The Scots Army and its Flags at Preston and Dunbar

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Today's post takes a look at a very exciting release from Partizan, that focuses on the flags of the Scottish Covenanters. 

Regular readers may well spot a plethora of Scottish related posts over the rest of 2025 - guess where the ECWtravelogue is going on holiday this year...

For transparency please note, whilst I do occasionally get sent books to review, I bought this volume with my own money. Nor do I get any commission for recommending any reading materials... which is a real shame...

First some background...

The Covenanting Armies continually changed its allegiances during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms to support whichever 'side' they thought would further their cause. This book focuses upon the period 1648-1650, where they threw their support behind Charles I, as Engagers, then behind Charles II after the Treaty of Breda.

The Engagers had negotiated with the imprisoned Charles I who promised the Covenanters his support of the Presbyterian cause; this effectively started the Second Civil War, and ultimately led to Charles losing his head. I've vastly oversimplified that, and it must be made clear that not all Covenanters signed, or supported the Engagement with Charles (as he had refused to sign the Covenant).

The Engagers invaded England and pretty much met their end at the protracted battle of Preston (the retreat from Preston effectively became a two day running battle culminating in the Battle of Winwick).

The Covenanter cause did not die out with the defeat at Preston, they gathered momentum, signed the Treaty of Breda which lent their support to the restoration of Charles II; this in turn led to the Anglo-Scottish War and saw a full scale invasion of Scotland by the Army Newly Modelled, which culminated in their crushing defeat at Dunbar.

These two victories saw thousands of Scots force marched across Britain, many dying en route, before being transported to the New World effectively as slave labour. Military spoils included over two hundred flags and colours, which were taken to London and exhibited as trophies in Westminster Hall.

Alas, the ravages of time means that this collection of flags is all but lost. 

Thankfully they were catalogued by Payne, sometimes styled as  Fitzpayne, Fisher and this catalogue survives in the British Library as catalogue items Harl. 1460 (Preston) and Harl MS 6844 fol. 123 (Dunbar).

Stuart Reid has negotiated the publication of Fitzpayne's original illustrations in this volume, for which he should be applauded as I'm sure it was no mean feat.

The book would be worth buying for the illustrations alone, which have been reproduced in full colour (publishers take note: flag books must be in full colour). Stuart has gone to great lengths to prescribe ownership of these flags to individual regiments.

If you are serious about your Covenanting Army you need to buy this book. I'm pretty sure that three more Covenanter Regiments of Foot will be raised at Château KeepYourPowderDry as a result of this purchase.

The heraldic ermine is much clearer on the back cover

My only niggle with the book is the cover: Partizan's corporate brown background has heraldic ermine symbols superimposed upon it. The design is so subtle I just think that the cover is damaged rather than being a 'feature'.

Now if only someone could negotiate the publication of the original artwork from Turmile in their entirety...

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Thanks.

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