The sculpture Arrivall is located on Stonehill Roundabout in Tewkesbury. This sculpture consists of two pieces “Victor” and “Vanquished”. It commemorates all who fell in the Battle of Tewkesbury on 4th May 1471.
The Arrivall was created by sculptors Philip Bews and Diane Gorving. It was commissioned by the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society and was many paid for by fundraising.
The Battle Of Tewkesbury
The Battle of Tewkesbury was fought during the War Of The Roses. It was fought in the fields to the south of Tewkesbury on the 4th May 1471 and ended the second phase of this war.
Yorkists (White Roses) under Edward IV won this battle, defeating the Lancastrians (Red Roses) of Henry VI, the extent of the slaughter of this battle is unknown. Nobles that died in this battle are interred in Tewkesbury Abbey and graveyard, whereas the common soldiers have anonymous pits in the fields.
The Arrivall
Victor And Vanquished
The title of the sculpture “Arrivall” comes from the title of an abbreviated account of Edward IV regaining the throne of England from Henry VI. It is placed on high ground, where the opposing armies would have had their first views of each other. There are two parts to this sculpture, each represents one of the armies. Both are made from green English Oak.
Victor
Victor represents the Yorkist army under Edward IV and is located on the roundabout itself. This part of the sculpture shows a horse and rider, the rider has a traditional lance with a pennant on top.
Victor
Vanquished
On the opposite verge to the south of the roundabout you will see Vanquished, that represents the defeated Lancastrian army. This army was led by the Duke of Somerset, supporting Henry VI. Vanquished is a riderless horse, with it’s head bowed and a lance leaning on its back.
Vanquished
Finding The Arrivall
The Arrivall is just over a mile out of Tewkesbury and is fairly easy to find. From the High Street, head in the direction of Tewkesbury Abbey. At the end of the High Street turn right onto Church Street. Follow this street, which soon becomes Gloucester Road. You will pass the Abbey on your right, just keep going. Stonehill roundabout is the first roundabout you come to along this road and is where the road meets the A38.
The Battle Of Tewkesbury Sculptures
If you’re in Tewkesbury it’s worth a small walk out of town to see the Arrivall. They are impressive sculptures that commemorate an important battle and it’s unknown fallen.
5 Comments
What is the significance of the bear on the victors pennant?
In all honesty, I have no idea! I imagine it is the standard of the winner, but I will check for you 🙂
Good new Margaret! I have your answer. I got in touch with the Tewkesbury Tourist Board, who put me in contact with the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society. The Society told me this story about the pennant:
“First, there’s no medieval connection between Tewkesbury and the bear, which seems to be used as a badge by a lot of German cities, and most notably Berne in Switzerland.
In 1984, when the Medieval Festival started, meetings were held in the Black Bear Pub, which became the base, and the re-enactment group it spawned became the Companions of the Black Bear. When a banner was needed, instead of using the bear and ragged staff pub sign, they used the bear which was engraved on all the windows of the lounge bar, which is a much chubbier bear on all fours. That banner is now hung by the west window in Tewkesbury Abbey and is has the names of people who have been involved with the Festival and have passed away embroidered on it. The image is used by the Medieval Festival as a logo.
When the Arrivall sculpture was being made, the element of the pennants was one which it was agreed from the outset should involve residents, and specifically school children. Diane Gorvin, wife of Phil Bews, the sculptor, ran a workshop with Tirlebrook School in Tewkesbury to do the design. It involved several elements, with the children ultimately each providing their own heraldic devices, based on what they’d learned. Diane incorporated all these into the two banners, which had at the same time to ‘read’ as medieval and let the wind through. On one, she included the bear which is well known in Tewkesbury and beyond.
One of our You-Tube videos shows the workshop session and the manufacture of the pennants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0996uH4TVPE&t=22s from about 3 minutes in.”
Hope that helps 🙂
These are really very best things you shared and beautiful pictures you capture.
Thanks 🙂
Glad you liked it.