| Where: | Sutton Cheney Church, Leicestershire & Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Visitor Centre (CV13 0AD) |
| When: | Sunday near 22nd August |
| Time: | 12 noon at St James' Church, from 10 am at Visitor Centre |
The Battle of Bosworth took place on August 22nd 1485. King Richard III was the last English king to fight in battle and was slain here with victory won by Henry VII, the first Tudor king. The Richard III Society hold an annual service at St James’ Church, Sutton Cheney on the nearest Sunday to the anniversary, to commemorate the battle and all who died in it. The Richard III Society promotes research in to the life and times of Richard III and seeks to secure a re-assesment of his role in history (he got a bad press – history is written by the winners!). Wreaths are laid and King Richard’s Prayer is said. The nearby Battlefield Centre has exhibitions and re-enactments as well as organised Battlefield Walks over the whole weekend. The living history encampment is very large and there are interesting items on sale at numerous stalls on site; food and drink are readily available and everything has a medieval theme. The highlights when we went were the jousting tournament and the battle re-enactment which took place during the afternoon – there’s plenty to keep all ages busy all day.
Helpful Hints
In 2026 the full scale festival should return on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August.
In 2025 the full medieval festival was scaled back to a Dragon Fest on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August. There were no battle re-enactments or jousting that year though there was living history, crafts and talks, and there was no Richard III Society Church Service.
The Visitor Centre has ample parking and has a fascinating display on the battle and its place in history as well as a reconstructed medieval village.
I’m a member of Richard III Society myself so may be considered slightly biased – but however loudly you cheer for Richard he still doesn’t win!
A brief flower and wreath-laying ceremony takes place at the Visitor Centre on the actual anniversary of the battle, 22nd August, at 11 am at the Sundial.
Click here to find out more : http://www.richardiii.net/
and for the event website click here : http://www.bosworthbattlefield.com/
Whoops! Circa forty years ago I bought a quantity of 16mm films at an Hampshire Auction sale for which I paid very little, so was pleased to sell an overstuffed 200 foot reel of film to the LEICESTER Local Authority for all of £20. It ever surprised me to have immediate acceptance of my offer, sight unseen, cheque to follow. Only now realise what I sold was a black and white record of the 1935 Bosworth commemoration performed by multitudes.
All offers considered for the R101, Edinburgh Castle, The Isle of man TT races, Boats ON The Lakes, and in colour the Festival Of Britain on the South Bank. Maybe resort to ebay.