OR A TRUE RELATION OF STRANGE PROCEEDINGS IN A SOMERSETSHIRE LOFT AND THE FIELDS ABOUNDING

Tuesday 5 July 2011

ANNIVERSARY OF LANSDOWN 1643

As today is the anniversary of the Battle of Lansdown, I thought I would post a few pictures of the battlefield and monument.

There are some quite good interpretation boards installed and markers which tie in with Dr. Wroughton's book (mentioned earlier) quite well.


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The next photo shows the crest of the hill which the Cornish infantry stormed up mid way through the battle. It is now heavily wooded but in 1643 was quite open

Here on the right hand (looking down the hill) extremity of the escarpment it is unwooded and possible to see the gradient of the hill
The famous monument erected by Sir Bevil Grenville's grandson in 1720, on the spot where he was mortally wounded by a pole-axe at the head of his regiment.






Here is the field at the summit of the hill where the unengaged part of the Parliament army was drawn up. In the distance is the drystone wall behind which they retreated after the Royalists had gained the hill. Interestingly (at least if you are keen on tumuli and barrows) this field has recently been shown to hold a large Bronze age barrow cemetery (classic positioning on the crest of a hill so the graves would be visible from afar), and it is quite possible that they were in evidence in 1643 providing cover for the advancing Royalist musketeers. There is no trace of them now having been intensively ploughed out but they are visible from the air.

The view of the same field from behind "Waller's wall", with the Grenville monument in the distance.

A detail of the wall, and it is possible to see repairs made using different size stones after Waller had gaps knocked in the wall to allow his cavalry access to charge if needed.

Finally a shot from the left hand extremity of the battlefield (looking down the hill) looking over to Freezing Hill where the Royalists deployed at the start of the battle.


I'm sorry if that was a bit of a lightning tour. Hopefully next year I can get some pictures from the bottom of the valley between Lansdown and Freezing Hill where the ealy stages of the battle took place. Back to the painting table now.

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