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Dads Go Free at Bosworth Battlefield this Father's Day

Posted on 11/06/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

9 June 2009

Dads Go Free at Bosworth Battlefield this Father's Day

Make Bosworth Battlefield your destination for Father’s Day and Dad gets in for free!

Treat your Dad to a day out and step back in time with the award-winning interactive exhibition which brings to life the deadly battle of 1485. Become Dad’s Squire in the dressing up area and see what he would have looked like as a knight fighting for Richard III or Henry Tudor.

Then test your mettle on the interactive longbow and see who would have made the best archer. Arrive back to the present day in the BFI research lab, which allows Dad to test his skills as a battlefield archaeologist and find out, from the newest interactive exhibit, what can be deduced from a 500 year old skeleton!

Over the whole of the Father’s Day weekend, take advantage of the gruesome opportunity to meet the Barber Surgeon, an experience not for the faint hearted! Come face to face with the horrors of medieval surgery in Ambion Parva Medieval Village and learn how soldier’s wounds would have been tended in an age when medical knowledge was relatively poor. See how tough Dad really is as you learn about wounds, weapons and warfare, with the gruesome tools of the Barber Surgeon’s trade on display.

For Dads wanting to know more about the battle and medieval life, join one of the experienced guides on a tour of the battlefield. Lasting up to an hour and a half, the 2km walk covers the events which led to the death of Richard III and the unlikley victory of Henry Tudor. The walk leaves at 11.00am and 2.00pm from the Heritage Centre courtyard.

Dad’s day out is free with the purchase of any combination ticket, which cost £5.40 for children, £9.90 for adults and £6.30 for concessions. These tickets allow entry to the exhibition, guided walk and meeting the Barber Surgeon. Tickets are vaild all day, from 10am – 4pm, with guided walks leaving at 11am and 2pm. In order to avoid disappointment, booking is advisable, especially for the guided walks as places are limited, on 01455 290 429 or vist www.bosworthbattlefield.com for further details.

After experiencing the drama of the exhibition and the gore of the Barber Surgeon, why not take a stroll through the Battlefield Country Park, which offers miles of woodland and canal side paths to expore. If narrowboats and canals are Dad’s thing, take a trip on one of the boats from ‘The Ashby Trip’ at Sutton Cheney Warf, about five minutes from the Battlefield Centre.

The nearby Shenton Station also offers transport minded Dads with the opportunity to take a train ride, with trains running throughout the day. The unique Bosworth Passport offers the chance to experience all of these opportunites for less, where a full price ticket at one site gives the holder discounted entry at the other two attractions.

For a reminder of your day, visit Bosworth Gift Shop, which offers a unique range of souvenirs and Father’s Day gifts, including books, models, and toy weapons. The Tithe Barn restaurant offers an extensive daily menu of hearty meals and light lunches, using predominantly locally produced ingredients. Food may be served inside the historic barn, which was re-erected at the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, or outside in the tea garden and patio.

Ends

Note to Editors

Background: Bosworth Battlefield is run by Leicestershire County Council and is the location of the Battle of Bosworth. The battle, which took place on 22nd August 1485, brought an end to 30 years of English civil war, now known as the Wars of the Roses and saw the infamous King Richard III lose both his life and crown to Henry Tudor. The Battlefield includes a new exhibtion telling the story of the Battle and looking at its impact on British history, which has been funded by an award from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Address: Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park, Sutton Cheney, Nr Market Bosworth, CV13 OAD

For Futher Information: Mel Atkinson – 0116 3057046 – matkinson@leics.gov.uk