Keep Your Powder Dry

Following on from Professor Furgol's talk at the Helion Century of the Soldier Conference, it became apparent my Irish men needed some spiritual leadership to take them into battle. (Too complicated to explain, I'm sure it will be in his new book.) I found a pack of monks from Magister Militum that pretty much fitted the image that Ed had shared of a Spanish tercio going into battle with a cross held high to inspire the soldiers. So here they are, no idea if the robes are accurate, but they 'feel' right. Irish you say? Yes, I've taken the plunge and started creating an Irish Confederate army, these Godly men will inspire the Confederates and the Irish Brigade fighting for the King with Montrose. There are quite a few spare monks in my spares box now, so don't be at all surprised if one or two appear in the command bases of a Confederate RoF. If you enjoyed reading this, or any of the other posts, please consider  supporting  the blog.  Thanks .

  The opening salvo in the Worcestershire ECW Travelogue entry... or is it? The 'big ticket' item for Worcestershire* is clearly Worcester - the Commandery and the Battles of Worcester and Powick Bridge . The Norman Church of St Augustine in Droitwich was badly damaged in a siege in 1642. The church was occupied by Parliamentarian troops. Royalists attacked, and in the process destroyed the nave, tower and south transept. The church would be rebuilt in the eighteenth century. It is thought that the area surrounding the church was fortified by the Royalists, a short length of backfilled ditch being discovered during excavations in the early 1980s. The vicar at the time of the Civil Wars was William Jones, was banished during the Commonwealth, returning in 1660 to resume his ministry.  Dudley** Castle was garrisoned for the King, the governor was Colonel Thomas Leveson . Besieged by Lord Denbigh in June 1644, the castle held out against his force of 3500 men and a 32 pounder...

Today's post is a plug for an organisation that I am not a member of, but publishes exceedingly good books. And before you ask, no, I am not on commission. I take no responsibility for any large orders of books placed after reading this post. From the Society's website: Founded in 1973, the Pike and Shot Society is an international organization that promotes interest in the warfare of the Early Modern Period, a time that saw radical change in the way in which wars were fought world-wide. Its main activity is the publication of its highly respected bi-monthly journal Arquebusier as well as specialist books, monographs and booklets. The Society also has a presence on Facebook, a very good links page, and of course, the publications for sale page. The Society's publications don't appear to be available anywhere else (if they were I'd advocate buying direct so that all profit goes to the Society). Probably the most valuable books for anyone wanting to recreate specific...

If Naseby was the start of the end of the Royalist cause in the First Civil War, Stow the knock out blow, Sherburn-in-Elmet was one of the heaviest blows in between. Oft overlooked, this very important battle garners little attention - Nick Lipscombe devotes a whole two sentences to it in his Atlas of the English Civil War, and doesn't even mark it on any of the maps. Oh, and this post hits a bit of a milestone, being post number 400. A celebratory small sherry might be in order later. Naseby saw the Army Newly Modelled decimate the foot element of the King's main field army, a large proportion of the King's cavalry, the Northern Horse being able to flee. Lord Digby taking the horse north with the plan of joining Royalist forces in Scotland under the command of Montrose. The old grammar school, built 1612 Sherburn was garrisoned with between 800 and 1500 foot, and possibly 400 horse under the command of Colonel Wren. Digby was approaching Sherburn from the north, and captur...

I suppose it was inevitable. Parliamentarian Army ✓, Royalist Army ✓, Army of the Solemn League and Covenant ✓, Montrose's Royalist Army ✓, all completed. Irish Confederate is missing. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms is a catch all term that covers a whole host of conflicts that took place (mostly) in the area of the geographical British Isles in the 1640s and 50s. The Irish component was the Eleven Years War, or the Irish Confederacy War. But first, what precipitated the Irish to rise up against the Crown?  From the mid 1550s, through to 1620 Irish owned land was confiscated by the English crown, and given to primarily English settlers. The Crown saw the plantations as a means of controlling, anglicising and 'civilising' Ireland. The plantation of Ulster started in 1610 saw a large scale influx of Protestant settlers from northern England, and Scotland. Events that would shape and scar British and Irish history for the next 400 years. By 1640 reports of anti-Catholic rhetor...

Despite having a career that dabbles in and out of the shallows of academia, I was put off from attending 'Civil War' lectures because I don't own a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches or a beard that has bits of last night's dinner lurking in it. But enough of this inappropriate, and frankly mean caricaturing. I was invited to attend Helion's Century of the Soldier Conference held in Worcester in April 2023, thank you Charles for the invite. Must confess that I didn't really know what I was letting myself in for. This year's theme was 'Novelty and Change' and included a number of influential researchers and writers. I was particularly interested in hearing Dr Padraig Lenihan's "Countermarches, Caracoles and Charges: Firearms Against Shock in Ireland 1641-3", most probably because I have an Irish Confederate army in the planning stage.  I was very wrong in the slight apprehension I felt about attending. Wow. What a brilliant day. I ...

  Arnescote Rockingham Castle needs no introduction to fans of By The Sword Divided. Ancestral home of the Lacey  Watson family and their descendants. Rockingham's very familiar gatehouse  Rockingham was garrisoned for the King when war broke out, but was taken by Lord Grey of Groby in 1643.  Its outer walls and keep being sleighted in 1646.  You can understand why the castle was built on this outcrop The Castle's owner, Royalist supporter Sir Lewis Watson was tried in Oxford in 1644, being accused of inviting Parliament's men into the castle. He would eventually clear his name and be made the 1st Lord Rockingham. Arnescote/Rockingham must surely be on every Civil War aficionado's 'to visit list'. Open to the public, this private residence can be visited on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday afternoons during the summer months (check their website for details before setting off as the castle is also a wedding venue and can be closed on days when it 'should'...

And now, to steal a phrase from Monty Python, for something completely different... Portrait of Henry, Duke of Gloucester at Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian It is spring 1656, Charles II along with his brothers Henry, Duke of Gloucester and James, Duke of York arrive in Brugge. Charles had fled England in 1651 after his defeat at Worcester, he originally lived near Paris, then moved to Cologne, before ending up in Brugge. The time that Charles spent in Brugge recently hit the headlines when Belgian fishermen tested the right to fish in British waters post Brexit: Charles had granted 50 Flemish fishermen from Brugge “eternal rights” to English fishing waters, as a way of thanking the city for its hospitality. the time keeping apparatus on top of Huis Bouchoute Charles was originally housed in Huis Bouchoute , which is now more famous for its role in the standardisation of Belgian timekeeping. Grand Hotel Casselbergh is more widely known as Charles's residence whilst in Brugge. This u...

The somewhat inappropriately titled #ECWtravelogue ventured across the Irish Sea in search of a decent pint of Guinness. Or rather #3 son did, I have visited all these places before - long before the ECWtravelogue existed. Any mention of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and Ireland, is going to have to tread very carefully. Cromwell's actions, and the actions of the New Model Army, understandably raise strong emotions. The Irish component of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms is known as either the 11 Years War, the Irish Confederate Wars or the Irish Uprising. Ireland had risen against English rule in 1641, and Charles sent a force to quash the rebellion. The advent of Civil War in England meant that those troops sent to Ireland were withdrawn to England, supposedly to support the Crown. A combination of the King's attention switching, and the withdrawal of the majority of English forces meant that the Irish Confederacy pretty much took control of the island of Ireland. Fast forwar...

Just as Montrose's army has had some more command figures, so have the Covenanters. These are from Peter Pig Scots generals pack 40. All three have had headswaps. Sir Alexander Hamilton Hamilton was the Covenanter general of artillery until 1649 when he died. Known to friend and foe as 'dear Sandy' he fought for both Denmark and Sweden. It is believed that he may have refined the Swedish leather gun, but he is best known for inventing the 'Dear Sandy Stoups' - four light bronze barrels mounted upon a frame. John Campbell, 1st Earl of Loudoun Loudoun was more of a politician than a soldier, despite being the colonel of regiments of foot and horse. A leading light in the Covenanter cause, he was one of the commissioners sent to London to negotiate with the King after the First Bishops War. Appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland in 1641, in a vain attempt by Charles to win Loudoun's loyalty; his loyalty was with the Solemn League. He would venture south again: to ne...

Whilst perusing the Keep Wargaming (no relation) Naismith ECW listings I noticed pack EC11 mounted highlander with sword and pistol. An idea germinated that they could become highland commanders. But that would involve painting tartan again.  Undeterred I ordered them, and as usual mounted them on Peter Pig horses (tl:dr Naismith horses are 'esoteric' to say the least, their artillery limber horses are brilliant) . The pose was a bit unique and I decided that they would look a little odd all in the same pose. Only one figure would remain as cast, the other two would have more animation in their sword arm. Swords were cut and arms gently eased into position. The first figure went fine, the second... clearly a bit too adventurous and his arm snapped off. His arm was pinned back into place and greenstuff repairs carried out. Both had new swords fashioned from staples, and greenstuff hilts helped strengthen everything up. The first adjustment, the original figure, and the second sw...