Thumbnails of Merevale Abbey and alternative site for Bosworth near Atherstone

Thumbnails of Merevale Abbey and Alternative Site for Bosworth, near Atherstone

Pictures do take a while to download so please be patient when you click on a thumbnail to link to the large picture. All the larger pictures are compressed from the originals for faster downloading.
Pictures taken on Sunday January 26th 2003, and Saturday 11th September 2004, on guided tours of the area with Michael K. Jones, author of Bosworth 1485 - Psychology of a Battle, in which he argues convincingly for a different location for the battle. But you need to read the book!

Jesse window, Church of Our Lady, Merevale
Boar in the glass
St Armel

The Church of Our Lady, Merevale, used to be the Gate Chapel of Merevale Abbey. The tracery lights of the Jesse window are filled with 14th and 15th century glass, including four shields, from left to right, arms of the Cistercian order, Ferrers, Abbey of Merevale, de la Roch.
In another window, the St Armel glass was probably installed by Henry VII in 1503 in grateful thanks for his victory at Bosworth.

Fragments of glass reassembled to depict a pike formation
Shield of Ferrers quartered with Devereux of the 15th century
Tomb (about 1440) of two members of the Ferrers family

After Michael K. Jones mentioned the pike formation being of crucial importance in defeating Richard, John Austin remembered the fragments of broken glass and made this picture depicting such a formation. There are several members of the Ferrers family of Chartley buried in the church, and Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, fought for Richard.

Ruins of Merevale Abbey
Ruins of Merevale Abbey
Ruins of Merevale Abbey

Ruins of Merevale Abbey
Ruins of Merevale Abbey
Ruins of Merevale Abbey

Michael K. Jones explaining the ruins of Merevale Abbey
Michael K. Jones explaining the ruins of Merevale Abbey
Coat of arms on outside of the Church of Our Lady, Merevale

Royal Meadow Atherstone - site of battle of Bosworth?
Royal Meadow Atherstone - site of battle of Bosworth?
Royal Meadow Atherstone - site of battle of Bosworth?

This is where the battle began according to Michael K. Jones. King Richard camped the night before in front of where you can see the farmhouse in the first two photos.

View of Derby Spinney, where King Richard III was killed, and burial mound.
Sunset over Fenny Drayton, as seen from Derby Spinney.
Sunset over Fenny Drayton, as seen from Derby Spinney.

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Page last updated on July 18 2006

Jesse window, Church of Our Lady, Merevale	Boar in the glass	St Armel
The Church of Our Lady, Merevale, used to be the Gate Chapel of Merevale Abbey. The tracery lights of the Jesse window are filled with 14th and 15th century glass, including four shields, from left to right, arms of the Cistercian order, Ferrers, Abbey of Merevale, de la Roch. In another window, the St Armel glass was probably installed by Henry VII in 1503 in grateful thanks for his victory at Bosworth.
Fragments of glass reassembled to depict a pike formation	Shield of Ferrers quartered with Devereux of the 15th century	Tomb (about 1440) of two members of the Ferrers family
After Michael K. Jones mentioned the pike formation being of crucial importance in defeating Richard, John Austin remembered the fragments of broken glass and made this picture depicting such a formation.	There are several members of the Ferrers family of Chartley buried in the church, and Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, fought for Richard.
Ruins of Merevale Abbey	Ruins of Merevale Abbey	Ruins of Merevale Abbey
Ruins of Merevale Abbey	Ruins of Merevale Abbey	Ruins of Merevale Abbey
Michael K. Jones explaining the ruins of Merevale Abbey	Michael K. Jones explaining the ruins of Merevale Abbey	Coat of arms on outside of the Church of Our Lady, Merevale
Royal Meadow Atherstone - site of battle of Bosworth?	Royal Meadow Atherstone - site of battle of Bosworth?	Royal Meadow Atherstone - site of battle of Bosworth?
This is where the battle began according to Michael K. Jones. King Richard camped the night before in front of where you can see the farmhouse in the first two photos.
View of Derby Spinney, where King Richard III was killed, and burial mound.	Sunset over Fenny Drayton, as seen from Derby Spinney.	Sunset over Fenny Drayton, as seen from Derby Spinney.