Since my last post about the search for the Towton Rose there have been some fresh leads but the Rose has still not been located and the search continues. In a recent Blog post George Algar notes that all the roses that have been identified as being taken from the battlefield are of the same species:
it was interesting to discover as a result of the Radio York appeal, that of all the roses we have identified as being removed from the battlefield, these were the same species – the Rosa Mundi. There is the possibility, of course, that they were planted there as a hoax. We know that enterprising Saxton villagers sold souvenir rose plants for half a crown at the turn of the last century. This does not necessarily explain why these Rosa Mundi’s were still found there in the 1940’s. This is a striking rose with beautiful colouring and a heady perfume – you would not plant it out in the middle of as field for fear of someone taking it, if you were so commercially minded. The writer, a romantic soul at heart, prefers to think of them being planted out by generations of descendants of those fallen on the field. It is surely no coincidence that the Rosa Mundi is also known as the York & Lancaster rose and it is bred from that most ancient of roses, Rosa Gallica.
Although the legendary Towton Rose has still not been found there are still hopes that someone might have a photograph or drawing of it tucked away somewhere without knowing it’s importance:
It is possible that someone has a photograph, drawing or painting of the rose without realising its significance. Edmund Bogg, who wrote about it and penned a poem on The Towton Rose in the early 1900’s was a prolific photographer. Unfortunately, he did not include a photo of the rose in his book – I guess it was not in bloom when he visited. He also had an art and picture framing shop in Leeds. Maybe one of his students painted the rose? It would be wonderful if someone reading this blog has such a painting.
Is it a rose by any other name?
It is a very mysterious rose!