Medieval spur from the site of the Battle of Towton

This object is one of the more violent remnants of history that the Society owns. The spur was claimed to be found on the site of the Battle of Towton in Yorkshire. This battle took place on Palm Sunday 1461 in what is reputedly the bloodiest clash of the Wars of the Roses. The dating of this spur as from the first half of the fifteenth century makes it a likely contender to having been worn, and lost, during such a battle. Interestingly, the object features an inscription of the French phrase ‘en loial amour tout mon coer’ which translates as a surprisingly romantic statement, ‘you have all my heart with love.’ One could argue that in this context is a pledge of loyalty rather than emotional sentiment. It was exhibited at the Society in 1792 by the Revd John Brand FSA, the Society’s resident Secretary.