Tag: Leicestershire

Battle of Bosworth.

‘Early in the morning men prepare their souls and their equipment for the forthcoming battle. Sounds of stone on blades and murmured Latin prayers are soon drowned out by the din of the drums calling the men to muster.’

On the 22nd August 1485 Henry Tudor brought a small rebel army to face the much larger Royal army of King Richard III.

The Battle of Bosworth heralded the dawn of the Tudor Age. England would never be the same again. The Church of England was founded and the British Empire was born.

‘Why, our battalion trebles that account:
Besides, the king’s name is a tower of strength,
Which they upon the adverse party want.
Up with my tent there! Valiant gentlemen,
Let us survey the vantage of the field
Call for some men of sound direction
Let’s want no discipline, make no delay,
For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day.

William Shakespeare. Richard III Act V, Scene 3 Bosworth Field.

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Brushed up on my Battle of Bosworth today at: https://www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk/

Meandering in the Midlands.

We had three fab walks in The East Midlands this week.

First was Bradgate Park in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire: https://www.bradgatepark.org/

Weather was a bit moody but held out:

Second was Kingsbury Waterpark Warwickshire, lying on the River Tame: http://countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk/country-parks/kingsbury-water-park/. Lake walks, bug hotels and a fab little railway:

By far my favourite was the Quarry walk in Mountsorrel. We started walking up the canal and river from Loughborough:

The industrial past of the region was obvious from the riverside buildings:

Then we hit the public footpath running through Mountsorrel Quarry: https://www.tarmac.com/mountsorrel-quarry/

We got talking to one of the foremen as we walked through who told us that: this is Europe’s largest hard stone quarry- producing pink granite; 50% of the granite is transported by the railways; quarried land is restored in and around the quarry for the community; it has been identified as a potential site for public water supply.

I live on the south coast and we have little or no heavy industry so was really interested to learn about this part of the Midland’s past and present.