The Summer of 2017 ... Middle England

 

Shows and Battlefields Heritage

It's been a while since Bakewell and mostly that has been the heritage events and shows trail ... we've been out and about a lot.  Here's a quick update (letting the pictures tell most of the stories) ...

 

The Battlefields Trust weekend Conference and AGM had a ECW theme but was staged in Newark and featured a day out to East Stoke for the Stoke battlefield celebrations.

The anniversary event was hosted at Stoke Hall, which some of you will know is home to Wargames Foundry, and the event included a wargame of the battlefield as well as a walk (in temperatures and blistering sunshine not seen again over the rest of the summer) and military displays by the Beaufort Companye ...

 

(Stoke Field - the steep river bank where many fleeing the battle met their end)

 

(Stoke Field - last gasp of the Wars of the Roses)

 

(Stoke Field/Stoke Hall - indeed lots to explore)

 

(Stoke Field - played as a wargame in the hospitality marquee) 

CONFERENCE OF WARGAMERS

 

CoW 2017 is the first I have attended in 2 decades where I haven't been putting at least one session on.   I like to contribute as well as enjoy other member's sessions but it has just been one of those years.   None of my 'back burner' projects looked nearly like being ready by July and I had no spare time in which to turn up the heat.

There were some ancient and medieval options ...

 

(Tim WDDG North Gow's simple Hollywood Agincourt  game used 54mm toy soldiers)

 

(John History of Wargaming Curry presented an old school take on triremes)

 

(John Armatys hosted a card game version of Roman Careers: Cursus Honorum)

In addition I played a in black game exploring 20th Century terrorism, and in a strange Warsaw Pact game that involved drinking a lot of neat Vodka.

NORTHAMPTON - EDGCOTE - BOSWORTH

A few days later it was back home for a battlefield anniversary.

 (Northampton 1460: commemoration at the Eleanor Cross)

 

(Northampton 1460: battlefield interpretation)

We had our usual evening walk and wreath laying on the actual day (10th July) followed by the Delapre Family Heritage event at the end of the week.

 

We had the new game together with the battle model, period equipment and tours of the field ...

 

 

(Graham introduces youngsters to the joys of military history and wargaming)

Meanwhile, in the arena, Harrington's Companye acted out a number of tableau illustrating episodes from the battle.

 

 

We enjoyed a great turn out from members of Northampton Battlefields Society and everyone helped run the stand and displays ... So much so that I was able to host a meeting of the Battlefields Trust on the Saturday and show young Imogen around on the Sunday.

 

By the end of the month we were at Northamptonshire's other WotR battlefield, Edgcote ..

 

There is much more to say about this battle and Northamptonshire Battlefields Society has announced an Edgcote Project to look afresh at what we know in advance of the anniversary in 2 years time.

 

 

(Edgcote battlefield - medieval ridge and furrow around Job's Hill) 

Middle England's Summer battlefields tour finishes at Bosworth in August.

 

(On Saturday, The Battlefields Trust tent featured my 54mm DBA reconstruction of the battle)

We had Partizan on the Sunday so I could only do Saturday and by now 2017's washout Summer had taken a grip.   Even so, plenty of stalwarts braved the variable conditions and we did a lot of proactive campaigning.

 

(Bosworth 2017 - massed reenactment)

I bought a Warhammer for the waving about at talks ...

 

... but for the time being, other options are out of reach ...

By sunday we were off to Partizan and an early start to the Autumn shows season. 

 (Trustee Harvey Watson talks about Bosworth)