BACK FROM BREAK

Just got back from a few days in North Devon which was pleasant but quite hard work with the 3 homonculi to look after, and we have all gone down with some galloping lurgy as well. Our main daily visit was down to the beach at Woody Bay (a regular haunt) for the kids to go rockpooling. It really is quite dramatic coastline round there

which also affords some wargaming possibilities. In August 1804, William Matthews , captain of the revenue cutter SHARK spied the brigantine MARGARETTA discharging cargo into small boats at Woody Bay. The smugglers refused to desist and heave to, so the SHARK opened fire, and a brief skirmish ensued. I hope one day to paint up some 1/72 smugglers and revenue men, and have all the figures and ship models ready in the cupboard.

Other places of interest in the direct vicinity are a small Roman fortlet at Martinhoe right on the coast overlooking the Bristol Channel with a good view of Wales. This was erected in the 1st Century not long after the invasion to keep an eye on the Silures across the water. The fort is quite small but still clearly visible.

 

Ok, this could be a grassy knoll anywhere but it is in fact part of the outer rampart of the fort. The evening I strolled up there it was quite warm, but you can imagine the feelings of the troops posted there in midwinter as the wind and sleet whistled through their lorica hamata. "Well done Felonius, you great mentulla, you just had to open your mouth and cheek the centurion and get us posted to this dump..."

Finally, a field of Bronze Age burial mounds which is meat and drink to a barrow botherer like myself.

Classic barrow location right on the hill crest and in their heyday would have been visible from Wales.

We all spent most of today feeling rather wobbly but things brightened up in the afternoon with a plate of homemade scones in the garden

Here is Mrs. Atticus trying to silence Thing 3 (also known as Stentor as he has the loudest voice in the world) with a scone.