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Bosworth battler ID'd by ancient will

An ordinary soldier involved in one of the defining battles of English history has been identified for the first time, thanks to the discovery of a will which is 526 years old this week.

Historians searching through a medieval register uncovered the will of Thomas Longe, made on August 16, 1485, giving them the first positive ID of an ordinary Yorkist soldier involved in the Battle of Bosworth, which is celebrated in a re-enactment this weekend.

They are certain that Longe’s participation in the battle was as an ordinary soldier, since the main sources for the battle, which do not mention him, name only persons of note.

The will, which was made just before Thomas joined the army of King Richard III, was made verbally in front of witnesses rather than written down - suggesting he was a man in a hurry and with the thought of possible impending death on his mind. Given that the will was proven in January the following year, Longe almost certainly died at the battle.

Record Office staff in Norfolk, who uncovered the document, suspect that Longe, of Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk, fought at Bosworth as a follower of Thomas Howard, the Earl of Surrey, or his father John Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, who were prominent supporters of King Richard III.

Richard Knox, the curator at Leicestershire County Council’s Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, said: “Finding a name of one of the usually anonymous and long forgotten soldiers at Bosworth is a very important discovery.

"Although muster lists of soldiers chosen from the towns and villages of England survive from some other Wars of the Roses battles, we have none for Bosworth, only lists of lords, knights and gentlemen who took part in the battle."

"We are always interested to hear more about the people who fought at Bosworth, both rich and poor, as it helps to bring home the fact that these were real people that fought and died 526 years ago."

This weekend Bosworth Battlefield will bring the drama and excitement of the medieval battle to life in a spectacular re-enactment to mark the 526th anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth. Tickets can be bought now on 01455 290 429 or on: www.goleicestershire.com

Find Out More

Bosworth Battlefield is run by Leicestershire County Council and is the location of the Battle of Bosworth. The battle, which took place on 22 August 1485, brought an end to 30 years of English civil war, now known as the Wars of the Roses and saw King Richard III lose both his life and crown to Henry Tudor. The Battlefield includes a multi award-winning exhibition telling the story of the Battle and looking at its impact on British history, which has been funded by an award from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Address: Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park, Sutton Cheney, CV13 0AD
Phone: 01455 290429
Email: Bosworth@leics.gov.uk
Website: www.bosworthbattlefield.com