Two Kings, a Traitor (?) and a Train.

 Saturday 19th September 2020 at Shenton.

After breakfast, we sailed up to Market Bosworth, where we turned around and moored up. The plan was to take the Battlefield Heritage Railway from Market Bosworth to Shenton to visit the Battle of Bosworth Heritage site next to Shenton Station. R had checked the timetable on the website and it confirmed that the train was due at 11:12 so, just after 11:00 we were waiting on Market Bosworth station. To our delight, the train arrived spot on time. 

Slightly less delightful was the fact that it didn't stop! The Guard leant out of the window and "helpfully" shouted "the station's closed" as the train disappeared into the distance. Nothing at the station or on the website indicated this but, when R phoned the enquiry number he was told that it was due to Covid (of course). He did suggest that they might adjust the timetable and, perhaps, put a notice at the entrance to the station yard? The notice, as we left, seemed a bit ironic.Grrr!!!

Nothing daunted, we resorted to Plan B, returned to MM, sailed back down the canal and moored up close to Shenton Station and the Battlefield site. It turned out to be quite a hike to get to the latter and, when we arrived, we found that the exhibition was closed but the grounds were open (and free!). There is a very good trail around the area and, on the top of the hill, a memorial to the battle that features the three protagonists, Richard, Henry and Stanley. Previously the memorial was planted with roses in the appropriate colours of red, white and yellow, but these seemed to have been removed. A pity as they were very evocative. Two tall flagposts displayed the standards of the two Kings. The third army, present on the day, belonged to Stanley, who had promised to support Richard, but actually joined the battle on Henry's side.

In the centre of the memorial is a halbard with the disputed crown held high.

When we were last here in 2013, it had only recently been discovered that the battle actually took place about 3/4 of a mile to the west. A map indicated where numerous cannon balls and bits of weaponry had been found along with one of Richard III's brooches featuring his emblem of a white boar. The actual area of the battle is outlined in red at the top and where we were standing is outlined at the bottom.

As part of the walking trail, it takes you to where there is a view in the direction of the battle, although tree growth means that you can't actually see the battle site which is well on the other side of the canal in the trees.

We have also visited King Richard III's tomb at Leicester and it certainly appears that he was actually a very good King who tried to bring the two sides from the War of the Roses together. It is also clear that Richard had no reason to kill the two princes in the Tower, whereas it was imperative that Henry got rid of them because by repealing the Act of Parliament that had made Richard King, he made the two boys the next in line to his throne. Richard seems to have ruled by diplomacy, whereas Henry just killed people who were a threat to him. If Richard had defeated Henry, we would not have had the Tudors, Henry VIII, the Reformation, Elizabeth, James, Charles and probably not Cromwell. How different life could have been. History often hangs on such a moment in time!

As we contemplated the enormity of that single day on 14th August 1485, we walked back to nearby Shenton station and consoled ourselves with an ice cream each while we waited for the next train to arrive.

When it did arrive, on time according to the timetable, we duly boarded it and rode the five miles up to Shackerstone station, waving to Market Bosworth station (with two fingers!) as we passed it going each way. There were not very many people on board, so it was easy to socially distance ourselves, but we were amused by this notice in the station window.

There was nobody selling or checking tickets, so the ride was free!

We walked back to MM and found a much quicker way to get back to the canal as well as some good moorings for the next time that we come up here. However, we were quite happy with the mooring that we did have, so didn't move.

All in all, a good day perfectly rounded off with Randy and the Rockets "Pirate" online gig.

Today: 3 miles, 0 locks and 1.5 hours.

Trip: 84 miles, 29 locks and 47.0 hours.