Hovels: Medieval Range

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Whilst perusing fleabay I came across a 'lot' of ECW buildings for sale. All Hovels models, many from the English/rural range but also many that I didn't recognise. A quick look at the Hovels website and I found them in the medieval range. Sadly I missed out on winning the auction as I think the seller had absolutely nailed the colour of the thatch.

Some models in the range are much more suitable than others, here are the ones I chose. Not 100% happy with my thatched rooves, think they need a bit more grey...



Update: thatch has now been repainted. Keep an eye out for a future post on painting thatch. see here

Here's the updated buildings.


4M5


7M5


5M5


6M5


8M5

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Battle of Lansdowne, 5th July 1643

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Yet another instalment in the adventures of William Waller's Southern Association. This time Waller attempts to defend Bath and stop the King accessing the rich resources of the south west.


Sir Bevil Grenville's monument

 Information board at the foot of the monument

The rear of the monument - mind the nettles!
Early on the 5th of July, Waller took up position to the north of Lansdowne Hill where his troops began to throw up earthworks. His cavalry attacked small groups of Royalists in the area who fled to join Lord Hopton's main force at Marshfield (5 miles away from Lansdowne). Hopton immediately mustered his army and marched on Waller's position. 
Lots of skirmishing ensued, before Hopton's cavalry were routed. Hopton's infantry stood firm and defeated the Parliamentarian cavalry and dragoons; they then stormed Waller's position on Lansdowne. 
Hopton's cavalry rallied and returned to the fray, where they once again crumpled and fled the battle. Waller w…
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Coat Colours

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The tricky question of 'what colour' should I paint my armies was my next conundrum. The fanciful Victorian imagery of the wars has pretty much been dispelled (Roundheads in striped sleeved shirts, Cavaliers in poncey big hats); in reality both sides were, very much of a muchness. There are some surviving uniforms, and documentary evidence of colours and flags, which give us a starting point.

Whilst I do strive for accuracy, at the end of the day my armies are a pastiche, they aim to give a 'feel' rather than pleasing the 'button counters' that populate the darker corners of the wargaming community. But, as there is so much that historians don't know about Civil War uniforms, a pastiche is probably the best that anyone can aspire to.

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Der Deutsches Historiches Museum

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Der Deutsches Historisches Museum I hear you say? Berlin? How is that relevant to the British Civil Wars?

Well, if you put it bluntly - it isn't. However it does have a really really good Thirty Years War gallery, which is very similar to the BCW. My blog, my thinking, it's staying!

Located in Berlin close to 'museum island' is the German History Museum (apologies typing Der Deutsches etc out is upsetting the spellchecker). Under 18s are free, so only oldies need pay. Some interesting galleries (lots of Napoleonic, FPW and World wars stuff) in there, but I'm focussing on the 30YW exhibits. Cue shameless photo gallery and the occasional comment. Recommended!


Plague mask (apologies for the reflections)


Two large display cases full of armour. I really like how the armour was displayed. A siege mortar
Nice detail on a cannon

A regimental treasury box







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The Cromwell Museum

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Another trip down to 'that there London', inevitably led to a slight detour via Cambridgeshire for the ECW Travelogue. First stop The Cromwell Museum which claims to be the "home to the best collection of items relating to the life and times of Oliver Cromwell on public display anywhere in the world". Sounds like fighting talk to me. Best to check that claim out...


The museum is located in the former Huntingdon Grammar School building, a school attended by Oliver himself. The building itself has a fascinating history, starting it's life as a medieval hospital.

So what's there to see, and can it back up it's claim?

If you are looking for interactive displays, a coffee shop, and acres of space then perhaps this isn't the museum for you. The building itself is quite small, the collection it houses could quite comfortably fill a museum two or three times it's size.


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The great man's h…
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What Colours To Use?

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The mental images we have of seventeenth century dress are invariably of a dashing cavalier, wearing extravagant clothing and an ostentatious feather in a broad-brimmed hat; or a dour Puritan dressed in black and white. A heavily stylised, but very enduring set of images created by the Victorians. But what was the reality?

Some clothing from the time still exists, although this will, by the very nature of things, have belonged to rich owners. It has been suggested too, that due to interest in the civil wars, that these surviving garments have been fancydress-ified to achieve the romantic nature of dashing cavaliers and their ladies.

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Bromesberrow Church

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Bromesberrow Church is famous for being the home of the Yate cornets.


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Flags and Colours Part 3: Media

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Part three of the KeepYourPowderDry guide to Civil War flags and colours looks at where we can see illustrated examples of Civil War flags, and also where we can get some for our armies.

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Oliver Cromwell's House

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The ECW Travelogue visited Oliver Cromwell's House; bold claims from the nearby Cromwell Museum that they had the best collection of Cromwelliana, left me wondering whose coat I'd hold in the inevitable museum staff gang fight behind the shops after school. I needn't have feared becoming involved in a museum rumble - the two museums are very, very different.


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What's there to see?


Most of the museum is laid out as it would have looked when Oliver and his family lived in the house.


There are a number of items of Cromwelliana, including this statue.
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Flags and Colours Part 1: Heraldry

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This is the first of three KeepYourPowderDry guides to Civil War flags. This part looks at the rationale and rules why Civil War flags looked like they did. Not often I get to channel my inner Dr Sheldon Cooper, I doubt it will ever happen again.

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Battle of Cheriton, 29th March 1644

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The William Waller campaigns continue...a saga of manoeuvre and counter manoeuvre.

Background
After the Battle of Alton (and the taking of Arundel by Waller), the two armies went into winter quarters. Hopton overwintered in Winchester where he was joined by a contingent of the King's Oxford Army under the command of the Earl of Forth. Forth had superiority but Hopton retained operational command (on account of Forth having bad gout).



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