The Battlefield

The various contemporary sources confirm that the battle was fought close to the village of East Stoke. However the exact location and nature of the ground is open to considerable dispute. The account from the York City Records, written the day after the battle based on the information from an informant who was present at the action, states it was fought on ‘the moor beyond Newark’. It is clear from historic maps that the higher ground, above the Trent valley was indeed a combination of open field arable and common pasture or moorland. Molinet says that  the battle was fought at the end of a meadow near Stoke. It is clear that there was extensive meadow and some marsh to both the north west and the south east of Stoke.  Andre and Vergil both make it clear that the rebel force was deployed on high ground but descended to engage the royal army. The only obvious location on the Registered Battlefield which could accord with this is the land to the south west of the village. It is here that , according to tradition, when the battle was over Henry VII placed his standard. This was on the top of the hill on Burrand Furlong, a spot later marked by the Burrand Bush.

 

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