"Wars of the Roses battlefield under renewed threat" Topic
12 Posts
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Yesthatphil | 22 Jan 2015 12:00 p.m. PST |
Unauthorised development work began within the designated perimeter of Northampton Battlefield on Monday this week.
linkArchaeologically sensitive topsoil was removed in what appears to be a revival of a car park plan. A previous scheme by the Delapre Golf Centre was abandoned when planners told the club that an archaeological survey would be required before approval could be given. It looks like they have let the attention die down til a quiet week after Christmas and then sent the bulldozers in regardless. Members of Northampton Battlefields Society were quickly on the case and following as much publicity as possible on social media, Council Authorities directed work be stopped pending investigation. link Inevitably this looks like the opening skirmish. At the Battlefield Society we truly hope that the Council, English Heritage, the Battlefields Trust, the Courts etc. will come to our help, have the soil returned and fine the offenders. Such has not always been the outcome when battlefield heritage comes up against vested interests. Popular support was instrumental in getting this battlefield protected and we hope enthusiasts will continue to help in any way they can. Phil Steele NBS Vice-Chair NBS Facebook page |
Yesthatphil | 22 Jan 2015 12:22 p.m. PST |
Northampton 1460 was the victory of Warwick (the Kingmaker and Edward Earl of March (later Edward IV) over the Lancastrian royal army of Henry VI.
Henry was captured, Lancastrian leaders were executed but Queen Margaret escaped to carry on the resistance. Later in the year the Yorkists suffered a set back at Wakefield but the Spring of 1461 saw decisive victory at Towton.
(Edward kneels before the captured king in the final phase at Northampton) There is much debate about the precise location and orientation of the battlefield today – but we know that when we stand in the location of eyewitnesses at the Eleanor Cross we must be looking at to our front. The area is currently parkland and local enthusiasts are both campaigning for a full survey and trying to fend off development until we have had one …
Phil |
Shagnasty | 22 Jan 2015 12:51 p.m. PST |
Good luck with your efforts to save and analyze the battlefield. |
Zargon | 22 Jan 2015 5:07 p.m. PST |
always amazed at the gumption of these darlings of commerce get away with these things with crys of "we're creating jobs etc" no your not your making it better for yourself first,middle and last and if you could get it done for nothing you'd jump to it. Cheers and see you at the barricades :) |
Yesthatphil | 22 Jan 2015 5:34 p.m. PST |
There would indeed be outrage if their physical assets were vandalised as wilfully as they vandalise everyone's heritage landscape. It's a nice thought, but inevitably our coalition of historians and heritage activists have too much respect for 'appropriate channels' to be able to match the bullies at their own game (though my own strategy now involves proposing archaeological trenches – would you believe it? – right across their prime putting greens …) … Thanks for the support … Phil |
Maddaz111 | 22 Jan 2015 5:42 p.m. PST |
Don't forget that deep trenches will be needed across the entrance to the property, and all of the fire Exits… at the same time… And please, name and shame all the individuals involved in letting this happen. I assume that the council has a record of selling off the family silver and really doesn't give a hoot for History.. Some people might need you to fill them in on the story of the disappearing statue… |
Rebelyell2006 | 22 Jan 2015 8:14 p.m. PST |
I wish Americans had the courage to stand up to property developers. So many of our battlefield parks are now HOA-run subdivisions and shopping centers. |
uglyfatbloke | 23 Jan 2015 4:17 a.m. PST |
It's a long-standing British tradition I'm afraid….Stirling Council and the Bannockburn site comes to mind. |
parrskool | 23 Jan 2015 5:00 a.m. PST |
Car Park , eh ? I wonder who is under this one ? |
Yesthatphil | 23 Jan 2015 10:20 a.m. PST |
The Battlefields Trust has sent a Press Release on this to national networks and has, I hear, had some interest … … and the leader of Northampton Borough Council has responded to local Press that the Council is now working with the Golf Club to agree on a way forward, and assures that they will be looking at how the material that has been removed can be the subject of further investigation to ensure that the Battlefield is preserved. Far from a battle won (we can never really stop the first round of illegal bulldozing, so inevitably start on the back foot) – but at least what happens next will happen in the full view of the community. Thanks for caring … Phil |
Parzival | 23 Jan 2015 2:47 p.m. PST |
Do keep in mind that land changes naturally over time, especially over centuries, so it may well be that the initial bulldozing didn't really damage anything of historical note, merely the current natural appearance of the land. So the incident is as yet probably not an actual archeological loss of any relevant kind. (Though certainly it needs to be halted until such relevance can be determined!) Out of curiosity, is the land in question publicly owned, or private? If the latter, then the obvious solution is to raise the funds to purchase the effected plot. I might note that at some point one does have to weigh historical significance versus the needs and desires of the present day. It's England… somebody probably died somewhere no matter where you go. Thus, the question becomes does preserving the area serve more than a sentimental purpose, that is, does the area have both physical and historical significance (that is, the battlefield is indeed the battlefield and retains the features that affected the outcome, and the outcome had lasting and important social and cultural effects)? It's one thing to say a battle was fought here, but for me that's not quite enough in and of itself to call for unquestioned preservation. But if one can say "that's the hill where Edward stood," and "see how the ground forced the men to move this way," etc. and "because of this event, this and this and this occurred, " etc., then preservation rises above simple sentiment and into a worthy endeavor. It would seem to me that the latter is the case, but the physical elements might actually be in question? Correct? |
Yesthatphil | 23 Jan 2015 5:44 p.m. PST |
Hi Parzival … The land is public parkland owned by Northampton Borough Council. Unfortunately NBC have not got a good reputation re heritage protection or transparent governance – so are part of the problem but, in this case, also have to engineer the solution (as they all of the injured landlord, the planner and the enforcer of the heritage rules). Most streetwise campaigners and observers will be astonished if they come out of it looking good – but we have to be positive, we have to embarrass them into fulfilling all their obligations. Unfortunately even if it were private land its value would be so huge there would be no chance of purchasing it privately (one of the reasons people don't trust the council – this is the one that sold the Egyptian Statue which it didn't even own for that 16 million!!!) … None of which should matter as the whole battlefield area is 'listed' by English Heritage (the Government's official heritage stewardship appointees) whose job it is to do the balancing of interest you describe. All of that has been done – all we are fighting for at the moment is to hold people to their obligations and commitments. The prospects are not great … money and bulldozers are usually a winning formula in the UK as in most countries these days. The Council have committed to a management plan which provides for a thorough archaeological survey to find more exact references to the battle positions (some are known, most are not) after which we fully expect them to permit some low impact development. This is a blatant attempt by one of their tenant businesses to jump the gun and avoid the cost, delay and risk of the archaeology. Hope that makes sense Phil |
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