People are being encouraged to pay their own ‘virtual’ tribute in memory of the fallen at the historic 1485 Battle of Bosworth.
As part of a digital Medieval Festival this weekend (22 & 23 Aug), the annual rose-laying event is still on the calendar with the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, virtually leading the commemoration at 11am on the Saturday.
On the 535th anniversary of the battle, people watching online are being encouraged to lay a rose in a place special to them in memory of the fallen and share their images and videos through the Bosworth Facebook page.
The memorial sundial on Ambion Hill is accessible to the public as part of the Bosworth Battlefield Country Park and will be open for personal rose laying on Saturday - although social distancing should be maintained at all times.
The annual festival at our Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre may have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but history buffs of all ages will still be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of the annual event through a digital version.
The annual rose-laying ceremony is a chance for people to honour all those killed not just at the Battle of Bosworth or in the Wars of the Roses, but in all conflicts throughout history.
“We’re not able to hold this solemn and moving ceremony in the same way as we usual do, but I am very pleased that it will still go ahead in digital form.
Person:Councillor Richard Blunt, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and artsThe two-day Virtual Bosworth Medieval Festival kicks off at 10am on Saturday, when Jester, The Fool Monty – a huge hit at last year’s event – opens proceedings with a specially-recorded film of him performing magic tricks.
Events will be posted online and on social media at the same times they would have been taking place at the festival site.
Visitors to the website and social media channels will be able to immerse themselves in the virtual festival with specially-recorded videos from re-enactors and traders, including music, cooking demonstrations, a knight school and the Battle of Bosworth re-imagined as a war game by the Battlefields Trust.
Other highlights will include a question and answer sessions with authors Nathen Amin and Matthew Lewis, as well as a staff re-enactment of the Battle of Bosworth, with contributions from the Wars of the Roses Federation as the finale to the event.
The rose-laying ceremony and virtual Bosworth Medieval Festival can be joined in with and experienced via Facebook at www.facebook.com/BosworthBattlefield on Twitter at twitter.com/BosworthLCC and through the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre website at www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk