KILLING TIME: CHALLENGING THE COMMON PERCEPTIONS OF THREE MEDIEVAL CONFLICTS —FERRYBRIDGE, DINTINGDALE AND TOWTON— ‘THE LARGEST BATTLE ON BRITISH SOIL’

The Battle of Towton in March 1461 is said to be the largest battle ever fought on British soil and according to the historical sources appears to have been the longest. However, a careful reading of the sources suggests that the traditional understanding of the battle is based on a misinterpretation of the Medieval concept of time. It is suggested here that the battle was much shorter than has been supposed, and also that the Battle of Towton has been conflated with the battles at Ferrybridge and Dintingdale. What has until now appeared to be the largest battle in Britain and two contemporary small actions can now be seen as three interconnected conflicts, the combined effect of which was to put Edward IV onto the throne of England