“This battayl was sore foughten, for hope of life was set on every parte and takynge of prisoners was proclaimed as a great offence, by reason whereof every man determined either to conquer or to dye in the felde. This deadly battayle and bloudy conflict continued x houres in doubtfull victorie. The one parte some time flowynge, some time ebbing, but in conclusion kyng Edward so coragiously comforted his men, refreshing the wery, and helping the wounded, that the other parte was discomfited and overcome, and lyke men amased, fled toward Tadcaster bridge to save them selfes.” — Edward Hall, Chronicle

I was in the medieval city of York this weekend to visit the Towton Battlefield Trail. I walked 25.4 km on Saturday and 18.8 km on Sunday. It was like a self-imposed death-march.

Mass was at English Martyrs and they have a lovely chaplet dedicated to Our Lady of Walsingham. I also visited York Minster and the National Railways Museum on Sunday.

Flickr Albums
(1) Towton
(2) York

Vimeo
(1) Cock Beck
(2) Towton Battlefield Trail

Hidden Treasures
(1) Priory Church of the Holy Trinity
(2) The Stained Glass Centre, St. Martin’s Church
(3) Paintings at the the National Railway Museum:
(3a) Spirit of the South by Harry Stevens
(3b) First Class: The Meeting by Abraham Solomon¹
(4) The Hole in the Wall
(5) Light, Glass & Stone: Conserving the St Cuthbert Window

Regrets
(1) FortyFive Vinyl Café was closed
(2) It was English Mum’s Day on Sunday and I didn’t have restaurant reservations
(3) Forgot my Rosary Beads at home (this is the pair from Westminster Cathedral blessed at The Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs in Cambridge)
(4) Didn’t pack very well (extra shirt and shoes)²
(5) Should have stopped at the Greyhound Inn for a pint after my tour of the Towton battlefield. It was close to sunset and the inn sits in the shadows of All Saints Church.

_{¹The placard next to the painting says the scene inspired the poet John Betjeman but it doesn’t say which poem?
²There was an incident on the trail involving a marsh and a river.}