A Silent Witness - A visit to Lead chapel close to the medieval battlefield of Towton in Yorkshire
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- The chapel of St Mary at Lead in North Yorkshire stands alone in a meadow just to the west of the battlefield of Towton, a battle that took place in 1461 as part of the Wars of the Roses and the bloodiest battle ever to have taken place on English soil. This little medieval building would have witnessed the aftermath of the battle and the bloody rout that took place. In this video I talk about the battle and its context and I give you a tour of this desolate little building, which stands as a 'Silent Witness' to that fateful day in 1461.
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Beautiful wee chapel
Great piece of work here. Such chapels are a testament to the faith of our forebears.
Just a brilliant visit Allan. Such quiet fields with an ancient chapel that bear silent witness to unimaginable horrors. Thanks so much and for the input of your son too.
It is our pleasure - it was great to take my son here and talk about the horrors of war. It is a peaceful place, but the battle has left its mark without question.
How evocative Allan x
I truly enjoy your films. I learn so much. I am always awestruck by the landscape. Loved the panorama view!
I'm so glad you're enjoying my channel! Thanks for watching.
I’ve asked for a print subscription to your magazine for my birthday! I look forward to reading it!
Thank you for this. I am learning so much from your videos, I've had to go and find out about 3-decker pulpits tonight! Your presentation style is so appropriate to your material.
i live near Towton this chapel is special to me, i have to say it can be quite eerie especially at sunset.
What a charming little chapel! Such a meditative site for worship, especially given the context of the site.
So interesting and sad. I never knew the War Of Rose’s was called the Cousins War. Thanks you for your time and efforts telling us these history lessons.
Beautiful.
Liked the story of the restoration in 1932.
Solemn memorial for those who perished on battle.
That was lovely and very atmospheric as you say. It reminded me of my long walk to see St. Peter on the Wall at Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex. Delightful.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
The Battle of Towton was the bloodiest one ever fought in England. Not only did the nearby creek run red with blood, but eye witnesses say that it was possible to cross the creek without getting wet because of enormous number of dead bodies that had fallen in or on the banks. This is very much like the US Civil War battle at Antietam Creek which was also the single bloodiest day of all armed conflicts on US soil. There’s a sunken road at that site that’s 6-7 feet below the corn fields that surrounded it. Like Towton so many dead fell in the sunken road that a person could’ve walked straight across the road to the main level of the field. Such brutality and carnage is difficult to fathom, especially when you remember that the men on both sides mostly fought hand to hand.
Thanks for taking me back to this very atmospheric chapel - and for the admirably clear history lesson. I always get those Henries and Richards muddled up.
My pleasure Ben, I hope you are keeping well?
This is very local to me , we visit often . It is a special little church and it would be wonderful if all the medieval buildings of this village of Lead had also survived. In the bottom of the wimdow behind the alter stone there is a small square piece of stained glass donated by The Richard the third society . The battle fields themselves always make me think of the men who lost their lives all those years ago. In spring the larks arrive and I always think of them as the lost souls returning to this place of bloodshed. There is a grave stone for some of the men whose bones were exhumed in the local church at Saxton. I am pleased you enjoyed visiting and thank you for making this video : ) Teddy
My pleasure - I used to live in York and this place was on my way back to Lincolnshire and my parents house. So I visited frequently. I find walking over the battlefield a very moving experience. Saxton church is lovely, there is also the big tomb in the churchyard to Lord Dacre who fell in the battle.
I noticed that small pane of glass in the video. Do any of these chapels have someone to look after them?
@@kathywolfe6606 A group of people look after this one they keep it clean and place fresh flowers in there most weeks.
A beautiful video. Very moving, it brought me to tears. Rest in peace, my great-grandfathers, great-uncles, and cousins. 🐗😢
Brilliant video Allan. Very interesting, and I love the enthusiasm in your voice. We can hear the passion for the subject in every video.
That is so kind of you - I am completely obsessed with these things, so it is a delight and joy to share that passion.
Hauntingly beautiful !
Another outstsnding presentation. Thank you
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!
Oh Allan, thank you for finding this gem of a building. What history! Did survivors of the battle come here hoping for safety? I am so glad that this place survives. What an interesting compilation of history. The inscriptions on the inside of the door are priceless indeed.
Haunting.
I visited Towton Battlefield a few years ago on my way back to Wakefield from York Minister after attending a service to launch the Anglican new Diocese of Leeds!! You're SOOOOOO right, Allan - the atmosphere at the battlefield is VERY sad and oppressive!! Although it LOOKS peaceful, I certainly did NOT feel terribly peaceful there!!
Sadly, there was no time to visit the church!!👍💖
Another fascinating video! I regret that British history was barely taught in my schools stateside. Your videos really bring history alive for me!
Very interesting. There is also
a recess in the altar mensa for relics.
This was lovely, thanks.
My pleasure.
I found this channel recently - am very much enjoying the back catalogue; this one was specially good!
Glad you’re enjoying my videos!
In America the Episcopal Church would build small chapels that were visited once a month by the priest in charge of the parish for those who could not travel the several or more miles to town. Often a literate person would do morning prayer on the other Sundays, lay readers, and possibly read a sermon from a book or sent by the priest. They were called “chapels of ease”; my current parish was resurrected from such a chapel that fell into disuse and eventually burned when cars became common. But we were left the land and graveyard and managed to acquire more.
When l worked at the Wallace Collection l saw the skull of the badly disfigured soldier plus the reconstruction of his face.
I was hoping to see a video detailing this chapel. I’ve often wondered how places that have been witness to such carnage could ever find peace again,but, they do. When I visited I had only sheep for company and my own thoughts.
This is a peaceful place - I do think though that the battlefield itself, particularly the area around Bloody Meadow has a strange atmosphere. Something lingers there.
Thank you Allan for all your video’s, I was 13 in 1953 , and loved the late Queens Coronation. Looking forward to the new Kings Coronation.
You are very welcome, glad you're enjoying my channel!
This reminds me of St Peters on the wall, Bradwell, Essex another church in the middle of nowhere
I have always been fascinated by British Royal History, especially all things Tudor or things leading up to their reign. The War of the Roses does just that. Thank you.
My pleasure, that whole period of history is fascinating.
Thank you so much for this wonderful video!
My pleasure Laura - it is a wonderful place to visit.
The countryside is so beautiful these days. Thank you.
Lovely little building. Been there many times as a young man, Had many a nice pint at the Crooked Billet just across the road.
Lived on a farm at Garforth, and the Cock Beck ran through our land. Bathed in it many a time.
Thank you for this. The simplicity of the place, its rough hewedness, simply made it that much richer to gaze upon.
Chilling and wonderful.
It must have been an horrific sight at the end of the battle.
Rural England looks just like my own Kentucky.
I agree from
A fellow Kentuckian!
I have friends in Kentucky, love the people, but never got to the rural bit!
Great video Alan. Learning so much from you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
What a story Allen thank you. Beautiful video work on a gorgeous day.
David
Did Edward IV's fighting men pursue those who fled to the safety of the chapel? 😮
Alan, very informative video
Do you have a video about Battlefield in Shrewsbury?
My sister lives near there now
Thanks
My great uncle, my Leige, Richard iii 💔(too young to fight this battle)
For York and England!
@@shadow_hillsgrandma8224 I"m with you.. HVI was catatonic at times; his French Queen was running things and the country was in a chaos. There was a very good reason for the Yorkist cause--to stabilize and secure the country. 🙏
Save the chapels 🎉
What does the three triangles symbol under the Memento Morii quote on the back of the door mean? In my primary school in the early 1970s, the same symbol was used to denote “fallout shelter” in the basement. Just wondering if it’s a symbol that historically in Christendom signals alarm or danger. (New York, USA)
My guess is that it represents the holy Trinity
This might be an ignorant question, but are there burials under coffin lids like that?
Really touching in its simplicity. 'Orrible pointing, though!
Momento mori means "a reminder of death".
Indeed.
Memento mori.
7:45 Time. Message, on the round disk, on wall . Mark chapter 4, verse 15 : > > >>
14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy.…
WarS of the Roses for crying out loud!
Towton. The most bloody battle ever fought on English soil.
More hacked to death in one day than died or were injured in the battle of Gettysburg.
The cock beck ran red with blood for the SECOND time. The first being the battle of Whinmore. (Disputed but local legend proves it!) when Penda, the last pagan king, was killed.
Love this place. You miss the village that was outside, the depressions in the ground which are where houses with soil floors, were. The floors being swept out, thus lowering the ground. Also the ponds for fish farming!
Yup. I'm local lol.
666th like. 😈