TOWTON, a township in the parish of SAXTON,
upper division of the wapentake of BARKSTONE-ASH,
West riding of the county of YORK, 3 miles (S.) from
Tadcaster, containing 94 inhabitants. Between this
place and Saxton is the celebrated Towton field, where
was fought, on Palm-Sunday, 1461, the most important
battle between the houses of York and Lancaster, which
lasted from nine in the morning till seven in the evening,
and ended in the defeat of the latter: in this bloody
conflict, it is recorded, one hundred and ten thousand
Englishmen were engaged, of whom thirty-six thousand
seven hundred and seventy-six were slain.