Date: 23rd September, 1459
Time: started - 1:00pm; duration - 4 hrs
Location: Blore Heath, 1 mile north of the town of Blore Heath (NW of London)
Weather: wet, ground muddy
Factions: York vs Lancaster
Victor: York
Troops/inventory: York - 3,000 - 6,000 men-at-arms (including
billmen, pikemen & archers), cannons, spears;
Lancaster - 6,000 - 12,000
(including large cavalry contigent & archers) *approx. 500 defected during
battle
Injuries/fatalaties of interest: York
- Sir John Neville
(captured)
- Sir Thomas Neville (captured)
Lancaster- James
Touchet, Lord Audley (slain)
- Lord Dudley (captured)
- Sir Hugh Venables of
Kinerton (slain)
- Sir Richard Molineux of Sefton (slain)
- Sir John
Dunne (slain)
- Sir Thomas Dutton of Dutton (slain)
- Sir John Haigh
(slain)
Total slain: York 500 - 1,000; Lancaster 2,000; injured: 200
- 300
Interesting bit: The Yorkist contingent, realising that they were
greatly outnumbered, strengthened their defensive position before the battle
began. This proved to be a wise move, as the Lancastrian army was forced to
traverse a slope down to a stream, cross the water and then climb the
opposite bank in order to engage their opponents. The unsuing melee lasted
for several hours, but the disadvantaged Lancastrians were soundly defeated.
They lost a total of around 2,000 men, while the Yorkist fatalities numbered
between 500 and 1000. It is said that Wemberton Brook ran red with
Lancastrian blood for three days.
Although he was one of York's victorious commanders, Salisbury still felt
that he may be in danger from another two Lancastrian armies which were
assembling a short distance away. He beat a hasty retreat to Ludlow where he
joined York and Warwick. To cover his withdrawal from Blore Heath, Salisbury
creatively left one of his cannons with a local Augistinian friar and asked
to him to fire it during the night. This tactic confused the Lancastrians as
to the exact location of Salisbury's retreating men.