Ambion Hill facts for kids
Ambion Hill is a small hill in Leicestershire, England. It's famous because it was once thought to be the main site of the Battle of Bosworth Field. This battle was a very important event in English history. Today, a special visitor centre is located here.
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Where is Ambion Hill?
Ambion Hill is in the western part of Leicestershire, England. It's south of a town called Market Bosworth. The Ashby Canal also flows near the hill. Long ago, there was a village called Anebein on this hill, but it's now deserted.
The Battle of Bosworth Field
For a long time, people believed that the famous Battle of Bosworth Field happened right on Ambion Hill. This battle took place in 1485. It was a major fight during the Wars of the Roses. King Richard III fought against Henry Tudor. Henry Tudor later became King Henry VII.
Why was Ambion Hill thought to be the battle site?
An old writer named Raphael Holinshed wrote in 1577 that King Richard III "pitched his field on a hill called Anne Beame". This made people think Ambion Hill was the spot. In 1788, a historian named William Hutton wrote a book about the battle. His book helped make Ambion Hill widely accepted as the battle site.
The Visitor Centre
In 1974, Leicestershire County Council opened a visitor centre at Ambion Hill Farm. It was set up to teach people about the Battle of Bosworth Field. For many years, the centre explained the battle as if it happened on the hill.
Finding the True Location
Many historians questioned if Ambion Hill was truly the battle site. Because of this, a big project started in 2005. The Battlefields Trust, led by Glenn Foard, worked to find the real location.
After years of research, it is now believed that the main part of the battlefield is about two miles southwest of the visitor centre. This area is near a Roman road called Fenn Lanes. It's now thought that Ambion Hill was actually where King Richard III camped the night before the battle.
The visitor centre at Ambion Hill still offers great views. It has a special viewing point that shows where the real battle site is. Ambion Hill is still part of the official registered battlefield area.
Richard III's Well
There is a stone monument, called a cairn, on Ambion Hill. It was built in 1813. This cairn marks a well where, according to stories, King Richard III drank before the battle.
In 2015, when King Richard III's remains were moved to Leicester Cathedral, his procession visited Ambion Hill. It was a way to remember his connection to this historic place.
