Audley’s Charge by Robert Simm.
Reproduced from the Blore Heath website with their kind permission.

Following the battle of St Albans there were four years of peace but the political scene had now changed. Following the death of Somerset, Henry’s queen, Margaret, became a power to be reckoned with and in 1459 she sought to indict York and his followers and was demanding the arrest of Warwick. Once again military conflict became inevitable. The Yorkists were geographically dispersed, with the duke at Ludlow, Salisbury in Middleham and Warwick in Calais. The armies of the king moved from Nottingham westwards but a force commanded by Lord Audley recruited within the earldom of Chester, which was under the control of the king, was in a position to intercept Salisbury who was moving south towards Ludlow.

This image is taken from the top of the Mucklestone church tower, looking towards the battle field at Blore Heath.According to legend, this is where Queen Margaret stood and watched her forces defeated. Reproduced from the Blore Heath site with their kind permission. www.bloreheath.org

The encounter took place at Blore Heath on open ground chosen by Audley to give him full advantage of his superior numbers and cavalry. When Salisbury saw the size of the opposing army, about 9,000 to 10,000, and double the size of his own, he decided to take up a defensive position, dug a trench to the rear and fortified his front line with stakes. Somehow Salisbury persuaded Audley to attack. As the Lancastrian cavalry charged the Yorkist archers fired at the horses and followed with an infantry charge to finish off the cavalry. Audley responded with a second charge which was dealt with in the same way by the Yorkists. Finally Audley threw in his own infantry supported by his remaining cavalry and a fierce mêlée took place during which Audley was killed. Demoralised by their cavalry losses and their lack of progress against the Yorkists the leaderless Lancastrians broke their line and fled. Salisbury gave pursuit and cut down many of the fleeing Lancastrians before continuing to Ludlow and the rendezvous with his brother-in-law and son.

Shields of some of the participants

Further Reading:

‘Cheshiremen at Blore Heath: A Swan Dive’ by James L Gillespie. People, Politics and Community in the Later Middle Ages edited by J. Rosenthal and Colin Richmond. Sutton 1987.

The Battle of Blore Heath 1459. P Griffith (ed). Paddy Griffiths Associates, 1995.

‘The Wars of the Roses Part One: The Battle of Blore Heath’ by Brian Jewell from Detector User, April 1984. Brief account of the battle

The Battle of Blore Heath by FR Twemlow. 1912. Detailed study of the battle.