The Lincolnshire Rebellion of 1470

If you have been on our new Medieval Lincoln walking tour, you will have learned all about the Lincolnshire Rising; a rebellion against changes to the church in England following Henry VIII's move away from the Catholic church during the reformation. But did you know that 66 years earlier the county also rose up against another king?

Lincolnshire has a rich and varied history; but there is one subject that comes up several times throughout the Medieval period, with serious implications for several generations of England's royal household - Rebellion.

Lincolnshire Rebellion

The Lincolnshire Rebellion of 1470 was a popular uprising against King Edward IV who overthrew Henry VI to become king during the War of the Roses. Prior to the rebellion Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, was one of Edward's closest friends and his most trusted advisor; with a powerful influence across Lincolnshire.

Richard Neville fell out of royal favour after opposing Edward's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. Elizabeth came from minor nobility and her family were greatly enriched by the marriage which impacted on alliances with senior figures between the king and Richard Neville. As a result he sponsored a rebellion to lure Edward north to Lincolnshire in an effort to seize the crown for himself. However the trap did not work and Richard's plans were unsuccessful.

Ravenspur - Royal Landing Ground

As a result of the failed rebellion, Richard fled to the royal court in France; later returning to England with the support of King Louis XI announcing his intention to restore Henry VI to the throne. As a result, Edward himself was forced to flee England and spent months in exile on the continent.

In his absence, former friend turned arch enemy Richard Neville, returned the English royal throne to Henry VI and ruled England on behalf of the ailing Lancastrian king; with years of captivity at the hand of Edward taking its toll.

When Edward re-entered England to fight for the crown, he chose to do so at a placed called Ravenspur; a site now lost to the North Sea close to the modern Spurn Point, opposite the town of Grimsby at the mouth of the River Humber. This was no pleasure visit for Edward, who would later march on Barnet to fight the Earl of Warwick to reclaim the throne.

Why not rebel against another boring weekend and let yourself be lured into Lincoln to discover the wealth of history, mystery and intrigue in one of England's finest Medieval cities with a free walking tour.