A portrait of a famed medieval knight, painted by a Powys artist, was unveiled at a ceremony at the site where he was slain.

Stephen Hopper, an artist from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant near Llanfyllin, saw his portrait unveiled to a crowd at an official ceremony in Shrewsbury on Sunday, July 21.

Mr Hopper had painted a portrait of Sir Henry Percy, better known by his nickname Harry Hotspur, was unveiled on the anniversary of the Battle of Shrewsbury at the Battlefield Church of St Mary Magdalene.

The 71-year-old artist created a life-size portrait of the famed knight as part of a series of twelve historical portraits under the theme of ‘Poets, Saints & Rebels’, which also included Welsh leader Owain Glyndŵr.

Ultimately it was the connection between the two historical figures that inspired the portrait of Hotspur. Despite supporting English King Henry IV and campaigning against the Welsh at the start of Glyndwr’s Rebellion, a dispute over payment for their service, the Percys formed an alliance with Glyndŵr.

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In 1403 Hotspur set off for Shrewsbury to join forces with the other rebels but was intercepted by Henry IV’s forces, facing off in the Battle of Shrewsbury on July 21, with Hotspur ultimately being killed in the battle.

Mr Hopper said: "Hotspur is the archetypal anti-hero, a rebel of such character and significance that he has passed from history into legend.

(Image: Chris Warrender)

“To represent his character in a painting involved extensive research, liaising with the Alnwick Castle historical archivist and the study of engravings and paintings of previous members of Hotspur’s family.

“I wanted to show him as a determined man of action yet reflect his diplomatic and political sharpness. He was a cultured yet relentlessly ambitious figure.

"The title of the painting is taken from Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1: ‘That roan shall be my throne. Well, I will back him straight: O Esperance’. Roan is the name of his chosen fighting horse and Shakespeare references the Percy family motto of ‘Hope in God’."

(Image: Chris Warrender)

The event in Shrewsbury was opened by Mr Anthony Rich, Vice Chair of The Battlefields Trust with Councillor Alex Wagner, the Deputy Mayor of Shrewsbury performing the unveiling of the painting itself.

Some authentic knights even joined the day as members from the Shrewsbury Levy re-enactment group attended. The event closed with an organised walk on the battlefield itself.