Battle of St Albans Battlefield

On May 22, 1455, the Wars of the Roses began in the streets of St Albans. The Duke of York and his allies attacked King Henry VI’s forces in a brutal street fight that left the Duke of Somerset and other Lancastrian lords dead. Though technically a minor battle, it began thirty years of dynastic civil war. The ghosts of the first battle still fight in St Albans’ medieval streets, forever beginning the conflict that tore England apart.

The History

The First Battle (1455)

How the Wars of the Roses began: Richard Duke of York challenged Henry VI’s advisors, and the two armies met at St Albans. Negotiations failed, and the Yorkists attacked through the town, engaging in street-by-street fighting. The Duke of Somerset was killed, and King Henry VI was wounded. York gained control of the government.

The Second Battle (1461)

St Albans saw battle again: Margaret of Anjou’s Lancastrians attacked, and the Yorkists were defeated. King Henry VI (now a prisoner) was rescued, but the Lancastrians failed to press south. York’s son Edward seized London and became Edward IV.

The Key Deaths

Important casualties of the first battle: Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset; Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland; Lord Clifford; their deaths created blood feuds, and their sons would seek revenge, beginning a cycle of violence.

The Hauntings

The First Clash

May 22, 1455, replays: Armies approached through the streets, negotiations failed, and the Yorkist attack began, with fighting house to house. The first blood of the Wars of the Roses was spilled.

The Duke of Somerset

The key death: Fleeing from the fighting, the Duke of Somerset took refuge at the Castle Inn, where he was dragged out by Yorkists and cut down in the street. His death began the wars, and he dies there still.

Street Fighting

Urban combat chaos: Soldiers in narrow medieval streets fought door to door, with arrows fired from windows. The combat was confused and brutal, with nowhere to form proper battle lines, and the town became a battlefield.

King Henry VI

The ineffective monarch: Wounded by an arrow, King Henry VI took refuge in a tanner’s cottage, was mentally fragile, and unable to control events. The Wars began during his weak reign, and his ghost is confused, lost.

The Percy and Clifford Ghosts

The slain lords: Their deaths created vendettas and blood feuds that lasted generations. Their sons became savage enemies of York, seeking the revenge they had been denied, and the cycle continued.

The Second Battle Confusion

Two battles in the same place: Ghosts from both encounters were present, with different armies and different outcomes, leading to temporal confusion. It was sometimes unclear which battle was replaying.

St Albans Abbey

The great abbey overlooked the fighting: Used as a refuge, the wounded were brought here, and prayers were offered for the dying, witnessing the horror. Paranormal activity was reported.

The Castle Inn

Where Somerset died: Intense activity was recorded at this location, documenting the duke’s final moments. His death that began the wars was the focal point, with reported cold spots and apparitions, marking the moment England changed.

The Clock Tower

Medieval landmark that witnessed both battles: Soldiers fought around it, and it served as a rallying point. Sightings of armored figures and the sounds of combat were reported, and the tower remembers.

Modern St Albans

A town built over a battlefield: Medieval street plan preserved, residents report phenomena, including figures in 15th-century armor and sounds of fighting. The Wars of the Roses never ended here.

Anniversary Phenomena

May 22 (First Battle) and February 17 (Second Battle): Peak activity occurred on these dates, with street fighting replays, and Somerset dies again. Sounds of medieval combat returned, recreating the events of the Wars of the Roses.

The Beginning

St Albans was the start: The first violence erupted here, the first noble blood spilled, and the beginning of thirty years of war. It marked the start of the bloodiest family feud, and the Wars of the Roses began here, and continue to resonate within the streets of St Albans.

Sources

• Wikipedia search: “Battle of St Albans Battlefield”
• Historic England — Listed Buildings — Register of historic sites