He was too late - Stanley threw in his lot with Henry and his troops crashed into the exposed flank of Richard's cavalry as they thundered down the hill.

Continue along the path for about a quarter of a mile to Shenton railway station and cross the track to the ominous sounding "Richard's Field".

Devastated by Stanley's surprise attack, Richard's cavalry was sent reeling. The king was unhorsed and his nobles begged him to retreat. But he refused and came face-to-face with Henry who cut him down. Legend has it his crown rolled into a bush. There is a small me
morial - called the death stone - at the spot where Richard fell.

Head back along the path to the station and walk through a small wood back up the hill. Near the brow is a stone memorial over King Dick's Well, the well where Richard is said to have drunk during the battle.

{After the walk}

At the visitors centre (a converted farmhouse) you can learn more about Henry and Richard, their troops (a large number of Welshmen served under Henry), and the aftermath of the battle. There are models of the combatants and a small exhibition of medieval weapons. There is also a short film about the battle.

An attached giftshop sells the usual merchandise (keyrings, wooden swords, etc) but is redeemed by its well-stocked bookshelves. The nearby Battlefield Buttery serves hot snacks, cakes and drinks at reasonable prices.

{Events}
There are a number of weekend historical re-enactments at Bosworth each year. The big one takes place on August 17 & 18 when hundreds of enthusiasts will recreate the battle.

{Prices}

The country park is open all year round and admission is free. Tickets for the Batlefield Visitor Centre cost £3 for adults and £2 concessions. Between April 1 to October 31, the centre is open between 11am and 5pm daily. Different charges apply at special events.

Guided walks take placde on the first Sunday of each month at 2.30pm. Adults £2, concessions £1.

{How to find the battlefield}

Bosworth Battlefield Visitor Centre and Country Park is 30 miles from Birmingham at Sutton Cheney, Nuneaton,Warwickshire. The battlefield, which is actually in Leicestershire, is bounded by the A5, A444, A447 and the B585 and is well signposed from these roads.

{More info}

Tel: 01455 290429.
Email: bosworth@lecis.gov.uk
Web: www.leics.gov.uk