The Battle of Tewkesbury

This is my latest hobby here in Tewkesbury, namely helping a dedicated team of volunteers to create, maintain, repair and paint the various Yorkist and Lancastrian banners of the knights that took part in the Battle of Tewkesbury on May 4th, 1471. We then hang them around the town during the summer months.

This is what a completed banner looks like. It's made of something called goose canvas and is painted with weather-proofed acrylic paint. This one was done by yours truly and were the colours of Sir Gervaise Clifton (Lancastrian) who lost his head after the Battle of Tewkesbury

Another great example of a finished banner. This one is for a Yorkist knight - Sir John Dwnn (Yorkist). He was far luckier than Gervaise. He fought on the winning side in most of the battles of the Wars of the Roses and even had an important office under Henry VII, after the Yorkists had departed the stage.

Some take more time to create than others. This one required slide rule precision and a very steady hand. These are Sir John Savage's colours. He fought with the Yorkists at Tewkesbury, but changed sides at the Battle of Bosworth, joining Henry Tudor's side.

Not as easy as it looks, this one. Too many fiddly fins to paint. Appropriately, this one is the banner of Dr Ralph Makerell (honestly). He was a doctor of divinity and fought with the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury, but Edward IV pardoned him so that he could continue his religious studies.

When a banner has been paintred or repaired it is left to dry on any available space in the church hall where we undergo such vital work. The one in the foreground is the banner of Sir Walter Griffith, a die hard Yorkist who fought in all the major battles and even accompanied Edward IV in his invasion of France

A pile of completed banners with the wooden 'end pieces', ready to be taken onto the streets of Tewkesbury.