Brown Paper Parcels Tied Up With String

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...were one of Julie Andrews's favourite things. Here's one of mine. A blast from the past, some old Minifig's boxes. A couple of the fabled Hinchliffe blue boxes, and a more recent offering from Foundry*. Okay, completely superfluous and adds an extra cost to figures, but you've got to love a little box haven't you?



* don't worry, I haven't gone over to the 28mm side, I bought some paint from them.

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The National Civil War Centre, Newark - re-visited

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I'm a bit of a fan of the National Civil War Centre and Newark in general; the centre and Newark having graced the pages of this blog a number of times. Well the Centre has had a revamp.

So much of a revamp that rather than trying to re-write the previous entry it made more sense to write a fresh entry.


On entering the museum the ground floor has stayed pretty much the same - a history of Newark gallery, and then the main gallery. The main gallery boasts an impressive display of arms and armour (mostly on loan from the Royal Armouries), interactive displays, Civil War era 'civilian' artefacts (including Newark siege tokens, and a deserters' hand branding iron). The multimedia theatre presents three short films, three in the morning and a different three in the afternoon. Not forgetting the dressing up for small and no-so-small people.

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Baggage, Cannon and Limbers

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In yet another case of déjà vu I sit thinking how to write a blog entry about baggage and artillery.

"But you said..." I hear both my readers cry; and yes, I did say no more baggage. But, well...I had a good rummage around in the spares box, and well, a surfeit of dragoon horseholders were crying out to be used.

So here they are , two more carts for the Parliament's baggage train.


And two more for the King's.


As well as two carts Parliament has gained a demi-culverin (heavy gun) and a saker (medium gun), both with limbers and casualty markers.



As has the King.


As always, the men and cannon are from Peter Pig; wagons and limbers from Museum Miniatures; custom casualty markers from Warbases with a Peter Pig poorly person.
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London, Part Five: Memorials (and Churches)

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The ECW Travelogue returns to the capital for a story of war, politics, births, deaths, marriages, illicit liaisons (possible) and execution. This time an Oyster card fuelled trip around the blue plaques, cemeteries and churches of that there London (with a pub thrown in for good measure).

The easiest way to complete this tour is using public transport (with some walking) and I have given directions using TfL Underground/Overground/Docklands Light Railway and the bus network. If you are unfamiliar with town and the transport system, the easiest (and cheapest) way to pay is using a contactless card, Oyster Card or app - just remember to tap in and tap out at each station. You will need a tube map (free from stations or better still download an app, most of which allow you to plan journeys) and a map app such as Google Maps on your phone.

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Winstanley

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Recently picked up a copy of this on fleabay.

Widely available from internet behemoths for a lot of money, this can be picked up for less than a tenner if you have patience from a certain on-line auction house.

An eagle-eyed reader reports it is available from the BFI web shop for £9.99. 


Winstanley was released in 1975, and "no" younglings your screen isn't broken, films and telly box were often black and white in those days. We had it hard back in the day...

Armour used in the film was borrowed from the Royal Armouries collection; the V&A and the Museum of English Rural Life helped with the rest of the costumes, and advised on locations.

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Houses of Interest: Cheshire

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The County of my birth, and just a few miles away from Château KeepYourPowderDry, so why has it taken so long to writing an entry?

Lyme Hall has already been briefly mentioned in the first part Rupert's March North. A National Trust property (so expect lots of Colin Firth memorabilia, travel blankets and expensive boiled sweets for sale in the shop). Let's get Colin Firth out of the way first: yes, Lyme was the location for that lake scene in the BBC Pride and Prejudice. Surprised there isn't a statue of Colin emerging from the lake...

The Legh's were staunch Royalists, although didn't really have much to do with the soldiering due to a series of unfortunate events. Peter Legh XI inherited the property from his father just before the outbreak of war. He was elected MP for Newton in 1640, but died from his injuries sustained in a duel in 1642. His son, Frances inherited the Hall but died without issue in 1643. Frances's nephew inherited the hall. Richard was a mi…
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Sir William Brereton's Company of Firelocks

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Sir William Brereton (the same William Brereton whose coffin got washed away in a flood when his body was being returned home for burial) was commander of Parliament's forces in Cheshire.

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From 1645 the regiment appears to have had many in it's ranks who had swapped sides after the battle of Nantwich - including men from Thomas Sandford's and Francis Langley's companies of Firelocks. Again this supports the notion that some of the dragoons at least became foot soldiers.


We actually know quite a bit about his regiments - their battle honours, officer lists and so on, but like so many Civil War units we only know that th…
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Houses of Interest: Yorkshire

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When I researched and wrote the Rupert travelogue entry for Yorkshire, and the entry for Adwalton Moor there were some great houses that I was unable to visit (namely because they were shut). I have slowly been plugging away at visiting and documenting them here on the blog.

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A Miscellany of Miniatures

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I was having a bit of a sort out/procrastinating about doing a gajillion headswaps of Peter Pig clubmen*, when I discovered some really useful figures in my 'spares box'. In the interests of 'balance' it must also be pointed out that there were some pretty useless figures in the spares box too (vampire with modern pistol, lots of deaded/wounded Scots highlanders etc).

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The Scots Covenanters, now have a baggage train (of sorts).



A witches' coven, complete with bubbling cauldron. The impressive bit being the fact I hadn't lost all three (separate) legs for the cauldron. Please note my witches look like witches, so have green skin and black clothes.



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Clubmen

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When we think of the British Civil Wars we think of everyone belonging to one of the warring camps - there was another group of people who wanted no part in the war, wanting instead to live a peaceful life. When the war visited them, or more precisely soldiers foraging or looting, they rose up and banded together to protect their homes and property.


"Peace and truth"
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