"Challenge in the Mist"

by Graham Turner

Open Edition Print published from an oil painting.
Overall print size, including border - 17"x 20.5" (43cm x 52cm)

At dawn on Easter Sunday, 14th April 1471, the armies of Edward IV and his one time ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, confronted each other near Barnet, 10 miles outside London.


A thick fog enveloped the battlefield, causing the opposing forces to misalign - Edward's right wing overlapping Warwicks left and visa versa. In the struggle that followed, the Yorkist left was outflanked and crumbled, it's remnants being persued off the field by the Earl of Oxford's men. However, when Oxford managed to regroup some of his force and return to the fray, the misalignment of the armies had caused the whole battle line to rotate and in the confusion, they found themselves engaged against their allies.


A cry of treason threw the Lancastrians into dissaray and in the ensuing rout the Earl of Warwick met his end as he tried to reach his horse.


At Barnet, as at Tewkesbury two weeks later, the Yorkist vanguard was commanded by Edward's 19 year old brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. He was involved in some of the heaviest fighting - being slightly wounded himself - and he would later have several of his retainers remembered in prayers, 'slayn in his service at the batalles of Bernett, Tekysbery or at any other feldes'.


Graham Turner's painting shows Richard with his standard bearer as they strain to see the enemy, apprehension mixed with excitement as they anticipate the slaughter that is to come.