Bannockburn

[fsn]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Forum, My Lord Fenton, Fleet Admiral Lemmey, Bishop Techno,

It may have come to your attention that this year is the 700th Anniversary of the glorious Battle of Bannockburn. 

BBC Scotland are showing a two parter with silky haired Neil Oliver and fellow man in a trench Tony Pollard. It couldn't be seen in England, but you can see it on the BBC iplayer at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01lyy75/the-quest-for-bannockburn-1-day-one

Includes the immortal line that a schiltron was basically a "spikey fence".

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Cool,
Thank you sir!

[Fenton]

Good stuff

I met Neil Oliver at the either the first or second Bannockburn reenactment a few years ago

Nice bloke

[Ric]

Quite a good documentary, Neil Oliver seems like a cool guy. The technology used makes me wish their bring back the battlefield programme with Dan and Jon snow, because as awesome as they were, they already look incredibly dated!

Also, having played around these areas as a child it'll be interesting to see what they discover.

[mollinary]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Forum, My Lord Fenton, Fleet Admiral Lemmey, Bishop Techno,

It may have come to your attention that this year is the 700th Anniversary of the glorious Battle of Bannockburn. 

Perhaps more importantly. It will be the 501st Anniversary of Flodden, and the 258th anniversary of Culloden. What is it with all this "Round Number Fascism" these days?   

Mollinary

[Hertsblue]

I think the knife's in far enough, Mollinary. 

[Hussargeneral]

 

[mollinary]

I think the knife's in far enough, Mollinary. 

We'll....... Possibly!   

[fsn]

Day 2 now available ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b046rjhw/the-quest-for-bannockburn-2-day-two

[Techno]

I'll have to wait until we get the next PC....
I expect it won't be available to view by then.

Cheers - The Bishop

[PeterRushton]

On a trip round Scotland recently I was able to spend some time at the National Trust for Scotland's new Bannockburn Visitors Centre, details at http://battleofbannockburn.com/ on the outskirts of Sterling.

I remember visiting the site some years ago now but a new visitors centre has just opened ready for the 700th anniversary celebrations. The centre features a 3D projection 'experience' where you can walk around the main display space with your special glasses on and the 3d presentation goes on all around you with the characters appearing to move out from the screens, across the room in front of you and then onto other screens around the room. Quite fascinating. There are other areas where you can 'interact' with various characters from peasants to Lords to learn more about their lives.

Also there is a 'Battle Game' room where up to around 30 visitors participate and are guided through a wargame by a member of staff (or Battle Master in their jargon!) to replay the battle. No dusty figures and crummy terrain here though as this is achieved through a computer moderated 'game' with a projection system onto quite a large table that the players surround. Sort of a 'Medieval: Total War' feel to the game and as a 'wargame For Joe Public' I thought it was very well done and also had quite some interest for me as a gamer of the period too.

Not a cheap day out (but I would say fair value) if you're visiting as a family group but with free entry for National Trust members such as myself it was a bargain (though I did spend quite a bit in the shop, but resisted buying any of the bits of reproduction armour in there!).

If you're in the area pay a visit. I don't think you'd regret spending a few hours there.

Peter

[Bishop Lord]

Great link thanks for posting

Am I missing something here though? who's this other bishop chap that's appearing on the forum:

Cheers - The Bishop

Bishop Techno,

Is this going to be the start of a minor Religious war, hence know as Bishop Bashing or Bashing the Bishop

Jason(The only Bishop on here)

[Techno]

Steady that man !
I think fsn's confusing me with someone else.....He was imagining me as the Borg Queen a year or more ago.
(Probably the pills..... again.   )
Cheers - Phil

[Leman]

Got to agree with Mollinary on this. Once the knife's in take a sledgehammer to it. Funnily enough, until this independence thing blew up, I hadn't thought of the Scots, Picts, Caledonians, Strathclyde Welsh, Northern Northumbrians, Islesmen or anyone else north of the Tweed as being any different from the rest of us. Now I just find them intensely irritating.

[cameronian]

Since most Scots are decidedly anti independence I find your attitude a bit odd; perhaps those of us who regard ourselves as British should stick a little closer together and eschew the sort of 'them' and 'us' sectarianism that seems to be creeping into this debate. A time may come when 'we' will need to defend our country, values and culture against 'them', better together, politically and in spirit.