Fighting broke out at Bernards Heath in St Albans last weekend – but it was all in a good cause.

An estimated 4,500 people took a trip back in time to watch a re-enactment of the Second Battle of St Albans as part of celebrations organised by Sandridge 900.

Bernards Heath was transformed into a medieval battleground for the re-enactment of the Wars of the Roses battle by The Medieval Siege Society.

Each day culminated in a scaled-down re-enactment of the battle in which the Yorkist troops were out-manoeuvered by the Lancastrians.

On Sunday, the Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Annie Brewster, led a procession on horseback through the city to St Peter’s Church which was the burial site for a number of the protagonists following the battle.

She rode at the head of a procession formed from the ranks of the Medieval Siege Society which travelled from Bernards Heath to the church with the society’s drummer setting the pace.

The Rev Jos Perris gave the blessing and Minnie, Lady Michael Cecil, acknowledged the Mayor’s salute with a dramatic ritual of swords held aloft and crossed.

The Mayor also visited the craft displays in the Living History encampment set up by the Medieval Siege Society at Bernards Heath as well as releasing a missile from the trebuchet siege engine.

The event was one of a number organised to mark Sandridge 900 which is celebrating 900 years since the consecration of St Leonard’s Church in the village.

The Mayor said: “What a magnificent weekend the organisers of Sandridge 900+ provided for us all. I felt I had stepped back in time, in fact, to a time almost 100 years before the city had its first mayor!

“Congratulations to everyone who contributed to a wonderful event and to my trusted steed, Scooby.”

For a gallery of more photos from the weekend see our website at www.hertsad.co.uk