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Houses of Interest: Lincolnshire

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The #ECWtravelogue has dipped its toe into Lincolnshire, gateway to the heartlands of the Eastern Association, and the important ports connecting England to the Low Countries. Make yourself a cup of tea and settle back for a story of blue on blue killing, and the use of  human shields. Please note that several entries are private residences with little or no public vantage points - they are included for 'completeness'. Do not trespass or irritate their owners please. At the outbreak of the Wars, Lincolnshire was a divided County, Parliament having slightly more support than the King. Following the 1643 campaign the County was a stronghold of Parliament - not that they had it all their own way. The Royalist strongholds at Newark and Belvoir Castle providing considerable nuisance when the Eastern Association left the County to pursue bigger goals. Gainsborough saw a small, but important, battle on the 28th July 1643; so it was only fitting that I visited on the anniversary of the
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Houses of Interest: Essex

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The ECWtravelogue returns to Essex, a county about as far away from Château KeepYourPowderDry without getting your feet wet, or having your passport checked. But first, for other Essex Civil War related locations please see:- Colchester Combined Military Services Museum Essex was Eastern Association territory, so it barely saw any disquiet during the Wars, apart from the the events that unfolded in 1648 in Colchester. Audley End House was the home of Royalist, James Howard the 3rd Earl of Suffolk. He would spend the Wars at Oxford at the King's Parliament. The house would be untroubled by the Wars. Audley End is a fine example of Jacobean architecture. Alas no photography inside, lots of Wars related portraiture, alas not originals more copies 'from the school of...'. Oodles of buildings in Saffron Walden will have witnessed the events of the Wars Saffron Walden became a 'base' for the Army Newly Modelled, and has a number of connections to events from this time. T
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Houses of Interest: Monmouthshire

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The inappropriately named ECWtravelogue returns across the border into Wales, this time dipping its toe into Monmouthshire. The entrance way to Chepstow Castle Chepstow was an important trade route on the River Wye, and into the Welsh Marches. Understandably the stronghold of Chepstow Castle dominates the river, towering over the river, situated on top of the cliffs. Chepstow looming over the Wye During the First Civil War the castle was surrendered to Waller's Parliamentarian forces who had surrounded the castle (but never really besieged it) for two years, in autumn 1645. With the resumption of war, Chepstow was again garrisoned for the King by Sir Nicholas Kemeys.This time the Parliamentarian besiegers were a little more proactive, and successful. Their artillery shot away the castle's parapets, inhibiting the defenders from mounting their guns. The Parliamentarian artillery breached the castle walls near Marten's Tower, Kemeys refused to surrender and the Parliamentar
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