This area of Yorkshire has experienced more than its fair share of bloody warfare and famous battles and there are many sites which you can visit as well as experiencing the enactments which take place at various times of the year. Here are some you may wish to visit and photograph :
This battle took place during the middle of the War of the Roses in the year 1461 on March 29th (Palm Sunday) in the middle of a snowstorm and was one of the biggest battles in the country’s history. 28,000 men were slain in the fields of Towton Hall and many thousands more were drowned in Cock Beck. The Lancastrians lost the battle and as a result Edward IV was crowned King of England. Richard III later built a small chapel at Towton to commemorate the dead, although its whereabouts are unknown.
A re-enactment of the battle takes place on Palm Sunday of each year with numerous other attractions such as a falconry show, firepower display and swordfighting demonstration.
A visitor centre has now been opened, staffed on the 3rd Sunday of every month or by appointment ring 01302 882488, free admission (donation box on site)
For further information visit www.towton.org.uk
Between the villages of Tockwith and Long Marston is the memorial to the Battle of Marston Moor. This was the site of the famous battle in July 1644 when the Royalists led by Prince Rupert engaged with the Roundheads led by Oliver Cromwell. Many relics of this great battle have been found within a mile or so of this site including cannon balls, bullets, broken swords and pistols. 
The Roundheads won the day and according to some accounts about 8000 men were slain in this dreadful contest. In this now peaceful and largely unchanged spot it is difficult to imagine the terrible tragedy that it was once witness to.
NB The Chequers Inn situated in the nearby village of Bilton-in-Ainsty is a welcoming stop for food and refreshments (See this website for further details of the Chequers Inn).
Fought in 1408, a memorial stone, along with an information board giving a graphic description of the conflict, has been set up to commemorate the 600th anniversary of this battle. In the battle, The Percys tried to mount a last attempt to overthrow King Henry.
The Duke of Northumberland was invited to unveil the memorial, as his ancestor was the first Earl of Northumberland who was one of the protagonists (Percys) who lost his life in the conflict.
The stone is on the A1 access road called Paradise Way, between Bramham village and Bramham crossroads.
In 1319 whilst English soldiers were busy besieging the Scots army at Berwick, two Scottish warriors; Randolph and Douglas, with 15000 veteran soldiers marched into Yorkshire creating havoc and carnage. The Archbishop of York and the Mayor of York hastily gathered a motley army together and marched towards the Scots who were
camped by the River Ouse at Myton. The Scots cleverly feigned a retreat passing over a bridge to the north side of the River Swale to the Myton meadows. There they set a trap, deliberately setting fire to the haystacks around so the smoke blinded the advancing English. The Scots rushed down on the English, cutting off their escape route back over the bridge. There followed a dreadful scene of bloodshed and carnage resulting in the death of 4000 Englishmen (including 300 priests and the Mayor of York), a thousand of whom were drowned in attempting to cross back over the river.
The battle of Boroughbridge was fought in 1322, where Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, who was in collusion with the Scots, was defeated by Sir Andrew Harcla, Edward II’s General.
A Battle Cross to commemorate this battle was originally set up in Boroughbridge market place, however, it was moved in 1852 to its current location in nearby Aldborough, where it can still be seen today.
