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The Battle of Stoke Field, fought on June 16, 1487, near East Stoke in Nottinghamshire, is considered the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. Here's a detailed look at its history

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The Wars of the Roses were caused by the protracted struggle for power between the dynasties of the House of Lancaster (red rose) and the competing House of York (white rose).

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The battle was the last major conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster and was a battle to gain control of the crown. The Battle of Bosworth Field, two years previously, had established King Henry VII on the throne, ending the last period of Yorkist rule and initiating that of the Tudors

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Background
The battle was a decisive engagement between the forces of Henry VII, the first Tudor king, and the Yorkist supporters of Lambert Simnel, a pretender to the throne. Despite Henry VII's victory at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, which ended Richard III's reign and established the Tudor dynasty, Yorkist opposition persisted.

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The Battle of Stoke Field was an attempt to unseat King Henry VII in favour of a 10 year old boy called Lambert Simnel who was an imposter pretending to be Edward, Earl of Warwick, the son of Edward IV’s brother, the Duke of Clarence. Simnel was used as a pawn by leading Yorkists to try and re-establish their hold on the crown

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Key Figures
Henry VII: The reigning king, leading the Lancastrian forces.
John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln: A leading Yorkist claimant who supported Lambert Simnel.
Lambert Simnel: A young boy presented as Edward, Earl of Warwick, a Yorkist heir.

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The Battle
The Yorkist forces, numbering around 8,000, included German and Swiss mercenaries provided by Margaret of Burgundy. They took up a defensive position on Rampire Hill

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Henry VII's army, led by the Earl of Oxford, was slightly larger, with about 15,000 men.

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The hill they formed up on is known as Burrand Furlong and a stone put there by Newark Archaeological and Local History Society (NALHS) in 1987 marks the spot where Henry VII supposedly planted his standard after the battle. We believe Henry VII's army to have been around 15,000, with John de Vere, Earl of Oxford leading the vanguard of around 6,000 who approached along the Upper Fossse, which crossed what is now Syerston Airfield and continues along Humber Lane and down into the village.

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The main battle, led by Henry VII, probably consisted of around 6,000 with the rearguard, led by Lord Strange. It might be worth mentioning the Irish Kerns, who were poorly armed and armoured. One account speaks about them being shot through with arrows 'like hedgehogs' and it was probably there annihilation by the archers that led to the rout. Other key persons involved were Martin Schwartz, leader of the mercenary Landsknechts and Thomas Fitzgerald, leader of the Irish, both of whom were killed. 

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Outcome
The battle ended in a decisive victory for Henry VII. The Yorkist forces were routed, with many killed in the fighting or pursued and cut down as they fled. Key Yorkist leaders, including the Earl of Lincoln, were killed, effectively ending organized Yorkist resistance.

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The Battlefield witnessed the death of up to 7,000 soldiers and the river is said to have ran red with their blood

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The Red Gutter is said to be the area where the massacre took place, although it is unclear whether this natural escarpment is so called due the blood split there during the battle or whether it derives its name from red clay deposits.

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Historical Significance
The Battle of Stoke Field is often considered the last battle of the Wars of the Roses. It solidified Henry VII's hold on the throne and marked the end of major Yorkist attempts to reclaim it1. The victory also helped to secure the Tudor dynasty's future, allowing Henry VII to focus on consolidating his rule and stabilizing the kingdom

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