New King Richard III and Battle of Bosworth trail to launch
A new Battle of Bosworth trail is to be launched next spring. Known as Bosworth1485, it will reveal the ‘lost’ stories of the Battle of Bosworth and death of King Richard III. The trail will be delivered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, independent tourism specialist Leicestershire Promotions, local communities and key stakeholders.
Organisers said the trail will use the "landscape itself to connect places that played a huge part in these momentous events." Each location will be marked with interpretation panels to explain its role and significance, they added.
In addition to the panels, they said, four "unique, world-class artworks" will be installed for the public to view at key locations close to the battlefield site near Sutton Cheney in Leicestershire, where King Richard III became the last English monarch to die in battle.
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The Bosworth1485 sculptures will be "reflective of the locations that host them and the importance of their role in the story" they said. They will be located at Sutton Cheney, Fenn Lanes near Dadlington, Dadlington and The Bosworth Battlefield Centre itself. In addition, they said, further stories will be told of other places of significance, including Stoke Golding.
The artworks will be produced by artists from Broadbent Studio, who have previously designed and installed major public artworks throughout the UK, they added.
Organisers said they have also set up a new crowdfunding appeal to support the development of the project, offering four different levels of sponsorship starting from £99. The campaign aims to raise £20,000 and the money will be used for enhancements and additional activities around the trail. Everyone that pledges a donation will be acknowledged on a roll of honour, they said.
Martin Peters, Chief Executive of Leicestershire Promotions, said: “The story of the Battle of Bosworth is well documented and is interpreted wonderfully well at the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester. However, the one key part of this puzzle that is still missing is the physical experience of moving through the landscape in which it took place.
“The local landscape helped to shape and witness the events of 1485 and by embedding a series of unique artworks, we can offer a physical interpretation of the history of the battle and demise of King Richard III. We hope that people will be able to support this exciting project through the crowdfunding appeal and help to spread the word to a new generation of visitors, keen to hear one of the greatest stories in British history.”