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

[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!)


Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
The photo shows the modern road East towards the village at roughly the point the route diverged from its modern course in 1685.

[urbancohort]

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


Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
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.

[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.

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
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.

[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.

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

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.

[urbancohort]

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


Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[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.


Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
Photo looking back East towards Bath at the entry to Chivers Lane. This, I think, is where the rebel reinforcements positioned themselves.

[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.



Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
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.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

What a top day.
Hope your noble steed was well fed and watered?

[d_Guy]

Really excellent pics, Urban. Thanks so much for posting.

[urbancohort]

What 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'.

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[Techno]

Super piccies ! 

Cheers - Phil

[Leman]

Interesting stuff, and my son works for a logistics company which moves Thatchers cider all over the place.

[urbancohort]

Interesting stuff, and my son works for a logistics company which moves Thatchers cider all over the place.

What a great job!!!! I am usually a Shepherd Neame beer man when I drink, but in honour of the area....

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[Gazza]

Lovely stuff. Keep meaning to visit the battlefield as it's only about an hour from me. Not quite related, but if you do go to Westonzoyland you should really visit the pumping station too!

[urbancohort]

Lovely stuff. Keep meaning to visit the battlefield as it's only about an hour from me. Not quite related, but if you do go to Westonzoyland you should really visit the pumping station too!

Cheers Gazza, I'll take a look if I can.

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[urbancohort]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to Westonzoyland but have resparked my enthusiasm, so watch this space for more updates on my Sedgemoor project. Also looking at a small skirmish scenario based around the battle at Phillipsnorton, (Norton St Phillip). An old school friend who is an archaeologist and lives in the area took me round last night and explained where he thinks things occurred, recommending some reading to me.
I think there is a scenario suitable for Pikeman's Lament. Forty five grenadiers were ordered to recce the rebel defences and keep going until they came under fire. They are recorded as doing so in close order. The lane was heavily hedged in and they obviously didn't scout well or were over confident. At the barrier and probably along the still-extant stone wall of an orchard that ran south along Chevers (Bloody) Lane were a rearguard of 50 rebel muskets. The road drops steeply to the South. It was bucketing down with rain which presumably affected visibility, but walking the course of the old road a slight eminence probably created an awful lot of dead ground as they approached. When we walked there yesterday my friend explained how the rebels behind the wall effectively could have used it as a firestep. He also showed me why he thinks the current land is not the original one. To its side is an unregarded 'ditch' maybe four feet lower than the road. He contended that THAT was the original lane and because it gets flooded and nasty the new lane was cut when they started to metal the roads.

For the scenario I would envisage starting with grenadiers of Kirke's Regiment and the over-confident Duke of Grafton. The rebels should be poor-average but well defended. The objective for the grenadiers should be to remove the obstacle, or withdraw in good order to take the news back to the army and Feversham. The rebels aim should be to pin down the Royalist forces and prevent them doing either. The Rebels should have reinforcements nearer in larger numbers but poorer quality than the Royalists. The Royalists can call on two troops of Horse Grenadiers from the Household cavalry, about sixty troops. The Royalists should suffer penalties for movement in the poor conditions. I think possibly also a set number of turns is required.

Anyone with more experience than I have at wargaming got any ideas that umprove in thus concept? I am not proud and am willing to learn!

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[urbancohort]

Enthused by my visit to the scene of one of the battles I was inspired to start on my armies again. I decided rather than do more Royalist troops I would start on some Rebel soldiers.

Pendraken 10mm scythemen are the basis. In fact, although the popular image of the rebellion is a load of muck-spattered, Satan-worshipping, corduroy-clad yokels armed with scythes and pitchforks, in fact 'sithmen' were a feared part of the rebel army. They were very much the counterpart of the grenadiers, a small but elite unit.

As the rebels were generally artisans and tradesmen, and mostly non-conformist, I have chosen sober browns and buffs. Blue was a colour associated with gentlemens' servants, and black was EXTREMELY expensive, so I have avoided those colours. One is obviously a bit of a dandy and I have allowed him some red.

This is the initial block painting part and I will be working further on these over the weekend.



Fear nought but God!

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[paulr]

Interesting scenario ideas, I assume removing the obstacle would be a big win while 'legging it' would be a minor win

How good is Pikeman's Lament at pinning units down A lot of rules struggle with stopping players withdrawing

[urbancohort]

Paulr: thanks for replying. Yes, that was my idea of an outcome for a scenario. The Royalist player wins by getting away or best of all by removing the barricade. The rebel player, (if not done automatically) wins large by destroying the grenadier and horse grenadier units but succeeds if the Royalists are kept pinned down in the lane.

A draw would be extracting the force with 50% casualties I would have thought, (nearly the real outcome of the incident!)

I haven't yet played with the 'Pikeman's Lament' rules so I am not sure how good they are for 'pinning down. When I visited the location a few days ago it struck me how actually, the rebels could almost have thrown rocks at Grafton's men and kept them there.

perhaps other have played the rules and can advise us?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looks good and sounds a lot of fun!