Keep Your Powder Dry

The inappropriately named ECWtravelogue turns its attention to Lothian, scene of Oliver Cromwell's arguably greatest military victory. See also Edinburgh Before we turn our attention to the Second Battle of Dunbar, there are a couple of other Wars of the Three Kingdoms locations worthy of our attention. Borthwick Castle's cannon scars Borthwick Castle , was besieged by Oliver Cromwell's forces in November 1650; the garrison, short on supplies, surrendered after receiving only a handful of cannon shots. The damage to the walls from this attack is still visible. Borthwick is now a wedding venue. Dirleton Castle:  post-Dunbar the castle held out and moss troopers from the castle made a considerable nuisance of themselves. So much so, that Cromwell ordered Monck and Lambert to take the castle, with 1600 men. The castle would fall due to a combination of starvation and mortar fire (destroying the drawbridge and inner gate) on the 10th November 1650. A number of the moss troopers...

The first of rather a lot of Scottish entries to the now rather inappropriately named, ECW travelogue.  Apologies to Scottish readers who steadfastly, and proudly hang on to traditional Scottish shire boundaries, for ease of writing I have gone with the nine Scottish regions established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. (Yes I know those areas are now defunct, but it made sense at the time when I was planning the entries.) A brief entry, in comparison to those Scottish regions to come, but important nonetheless. The West Port of St Andrews was built in 1587 as a monumental entrance to the city’s South Street. It was less a defensive structure than it was a symbol of civic pride. Charles II visited St Andrews in 1650 and was presented with silver keys before the West port by the provost of St Andrews. A plaque marks the event, located inside one of the gateway's arches. Battle of Inverkeithing ,  20th July 1651,   saw an outnumbered New Model Army decimate a Sc...

The inappropriately named ECWtravelogue returns across the border into Wales, this time dipping its toe into Monmouthshire. The entrance way to Chepstow Castle Chepstow was an important trade route on the River Wye, and into the Welsh Marches. Understandably the stronghold of Chepstow Castle dominates the river, towering over the river, situated on top of the cliffs. Chepstow looming over the Wye During the First Civil War the castle was surrendered to Waller's Parliamentarian forces who had surrounded the castle (but never really besieged it) for two years, in autumn 1645. With the resumption of war, Chepstow was again garrisoned for the King by Sir Nicholas Kemeys.This time the Parliamentarian besiegers were a little more proactive, and successful. Their artillery shot away the castle's parapets, inhibiting the defenders from mounting their guns. The Parliamentarian artillery breached the castle walls near Marten's Tower, Kemeys refused to surrender and the Parliamentar...