Sutton Cheney

If you’re looking for a hotel in Sutton Cheney, the story of the Battle of Bosworth can provide a thread running through your trip. Themes include St James’ Church and the village’s architecture, as well as the Battlefield landscape and sculptures. Walks range from a short route with a particular theme to a longer connection between several places. This lets you choose your focus: local history, the battlefield landscape, or a route that takes in several chapters of history.

The Battle of Bosworth in landscape and history

Bosworth Battlefield is registered for its special historical significance. The Battle of Bosworth brought the Tudor dynasty to the English throne. At the same time, the site remains largely undeveloped, making it possible to trace the camps and course of the battle. Here, history is revealed not only as an event, but also in the shape of the landscape.

The Battlefield Trail in Bosworth Battlefield Country Park is 2.2 kilometres long. Panoramic views, along with audio and visual information, offer insights into the landscape, the battle and its surroundings. Guided walks along the Battlefield Trail are offered throughout the year. These include a re-enactment of the battle with flags; role-play is optional. Alongside exploring the site, you can therefore choose a guided experience or, if you wish, take part in role-play.

Routes, landscape and nature

Other routes in Bosworth Battlefield Country Park lead through Ambion Wood to the Ashby Canal. The park’s green landscape is home to numerous bird species, including grey herons, kingfishers and moorhens. These natural and landscape features complement the view of the battlefield: the Battlefield Trail focuses on the battle and its surroundings, while the woodland, canal and birdlife reveal other aspects of the landscape.

The Bosworth 1485 Sculpture Trail covers a different scale. It is a 12-mile journey through history and landscape, connecting Market Bosworth, Sutton Cheney, Fenn Lanes and Dadlington. As a walking route, it takes you from one chapter of history to the next. Compared with the 2.2-kilometre Battlefield Trail, it is the longer route; the two distances help you choose between a route within the country park and one that passes through several named places.

St James, village architecture and sculptures

The Church of St James in Sutton Cheney is a Grade II* listed building. Inside the church, a memorial plaque commemorates Richard III and those who fell at Bosworth Field. The village’s architecture can also be viewed as a whole: the Sutton Cheney conservation area encompasses a significant group of local brick houses along Main Street, as well as the Hall, the church and the almshouses. The focus is therefore not just on one building, but on a group with several different elements.

The sculptures also offer different perspectives. Calm Before the Storm is near St James Church. Piecing Together the Past is at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and takes the form of a double-sided coin: Richard III is depicted on one side, and Henry VII on the other. The sculpture was installed in May 2024. Its design places the two figures directly opposite one another, complementing the memorial plaque at St James with another artistic depiction of the history associated with Bosworth.

Discover more destinations: Higham on the Hill, North Kilworth, Quorn, Rothley, Melton Mowbray, Market Harborough, Stathern, Great Easton.

For the wider travel overview: Leicestershire.