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Saturday 7 September 2013

Cressingham

What, you may ask, is someone who is building a "Bannockburn-era" set up doing someone who was killed 17 years earlier at Stirling Bridge, namely Hugh de Cressingham???

I shall explain.

I had a few figures from this era in my bits box that I bought long ago. Several have appeared in this project already, such as Ross, Stewart, a few Scots spearmen in my first schiltron painted last January, etc, but I had a couple left. One of them had a bird's head and neck on his helm. Thinking back to a copy of Military Modelling from probably 25 years ago, I had in mind an article by Charles Wesencraft wherein he built a diorama for the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. His view on Cressingham's heraldry struck me immediately - three black swans with red beaks on a white ground. I looked no further than this vague memory and promptly painted up said figure as Hugh de Cressingham, together with a suitable entourage.

After all, it is a "Bannockburn-era" project, not Bannockburn itself.

The other figures are Fireforge Foot Sergeants, the banner of calico as before, varnishing and basing to follow en masse as usual.

My final bits box figure is another knight, this time with a boar's head on his helm. As I have no recollections, vague or otherwise, that leap to the fore to identify a likely candidate, I guess I will have to research this one!

G

Sir Hugh de Cressingham, no doubt before the bridge collapsed and stranded him on the Scottish side of the river that fateful day in 1297.

Cressingham's retinue.

A clear view of the banner.

Grim, determined, English men ready to take the fight to those breechless, barbarous Scots....

And a close up of the banner.

2 comments:

  1. They look great. I particually like the Hand painted coats of arms and flag.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic work, love the colors and the hand-made arms too!

    ReplyDelete