An uneasy peace has held in England since the First Battle of St. Albans in 1455.

Attempts at reconciliation between the houses of Lancaster and York have enjoyed marginal success.

Both sides have become increasingly wary of each other. however, and by 1459 are actively recruiting armed supporters.

The Queen continues to raise support for the King among noblemen, distributing an emblem of a silver swan to her supporters; whilst the Yorkist command under the Duke of York is finding plenty of anti-royal support despite the severe punishment for raising arms against the King.

Following York's unauthorized return from Ireland, hostilities resume.

The Yorkist force based at Middleham Castle in Yorkshire, led by Salisbury, needs to link up with the main Yorkist army at Ludlow Castle in Shropshire.

As Salisbury marches southwest through the Midlands, the Queen orders James Touchet, Lord Audley, to raise a force to intercept them.

Audley chooses the barren heathland of Blore Heath, a sparsely populated area of farmland in Staffordshire, close to the towns of Market Drayton and Loggerheads, to set up an ambush, lying in wait on September 23.

The ambush fails, and the Lancastrians are routed.

The rout continues through the night, with the Yorkists pursuing the fleeing enemy for miles across the countryside.

It is believed that at least three thousand men died in the battle, with at least two thousand of these from the Lancastrian side.

Local legend says that Hempmill Brook flowed with blood for three days after the engagement.

The Battle of Blore Heath is the first major battle in England’s Wars of the Roses.

Salisbury is concerned that Lancastrian reinforcements are in the vicinity and is keen to press on southwards towards Ludlow.

He makes his camp on a hillside by Market Drayton that later takes the name Salisbury Hill.

He employs a local friar to remain on Blore Heath throughout the night and to periodically discharge a cannon in order to deceive any Lancastrians nearby into believing that the fight is continuing.

York leaves for Dublin, while Warwick and Salisbury sail to Calais, accompanied by York’s eldest son, Edward, Earl of March (the future King Edward IV).

The Lancastrians are back in total control, and Somerset is appointed to replace Warwick as captain of Calais, but the Yorkists manage to hold on to the garrison, easily repulsing Somerset’s eviction attempts.

The Yorkists even begin to launch raids on the English coast from Calais in 1459.