21 U S A ( To l l - f r e e ) 1-877-381-2914 E m a i l info@theculturalexperience.com Early Periods The WARs 0F THE ROSES The battles in the south This is the first of two Wars of the Roses tours; which will allow you the opportunity to explore the period in great detail, visiting all the major battlefields, historic buildings from the time and hear the stories of the numerous characters who played their part. Together, these two tours will provide the ‘Ultimate Wars of the Roses Experience’ shedding light on this fascinating period and dispelling some of the myths cast by popular literature. This southern part of the tour sees us stay in some historic towns and hotels whilst journeying through the English countryside at the height of summer resulting in an all-round pleasant trip. We will also see the final resting place of Richard III, whose body was miraculously found in a Leicester car park in 2012 to much public attention. 9 – 14 July 2018 6 days with Dr John Sadler Activity Level 2 Essentials 3 and 4 star hotels, buffet breakfast, 3-course dinner with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour price: £1895 Single supplement: £265 Deposit: £175 Thanks to Shakespeare, the Wars of the Roses became one of the most defining periods in English history. Lasting for 30 years (1455 – 1485), it split the country in two and the crown passed between five different monarchs from the houses of York and Lancaster, with the latter eventually winning through and Henry Tudor establishing a new royal dynasty. The Wars have captured the imagination of the English for centuries, from Shakespeare’s historical plays such as Henry VI and Richard III, recently superbly dramatised in the BBC's 'Hollow Crown' series, to the stark comparisons in George RR Martin's fantasy series ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, popularised by HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’. Amongst the battlefields visited on this leg of the tour are St Albans, where two battles took place, the first in 1455 which traditionally signals the start of the wars. Tewkesbury (1471), which saw many leading Lancastrians killed or imprisoned and, finally, at Bosworth we will explore the decisive battle of the Wars where Richard III was slain bringing Yorkist rule and the Wars of the Roses to an end. Day 1 – London. Meet at our London hotel and head to the Tower of London where Henry VI was held prisoner before his death and also where the sons of Edward IV, known infamously as ‘The Princes in the Tower’ were held before their mysterious disappearance. We visit Westminster Abbey, the site of coronation for all English monarchs since 1066, and the burial site of Henry VII. Overnight in London. Day 2 – Barnet and St Albans. Barnet in 1471, a decisive Yorkist victory helping to secure the throneforEdwardIV.AtStAlbanswe’llexplore two battles that took place in the town itself, both decisive. And finally at Northampton (1460), to hear of a brief but important battle that saw the first use of artillery in England. Check-in to our hotel near Northampton. "I was looking forward to my tour, but it exceeded all expectations. John Sadler and the tour manager were both superb." Day 3 – Tewkesbury. At Edgecote Moor we see Warwick ‘The Kingmaker’s’ force defeat a Yorkist army. Then the decisive Yorkist victory at Tewkesbury was one of the most crucial of the Wars and signalled the end of Henry VI's reign, with many leading Lancastrians including the Prince of Wales and Henry’s wife Margaret of Anjou, killed or imprisoned. We also visit the abbey where many of the dead from the battle are buried. Check into our Gloucester hotel for two nights. Day 4 – Mortimer’s Cross, Ludlow and Blore Heath. At Mortimer’s Cross (1461), a Lancastrian force led by Owen Tudor (Henry VII’s grandfather) came up against a much stronger Yorkist army and were routed. We move onto Ludlow Castle which Richard, the Duke of York, inherited in 1425, becoming an important symbol of Yorkist authority. Finally at Blore Heath (1459), we hear how the Yorkist’s managed to defeat a far greater Lancastrian force in one of the first major battles of the wars. Day 5 – Warwick and Kenilworth Castle. Today we visit two of the country’s grandest and historically most important castles. At Warwick Castle we see where the Kingmaker imprisoned Edward IV before his death at Barnet. Then Kenilworth Castle, which became a Lancastrian base of operations throughout the conflict, and has played an important role throughout English history. Check-in to our Leicester hotel. Day 6 – Bosworth. At Leicester Cathedral where we will see the new resting place of Richard III, before we move onto the decisive battle of the war, Bosworth. It was here in 1485, Henry Tudor’s Lancastrian army brought an end to the Yorkists' rule by slaying Richard III. His marriage to Elizabeth of York (the daughter of Edward IV) in 1486, united the two houses and the Wars of the Roses came to a timely end. Return to London and disperse.