More information : SO 426 635: Site of (NAT) Battle (NR) AD 1461
SO 4363 6198: Pedestal erected to commemorate the Battle of Mortimer's Cross (NAT)
SO 4252 6340: Battle Oak (NR). (1)
The battle of Mortimer's Cross, in which the Yorkists defeated the Lancastrians, took place on 2 February 1461. (2)
The traditional site seems to be a mile to the southeast of that published on OS 6" 1964, near the monument erected in 1709 to commemorate the battle. Brooke (2) was informed that relics had been dug up in the fields to the west of the Pedestal and at the road junction and that bridle-bits, stirrups and fragments of iron had been ploughed up in the fields immediately to the right and left of the turnpike after leaving the road junction.
This tradition is also reflected by Taylor (1754) (3) who shows his battle symbol in this area.
Burne (4) merely states that little is known about the details of this battle. Major Salt (5) however seems to accept the OS site as he suggests that "as the Battle Oak has now fallen, its site, in the centre of the battlefield should surely be commemorated by a suitable stone and inscription". He also states that the Lancastrians were drawn up in line a little to the south of the Battlefield Oak, the right wing touching the Lugg and the left wing stretching almost to Shobdon (SO 4062). The Yorkists approached from Lucton. (SO 4364). (3-5)
Traditionally the battle of Mortimer's Cross took place between the Battle Oak and the Pedestal, in the fields on both sides of the modern road, (a) in the area centred at SO 430 627. (6)
SO 4253 6340: Battle Oak (NR) Site of (NAT)
SO 4363 6198: Mon (NAT). (7)
Additional reference. (8-10)
The Battle of Mortimer's Cross is one of the most obscure engagements of the Wars of the Roses as there are no details of the course of the fighting or of its precise location. The Chronicle record simply states that the battle took place at Mortimer's Cross which is near Wigmore. This battle also added to the military reputation of March and destroyed a potent Lancastrian challenge in the west Midlands. It also achieved a considerable strengthening of the Yorkist cause generally, for Edward's success did much to persuade many influential southerners to accept his elevation as Edward IV in March 1461.
SO 427 628: On 30 December 1460 the Yorkist cause in the Wars of the Roses was dealt a near mortal blow with the death in battle of Richard of York. During the pursuit York's young son Edmund, Earl of Rutland was cut down and the Earl of Salisbury was executed. The way was now open for the Lancastrians to launch an invasion of the south. York's eldest son Edward Earl of March began to levy new forces. His intention was to raise sufficient strength to challenge Queen Margaret's victorious army. Edward was determined to intercept this Lancastrian challenge to the Yorkist lordships in the Marches and he deployed his army at Mortimer's Cross on the River Lugg. Although half-a-dozen contemporary or near-contemporary chronicles mention the battle, none provides the information required to reconstruct the battle in military detail. All we learn from the chroniclers is that Edward achieved a singular victory and that the Lancastrian army ceased to exist as an effective fighting force. There is even confusion to the exact date of the battle for although it is normally given as 2 February 1461, several chronicles refer to fighting taking place on Tuesday 3 February.(11-12)
SO 427 637: Edward lost his father and brother at Wakefield on 31st December 1460 when he was 18. He then travelled from Shrewsbury to Gloucester. Jaspar Tudor, Earl of Pembroke and the Earl of Ormonde, also known as Earl of Wiltshire, determined to capture him and followed with their army of French, Irish and Welsh soldiers. Edward had only his `Marchers' mostly farmers from the Welsh borders who were mounted but poorly armed and trained.
On the early morning of the 2nd February Edward's men were startled by the apparent strange sight of 3 suns in the sky which the Yorkists took as a religious omen representing the Trinity. They knelt to pray and when they arose the vanguard of the Lancastrians was approaching. The battle started at daybreak and continued until dusk.(13)
After the Battle of Wakefield in which The Duke of York was defeated and killed, his eldest son, Edward, Earl of March, immediately began to recruit a force to advance against Queen Margaret's Army. However before he could begin his campaign news arrived of the landing of Lancastrian Earls of Wiltshire and Pembroke in Wales and Edward deployed his army to intercept them at Mortimer's Cross on the River Legg. This account describes the Yorkist force as outnumbering the enemy. The Lancastrians lacked experienced commanders. While Yorkist losses were slight the Lancastrians lost over 3000 men.
Mortimer's Cross can be found at the junction of the A4110 and the B4363 roads 17 miles north of Hereford and 5 miles north-west of Leominster. The battlefield can be easily located and examined as the entire site can be seen from the bridge 200 yards east of the crossroads. A monument commemorating the battle stands to the southeast of Mortimer's Cross at Kingsland.(14)
Green states that Edward's father, the 3rd Duke of York and leader of the Yorkists and his elder brother, Prince Edmund, Earl of Rutland, had marched north to meet Queen Margaret and had sent Prince Edward to Wales to recruit men for the Yorkist cause. At this time Edward was 19 years old.
After the Battle of Wakefield and at the end of January, Edward collected his sketchy army round Hereford. To escape the numerically superior Lancastrian forces (in conflict with authority 14) moving towards Worcester from the west and trying to come between him and London he moved to the north for 17 miles and reached a crossroads where the River Legg flowed south to meet the Wye. Edward placed his army between the road up from Hereford, the river, the bridge and the crossroads and waited.
Green states that this quite unimportant little battle has 2 noteworthy facts. It gave the young Edward experience of commanding in battle an independent force and paved the way for his 3 other successes. Also that the battlefield can be easily located and examined as the entire site can be seen from the bridge 200 yards east of the crossroads.(15)
Burne relates a quote by Richard Brooke writing in 1857 that it is the Battle of Towton, March 29th 1461 that was the most important one to take place in the civil wars of England. He later speaks of Mortimer's Cross and states, "In spite of the victory of the Lancastrians at St Albans, Queen Margaret dallied so long that Edward, Earl of March, after winning a victory at Mortimer's Cross on the Welsh border, made a dash for the capital and entered it first. Here he proclaimed himself King on March 4th 1461 and set about concentrating an army to oppose Queen Margaret in the north.(16)
The National Grid Reference for the site is: SO429626 (17) |