Urbancohort has started this painting thread and is keeping it wholly clear of apostrophes although it is all about his painting skills developing.

Started by urbancohort, 28 March 2017, 09:58:05 AM

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O Dinas Powys

It's all looking great  :-bd

For the cannon: I don't know what other people do, but would it be worth raising the level of the base below the carriage with something (eg putty or another base) so that the base of the wheels are on a level with the feet of the crew, rather than having it 'sunk into the terrain'?

Cheers,

Meirion
(I know, even though it's fantasy  :o  ;)  )

toxicpixie

I only thought about that when someone posted a piccie recently showing they'd done it - looked much nicer. Now I'm slightly narked I never thought of it before because whenever I look at my guns it's now noticeable they're a slice shorter than the figures!
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Leman

Likewise, but fortunately had only based up two guns at that point (for my 10mm FPW), so now using slivers of balsa to bring guns up to same height. At last the wheels on the Krupps reach the shoulders of the gunners.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

urbancohort

Good idea. I have only done this one to date but have two more so I will probably rebase this one and do that to the one I have already done. Great advice, thank you chaps! UC

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urbancohort

Okay, so not done much since ages ago. Today have gone down to my birthplace of NE Somerset on my 1 human powered two wheeled metal steed, like some latter day Horse Grenadier. I took the chance to visit Norton St Phillip (phillipsnorton in 1685). I had a good look around, adsorping the atmosphere.

Unlike in 1685 it was boiling hot, and I approached along the main Bath road. This wasn't apparently quite the route the armies took ( more of which anon!)


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The photo shows the modern road East towards the village at roughly the point the route diverged from its modern course in 1685.
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urbancohort

As one goes down, Chivers Lane (aka Bloody Lane) lies to the left. This is where the fight on the day took place


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This seems to have been where the fighting took place. There was a 'gentleman's house' on the right and if I read correctly, this lane led up to ploughed fields. The houss either side of the road did not exist. To the right of this point was the barricade erected by the rebels. The Royalist didn't scout very well, and were ordered to advance until they were fired at. The grenadiers, probably from Kirkes Regt, did so and got embroiled in a fire fight with the rebels from which they were unable to extricate themselves. The rebels tried to outflank them and lined the hedges along the lane both sides of this road. The firefight was fierce and Royalist reinforcements were called. A unit of Royal infantry apparently cut their way through the hedges and then fought their way clear. I envisage they effected their escape on the left side of the road, down from the houses, but I could be wrong. The Royalists cavalry and horse grenadiers assisted their foot colleagues, and rebel artillery which I think was also based to the right beyond the 'gentleman's house' created further problems.
One should try everything in life, except for incest and folk-dancing....

urbancohort

The road from Bath apparently ran South of its current course now, and Chivers Lane/ North St formed a crossroads which now is only a T junction. Here the rebels had placed a wagon as an obstacle as part of the defences of the village.

The photos below show the views up the North St towards the rebel held village. This is approximately where the rebels placed the wagon.

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Photo 1. This is much closer to the village centre, with the George in view. This was Monmouth's HQ and someone took a potshot at him here. When I came here in 1983, as part of a school trip, a piece of wood was preserved with a bullet in it which was claimed to have been the shot. Alas, it was lost in the renovations years ago. Most of the houses probably are newer, but at least three were there on the day, having medieval origins, (Vanity cottage and others).
Photo 2 is looking back from the position of the barricade. I suspect this was all fields and the rebel cannons positioned to the left of where the houses are now.
One should try everything in life, except for incest and folk-dancing....

urbancohort

This was a cross roads in 1685, where the over confident Grafton brought his grenadiers to assault the position.

The wet, dispirited rebels, who were actually withdrawing back to Frome, put up a good fight though.  The grenadiers were overconfident and got bogged down in the steep field  hedges for three hours.

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Photo 1 shows where the Bath Road used to run. There is a public footpath to the side of two old garages now, so this is a view of where the road ran West.
Photo 2 is Chivers Lane running North. The local in it had looked askance at my photographing the road as he unloaded but when I explained I wasn't casing the properties but researching the battle told me, 'We remember it well' and told me the lane was known locally as 'bloody lane'.
Photo 3 is the lane south from The High St. This gives an impression of how the area must have looked at the time, I think. Odd to think of this tranquil backwater being the scene of war and death.
One should try everything in life, except for incest and folk-dancing....

urbancohort

Monmouth launched an attempt to outflank the Royalist forces. The modern roads probably accord with the locations.


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urbancohort

Accounts state it was hot work, with the Rebel artillery opening up on the Royals. The Horse Grenadiers had to deploy to effect a rescue.


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Photo looking back East towards Bath at the entry to Chivers Lane. This, I think, is where the rebel reinforcements positioned themselves.
One should try everything in life, except for incest and folk-dancing....

urbancohort

NSP is a small place and if you are into the campaign, well worth a visit.

Several wargaming scenarios suggest theselves to me, including ones suitable for 'The Pikeman's Lament'.

Hopefully sometime this week I will get to Westonzoyland and be able to post pictures from the battlesite.



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Photos showing various scenes around the historic George Inn. I have stayed here numerous times, including ince in a room with a table in it claimed to be the one at which Monmouth dined. A lovely location, but unless it has changed, which it may have, food was much better in Fleur De Lys across the road. Twelve local men from the village were hanged in the Bloody Assizes for their part in the 'Duking Days'. The place isn't that big 332 years later. That must have been a lot to lose in one hit.

The last photo shows the walls of a house which is probably contemporary. I am sure places like that would be loopholed and used defensively by Monmouth's troops.
One should try everything in life, except for incest and folk-dancing....

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

d_Guy

Sleep with clean hands ...

urbancohort

Quote from: mad lemmey on 17 July 2017, 11:21:36 PMWhat a top day.
Hope your noble steed was well fed and watered?
Indeed, the George provided me with a nice cold pint of Thatchers Gold. However, having to then cycle another 6 miles down country lanes, it turned out to be not such a great decision!

What struck me was the steepness of the hillside 'Bloody Lane' runs down, and the narrowness of the roads. Imagine unmetalled roads in torrential rain already churned up by the passsage of Monmouth's army and hemmed in by thick hedges. Grafton's grenadiers got stuck there, metaphorically and probably physically, and some cut their way through the hedges and rebel soldiers to escape through a field. They say 50 rebel musketeers were positioned at the crossroads. As I doubt it was wider then all I can say is they must have been tightly packed!

Despite the fierceness of the engagement few seem to have been killed; various figures of 20-50 on each side seem to be given.

The area would benefit from some nice interpretive panels, as have been done at Lansdown a few miles away. Unfortunately the area of the hardest fighting probably lay between here and the modern road, and has been built on in very recent years (since 1985!) I really wish someone in the local authority took more interest in our heritage.

Like the rebel army I headed off to Frome after leaving 'Phillipsnorton'.

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