Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick

Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick

In the 'Wars of the Roses A Field Guide & Companion' author Peter Bramley states that the Beauchamp Chapel, Collegiate Church of Saint Mary in Warwick contains "probably the finest medieval non royal church monuments in England.." The chapel was built to house the remains of Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, grandson of Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick. As captain of Calais and Rouen, and the Custodian of Rouen Castle, he is perhaps best know for overseeing the trial and execution of Joan of Arc in 1431. As was the case with his grandfather, it was during the Hundred Years War that Richard Beauchamp (pronounced 'beach-um' not 'bow-champ' like I used to as a kid) made his fame and (further) fortune.

Beauchamp Chapel, Collegiate Church of Saint Mary, Warwick

Richard Beauchamp married into the Despencer family and fortune in 1422 becoming one of the richest men in the country.

Beauchamp had close personal connections with Henry V; in 1410 he was made a member of the royal council, and was Lord High Steward at the coronation of Henry V in 1413. He was present at the siege of Harfleur in 1415 and at Caen when it was sacked in 1417. When Henry V died in 1422, Beauchamp was appointed one of the councilors for the infant king Henry VI. He went on to capture Pontorson, Normandy in May 1426 where the garrison were massacred but he himself was later defeated at Montargis southeast of Paris by John, Bastard of Orleans. In 1428 Beauchamp was appointed and Guardian of Henry VI and was his tutor from 1428 - 1437.

 

Richard died in Rouen, Upper Normandy on 30th April 1439 probably worn out by the constant campaigning.

 

The combined tomb, effigy and hearse of the Earl is rightly the focal point of this impressive chantry chapel built according to directions left in his will. The shields on the tomb read like a who's who of medieval England. These include the family names of: Beauchamp, Newburgh, Clare, Despenser, Montagu, Monthermer, Neville, Bohun, Stafford, Talbot, Strange, Furnival and Latimer.

 

 

This is not however, as is often thought, the tomb of the famous 'Warwick the Kingmaker', Richard Neville was Beauchamp's son-in-law. Beauchamp's youngster daughter, Anne, married the War of the Roses powerbroker Neville in 1436 who at one stage held two Kings of England under his control, hence the nickname.

 

The small male and female figures seen around the base of the tomb, know as 'weepers', symbolise the real family, friends and dignities who would mourn the death of the person represented. One of them is of particular interest as it represents the only near contemporary image we have of the Kingmaker; whether it is a true likeness is impossible to say.

 

Ironically when Beauchamp's remains were finally laid to rest in 1475 most of the portrayed weepers were dead; only three, all female, were still alive. In a fitting commentary on the turbulent times when the tomb was installed all of the five male weepers shown on the south side of the monument had already suffered violent deaths.

 

From left to right the main (large) weepers represent:

• Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury. Younger son of Ralph Neville Earl of Westmoorland. Killed - Battle of Wakefield 1460.
• Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. Great Grandson of King Edward III (John of Gaunt). Killed - 1st Battle of St. Albans 1455.
• Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Killed - Battle of Northampton 1460.
• John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. Killed - Battle of Castillon 1453.
• Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick and Salisbury. The 'Kingmaker'. Killed - Battle of Barnet 1474.

Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury

 

 Arms - Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

 

Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset

 

Arms - Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset.

 

John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury

 

Richard Neville 'the Kingmaker'

 

The tomb was built between 1448 and 1453. Surviving contracts reveal some of the (surprising modern sounding) names:

• William Austen of London - cast the brass effigy
• John Bourde - supplier of the Purbeck marble
• John Massingham - carver,
• Barthilimew Lambespring - goldsmith
• John Essex - marbler
• Thomas Stevyns - coppersmith.

Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick

 

Richard Beauchamp - note the contemporary fashionable haircut

& the vein detail on the brow of the head 

Order of the Garter detail

& Poleyne with fan plate detail

  

 

 

Roundel quartered with the arms of Beauchamp & Newburgh (note also the Clare arms in the forth quarter).

The chapel also houses the tombs of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, his brother Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, and Robert's son, the “Noble Impe” but I'll detail these characters when I eventually finish making the WoTR retinue of John Sutton, Lord Dudley.

The nave and tower of the main church were destroyed in the great fire of Warwick in 1694. The flames only stopped short of the chapel's entrance and the walls and ceilings still reveal damage from the fire.

St. Mary's also contain numerous other points of interest including the chapel of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Royal Regiment of Fusiliers), an ancient ducking stool and the grave of Sir Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke who was murdered at the nearby castle but I'll let you discover all these for yourself.

Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick

The Collegiate Church of Saint Mary in Warwick is a short walk from the famous castle that the town is probably best know for. As opposed to the wool churches of East Anglia this is very much a war church, built on the profits of ransoms taken during the Hundred Years Year, most notably by Thomas Beauchamp (1313 - 1369), 11th Earl of Warwick.

 

The church dates back to 1123 and was built by Robert de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick. The most notable remnants of this part of the church can still be still seen in the crypt.

Beauchamp was one of the most powerful English military commanders in the 14thC, he was Marshall of England for over twenty five years until 1369. Knighted aged eleven along with his brother Guy in 1345 Thomas Beauchamp went on to fight in all the French wars of King Edward III. He fought in the Black Prince's division, acting as his literal guardian, at the battle of Crécy in 1346 and ten years later commanded the vanguard and Guyennois contingent at Poitiers in 1356. At the battle of Poitiers, along with Lord Cobham, Warwick escorted the captured French King John II and the king's son Philip to safety. He was able to ransom Archbishop of Sens and the bishop of Le Mans for well over £8000, an astronomical sum at the time, using the money to rebuild the Collegiate Church of Saint Mary.

He became one of the founders, and was invested as the third Knight, of the Order of the Garter in 1348.

He married Katherine Mortimer, daughter of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March producing five sons and ten daughters. The fact that the effigy show the couple holding hands is probably not the romantic gesture we would like to imagine today but more symbolic of two very powerful family dynasties uniting through marriage.

Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick arms were: gules, a fess between six cross crosslets Or.

Beauchamp died in Calais on 13th November 1369 aged 56.

The next post will illustrate another famous occupant of this church.

WWI re-enactment, BCLM

A few weeks ago I visited the nearby Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) specifically to see two WWI re-enactment societies (The Warwicks 1914-1918 and the The Great War Society) that attended giving displays, demos etc. My dad used to work at the museum so as a family we used to have free access to the site but I decided to pay the cash for a ticket as it is then valid for a whole year.

 

 

 

I've deliberately altered the photos, obviously removing the colour but I've also softened the images to try and evoke period photographs. In a style reminiscent of Stalin's photograph altering censorship I have also (very crudely) removed all the other non-costumed visitors from the photographs via the magic of computer software.

 

 

 

All the members I spoke to are all very knowledgeable, definitely worth seeing if them are appearing or attending at a event near you.

 

The BCLM itself provided a very atmospheric setting for the groups. The buildings at the museum have all been taken down brick by brick (literally) from the local area and then been rebuilt on this site.

Alumwell Wargaming Show (WMMS) 2013

What better way is there to enjoy Mother's Day than to send it buying and playing toy soldiers?

Held at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton the West Midland Military Show (WMMS) is only around ten miles from where I live and has a decent mix of traders, model displays, re-enactors, demo and participation games. After bring picked up by Ade and his good lady wife from IKEA we battled our way through the snow and freezing temperatures (well it was jolly cold) to arrive at the show just after midday, with my brother Neil arriving shortly afterwards. It seemed that there was a good turn out considering the weather and the fact the show coincided with Mothering Sunday. 

Armed with a shopping list I set off hot pursuit of little lead and plastic recruits. In typical fashion it was only towards the end of the day that I remembered to take any photos.

As per usual at WMMS the gamers and modellers are a friendly bunch and there were numerous games and displays that caught my eye.  I'm not normally a fan of hex based terrain but a Spanish Civil War game using Empress Miniatures figures and terrain was particularly nice.

Spanish Civil War - Empress Miniatures

 

Spanish Civil War - Empress Miniatures

 

Spanish Civil War - Empress Miniatures

 

Spanish Civil War - Empress Miniatures

WWII demo game of Battle of Villiers Fossard

 

WWII demo game of Battle of Villiers Fossard

 

WWII demo game of Battle of Villiers Fossard

  

AWI game - STAGS & Questing Knight Games

AWI game - STAGS & Questing Knight Games

 

Battle of Guildford Courthouse (1781) Figures from Blue Moon

Towards the end of the day we played a very entertaining game of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (Neil and Ade of Wargaming For Fun fame) pursuing Jack the Ripper (aka 'the Butcher of Bromley-by-Bow' aka me) around the East End of London using Empire of the Dead rules from Westwind (Ade's wife Shaz didn't want to play - boo, girls are rubbish!) There was some fantastic terrain on display made by the chap running the game, Thunderchicken (not his real name I assume) which can be seen here.

 

During the game Jack managed to entice a poor cockney working girl to her doom whilst pushing the pursuing coppers further and further away (by wining several of the initiative phases) from the crime scenes as it was possible. A second victim was saved when Holmes disturbed the scene after fighting off Jack with a swing of her handbag. In the effort to make a quick getaway Jack managed to knock the bumbling Watson flat on his arse and give the smarty pants Holmes a good clip round the ear despite taking two gunshot wounds. I still lost the game though as Jack failed to secure four victims but it was good fun none the less. 

Holmes & Watson armed with their trusty red plastic pointy sticks

 

"Come here my pretty" Jack claims her first victim underneath the arches.

Super scratch-built terrain - the East End (in miniature)

 

I didn't manage to get everything I wanted on my list but I'm in no rush (especially considering my glacial painting efforts). My next show will probably be Derby which isn't until late September but which I suspect will come around all too quickly.

 

I have several posts almost ready to be published (honest) so thanks for visiting and come back soon.

1/8 of 2013

No, not a maths exam question nor an episode of Star Trek but just a quick progress report as we're now almost 1/8 of the way through 2013 (or 12.5% if you're young and all metric) and I've already had a slight change of direction, but more of that later. Lack of posts have been due to me misplacing my USB cable for my camera but that's all sorted now.

A few weeks ago I wrote on this blog, and I quote:

"I don't intend to buy many, if any, figures (famous last words) during 2013..."

My resolve is obviously weaker than a politician's promise as I have since gone on to buy hundreds of the little bleeders, including a large SF box set from Mantic (it was a genuine bargain, honest) and an even bigger box full of WWII Bolt Action figures direct from Warlord Games. I've justified this to myself by reasoning that these particular figures aren't available at shows or from any of the online discount sites (well I've never seen them). These additions should cover all my future Soviet army needs for years to come, plus I bought another nation but I'll detail these in a future post. I wanted the purchase them before Warlord introduced their latest price increase. As it on special offer. I also bought a copy of their English Civil War (ECW) rules 'Pike & Shotte' (shock horror - yes an actual real life rulebook!). So yes I actually intend to play a game for a change.

I'm sure the apparent random selection must have confused the staff picking my order at Warlord HQ, "This chap has ordered dozens of WWII figures and then he picks a set of English Civil War rules? This bloke obviously doesn't know his partizan from his partisans." However there is a (slight) method to my madness. Long term readers, or anyone who've managed to use the 'labels' to filter out the waffle and go direct to the stuff that interests them, will know that I already have a large number of ECW figures. The same people will probably also realise that I don't currently play with them. Add into the mix that my brother keeps on asking me to finish off his ECW figures that he bought ages ago. Hence the reason for my rulebook purchase; what's the point of having lots of toys and then not play with them? I also bought another recent purchase is another small ECW cavalry box set of their Scots lancers (ooh shiny, shiny) by Warlord but this time from a traditional toyshop in Warwick (http://www.castletrains.com/) which will get the usual 'chop & change' treatment. I already have several ideas of how to modify a number of the figures.

Parp!* Yet another reason (excuse) for buying the rules is ego, as I happen to get a name-check in the book (just before the Perry brothers of all people) as I painted a few of the figures shown in the hardback. I'm currently available for book signings at bookshops, model shows, local Games Workshop stores, weddings, funerals and bar mitzvahs. My rider is quite modest: a pint of beer, pork pie and a packet of extra strong mints. I don't often brag or boast (not when I'm sober at least) so I'm trying to get my moneys worth with this one as I doubt if I'll ever get my work featured in a high production value book like this again. I believe the Scots covenanters prepared for Warlord Games are now part of John Stallard's personal collection.

Harrumph* Another set of figures that appear in the book are my Newcastle's Whitecoats to be quite honest, gave me a bit of a buzz the first time I saw the book in a shop in Brum shortly after its release last year. I was sorely tempted to run around the shop giving out high fives to fellow shoppers but realised I would have looked and sounded like a complete tit.

Notoriously bad photographs of these figures can be seen in my original posts.

Newcastle's Whitecoats

Scots Covenanters Part 1, Warlord Games

Scots Covenanters Part 2, Warlord Games
Scots Dragoons Part 1, Warlord Games
Scots Dragoons Part 2, Warlord Games

Other news is that January and February has seen my brother and myself venture past the safe boundaries of the West Midlands and into the wilds beyond, well Leicester and Warwick to be precise, loitering round carparks and suchlike.

Richard III was definitely buried here

(just behind my brother's left shoulder).

Carpark Info panel, Leicester.

Richard III isn't buried here (yet), Leicester.

 

 Richard de Beauchamp,

13th Earl of Warwick is buried here, Warwick.

 

We went to Leicester on the week before the official announcement that the remains under the carpark were definitely those of Richard III. I'd like to emphasise that we don't hang out taking photographs in council carparks but we thought we make an exception for the last Plantagenet king of England.

The Beauchamp chapel in the Collegiate Church of St. Mary, Warwick deserves, and will get its own post (including lots more photographs).

 

More modelling/wargaming news soon, I promise.

*Apologies, but these unpleasant noises are the sounds of me blowing my own trumpet.

T34/85 Medium tank, Warlord Games

"Arguably the best tank of World War II, the T34/85 with its new turret and upgraded weaponry added to the sloped armour, saw extensive action during World War II and long afterwards. This iconic Soviet tank performed well in Korean and Vietnam wars as well as the battles in the Middle-East and even the Bosnian war of the 1980's."

 

Well that's what it says on the box anyway. It was definitely the best medium Soviet tank of the war. This 28mm WWII Soviet medium tank is available from Warlord Games (currently £20) with which I plan to use to smash my mate Ade's forces into smithereens when we play Bolt Action games (this is a vain attempt at psychological warfare as Ade is a far better player than me).

The main body and turret of the tank are resin with the tracks, barrel and commander/hatch in metal. The kit comes with various different commander figure options including just the hatch which can be modelled closed which is a nice touch but the scale of games I intend to play are limited to only one tank by the Bolt Action rules.

 

I had a couple of issues with the model itself, but nothing I couldn't fix. Fortunately the metal tracks are designed with handed locating pins which ensures that you can't fix the tracks on backwards. Unfortunately with this particular model the resin body appears to have warped slightly which meant I had to carve away some of the resin body to make the tracks fit. This still left a gap which ran the length of the tracks but I used greenstuff to fill the gap and to act as a glue as the contact wasn't good enough for the superglue to work properly.

 

The hole in the turret for the barrel was also slightly too large so I used some more greenstuff to fix this in place.

The tank was completely painted with Russian Green (Vallejo 894) then given various washes of green, brown and black ink. A highlight was then also applied. The slogan was painted on freehand.

 

I could have left the model in the factory fresh state but it was at this point I went to work on it with weathering powders. In this case I used MIG weathering products (there's also new sets available from Humbrol). I had bought these years ago, put them into a drawer and promptly forget all about them so this is the first time I've ever actually used these products in anger. So far I've been impressed by the results.

If you've never used these before they are really simple to apply. Put a small amount of the powder into a suitable dish/plastic container, add a little thinners or white spirit/turps and then brush the mix on to the model. Then leave to dry. It really is as simple as that.

For this I was testing the following MIG pigments:

Rubbel(sic) Dust P234
Industrial City Dirt P039
Brick Dust P023
Standard Rust P025

 

The white spirit evaporates leaving the powder in place. If you don't like it you can either wipe it away using a cotton bud (cotton swabs/Q-tips for our American cousins) dipped in white spirit/turps or you can just rub it off. However there is a chance you'll remove the base paint but it's easy to touch up with original colour. Building up various layers helps with the overall look. Once you get more confident you can even flick the mixture onto the model to give even more realistic results.

2013 Preview

I'd like to wish my followers and visitors to this blog a belated very happy new year.

 

I had considered writing a review of 2012 but I don't think there's much point in repeating myself when you can simply skim through the year's posts. I did somehow manage to publish 67 posts which is a personal best for me. 

I don't intend to buy many, if any, figures (famous last words) during 2013 after I had a mini splash out towards the end of 2012. Painting wise I don't intend to set myself any definite targets after I experienced a major case of 'painters block' towards to the end of the year. However I do fully intend to concentrate on the following projects (some of which I may even finish):

WWII Soviets - Bolt Action
I aim to field my Soviet forces for Bolt Action as soon as possible so I can actually play a game! I did manage to visit Ade with his brother Jon just after Christmas a play a few games. I'm even considering giving these figures a relatively basic paint job as my normal method is very time consuming. There are currently over a hundred figures in this particular mini-pile but I don't need that many to play the game with. I'm sure I have more than enough figures, heavy weapons (and a tank!) to field a 1000 point army i.e. more than I'll ever need. I reckon there is a very good chance I can finish this particular project within a couple of months.

Medieval Stuff
I hope to finally complete the Great Round Tower that I started back in September (note the 'hope' bit). Recently, when I was struggling to see how I could make any progress, I was tempted to wear it as a hat and stroll around town pretending to be Abraham Lincoln or Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Realising this would probably result in me being detained in a padded cell for the foreseeable future I've opted instead to try and finish it. Either that or I'll boot it into the nearby park and give the local squirrels a new folly they can call home. 

I'm hoping to complete a lot more medieval figures, concentrating on representing genuine characters from throughout Edward I's life and times as this will give me plenty of choice from the Second Barons War, Welsh & Scottish Wars and even the Eighth/Ninth Crusade. These can all be covered with similar figures (ranges from Fireforge, Crusader etc.) if you're not overly fussy with the historical detailing on the miniatures as the period saw the gradual introduction of plate armour.

I purchased a great big Zvezda model from Mr. Models in Bearwood, Birmingham. These chaps normally attend local model and wargame shows like WMMS but it's worth popping into their shop if you get chance. Imagine the old TV show 'Open All Hours' that sells models literally from floor to ceiling but also buckets and mops. Adding to the mix the family that run it was constantly making funny (and highly sarcastic) comments to, and about, each other, probably as far removed from the 'love bombing retail experience' that you get when you visit a certain chain of high street wargaming stores as it is possible. The model itself is the largest model I've ever bought and is something I'm looking forward to making.

I also have a eight part posting ready to go on Sir John de Sutton VI, Lord Dudley, a fascinating character from the Wars of the Roses period. The only snag is that I still haven't painted any appropriate figures yet!

Scales
I plan to paint up a few other figures in different sizes from my normal 28mm (shock, horror). All I'm going to say is that there are some great big figures and an awful lot of tiny figures waiting in the queue.

As I'm sure is the case with many other modellers/wargamers I have dozens of ideas and little side projects ideas floating about in my head regarding terrain, figure modifications and various plastic model kits. One thing which hopefully I'll be able to do is post a few tutorial videos (any suggestions or requests will be considered) via Ade's site where you'll be able to listen to my dulcet Black Country tones. You may even see me on a few of Ade's Bolt Action battle reports (no doubt losing badly). Don't say I didn't warn you!