Brooke, 1857
Pages 203-4:
The Field
of the Battle
of Evesham
As the battle of
Evesham was not fought in the fifteenth century, it would not have been
noticed here, if it had not been for the circumstance of my having visited
the field of battle a few months before this work was sent to the press.
Very little information, however, respecting that sanguinary conflict, can
be obtained by inquiry upon the spot.
On the 28th and
29th of May, 1856, I visited the field of battle, which was fought on the
4th of August, 1265, between the forces of King Henry III., under the
command of his eldest son Prince Edward, and those of Simon de Montfort,
Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons, and terminated in the defeat
of the latter with great slaughter.
The battle was
fought in the spot now enclosed fields, upon the elevated tract of ground,
adjoining the turnpike road from Evesham in Worcestershire, to Alcester
and Warwick, very near a house called Battle-well House (which stands on
the left side of the road in going from Evesham), and also near the
tollbar, called Battle-well Gate, and almost a mile and a quarter from
Evesham.
A lane turns off
from the turnpike road near the tollbar, towards the river Avon, by which
the defeated forces are said to have fled, and to have attempted to
descend to the meadows, in order to cross the Avon, at a place now called
Offenham Ferry. The lane was, until about 1741, the great high road from
Worcester towards London. An old man, named Thomas Price, who lives at the
lodge of the mansion belonging to Mrs. Blainey, which is situated on the
side of the turnpike road, opposite to Battle-well House, and,
consequently, upon the spot where the conflict took place, and who has
resided there most of his life, informed me, that many years ago, he
recollected seeing a battle-axe, which, with some human bones, had been
ploughed up in a field, close to Battle-well House. A bridge is said to
have formerly stood at Offenham Ferry, and some appearances of masonry,
seemingly of the pier of the bridge, may still be discovered at the ferry.
Close to it the ground is a little raised, and that spot is called “Dead
Man’s Height,” or “Dead Man’s Bank,” where human remains and fragments of
weapons, are said to have been formerly discovered, as well as in an
orchard very near there, called “Twyners.” About two miles on the opposite
side of the ferry, is a stone quarry upon a hill, at South Littleton,
which was also in the line of retreat, and human bones, and parts of
weapons, are said to have been found there, about thirty years ago.
In the beautiful
grounds of F. J. Rudge, Esq., of Abbey Manor,
near the field of battle, a small pillar has been erected with the
following inscription:
ON THIS SPOT
IN THE REIGN OF HENRY III
THE BATTLE OF EVESHAM
WAS FOUGHT AUGUST iv 1265
BETWEEN THE KING’S FORCES COMMANDED BY HIS ELDEST SON
PRINCE EDWARD
AND
THE BARONS UNDER
SIMON DE MONTFORT EARL OF LEICESTER;
IN WHICH
THE PRINCE BY HIS SKILL AND VALOUR
OBTAINED A COMPLETE VICTORY,
AND
THE EARL WITH HIS ELDEST SON HENRY DE MONTFORT,
EIGHTEEN BARONS, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY KNIGHTS,
AND
FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS,
WERE SLAIN IN THE BATTLE.'
