Launch of North Walsham Information Board
The Battle of North Walsham 26th June 1381
Launch Event for an Information Board to mark the battle site
Monday 25th March 2024 at 1430 hours
The Battlefield Trust [1] and its partners, ‘The People of 1381 Project' [2] and the North Walsham Town Council [3] are holding a short ceremony to mark the installation of the first of series of information boards at the battle site.
The Battle of North Walsham was fought on 25 or 26 June 1381, about a mile to the south of the town on what was then a heath. This was part of the more widespread Peasants' Revolt which had begun in Brentwood (Essex) in late May, culminating in the rebels entering London on 13 June and Wat Tyler’s death at Smithfield on 15 June, but there were other disturbances to be dealt with by the royal authorities. A number of these were in Norfolk, culminating at North Walsham in what was one of the few battles of the revolt.
The information board was jointly funded by ‘The People of 1381’ Project and the Battlefield Trust and is installed along the path of the signposted Peasants Revolt County Council Circular walk.
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[1] The Battlefield Trust: a volunteer run registered charity dedicated to the protection, research and interpretation of Britain's battlefields. Website: https://www.battlefieldstrust.com/ Local contact: Robert Simmons, East Anglia Regional Coordinator, The Battlefields Trust Tel: 01603 504399 M: 07881 455348
E: eastanglia@battlefieldstrust.com
[2] The People of 1381 Project: an innovative research project set to produce the most comprehensive interpretation of the Peasants' Revolt to date. The revolt was one of the largest popular uprisings in medieval Europe and rocked the country in the summer of 1381.
Led by Professor Adrian Bell from Henley Business School at the University of Reading, 'The People of 1381' has shed new light on the complex economic, social and political dynamics of the rebellion, enhancing our understanding of its cultural impact. Awarded almost £1 million in funding by the Arts and Humanities Research Council the project ran from 2019-2023.
[3] North Walsham Town Council: The Mayor of the Town Council [Cllr. Bob Wright] will formally launch the board.
