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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Hi Mike and Kavan, (just the three of us left it would seem),

I see two corners, the west one is a little obscured by the stream runs, but the stream diversion is obvious. The forward slope position does seem a little odd. However it is in a very distinct topographic location. It covers and fills the low point of the ridge between Castle Dykes and Weedon Hill which is the only weak point on the ridge in terms of slope angle. It also effectively blocks the dead ground of the gully leading up to Castle Dykes to the south. I only noticed it because of these two topographic problems for the defenders, and some features of this nature in that position would be the obvious solution.

Staying with Castle Dykes it would appear the Lord of Stow (Northamptonshire) was Nicholas de Seagrave (jnr) who was Marshall of England. We know in 1310 he was crenulating his gaff in Barton Seagrave so it may be plausible that he was re-inhabiting/beefing up Castle Dykes at the time. Of the two moated enclosures at Barton Seagrave (in the world famous Wicksteed Park, where swings and slides were invented) one seems to be a square motte so not raised, that might account for the central circular motte at Castle Dykes not being raised. Seagrave was executed at Pontefract in 1321/22 following the Battle of Boroughbridge having thrown his weight behind Lancaster. This sudden, dishonourable demise with no male heir might account for the lack of info we have on the site, maybe?

Maybe the local landscape archaeology group CLASP has chased down this Seagrave link rather more?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Seagrave

as for "which means at most 2000 men"  I am fine with that. 2k there, 2k at Castle Dykes, 2k and Castle Yard, 2k and Stowe Lodge Woods (800m East of Castle Yard) and the remainders on Weedon Hill, seems like a great total and a great defensive distribution, (cue "it has to be a single large camp" from someone Wink )

158092
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Messages In This Thread
Re: Calling all armchair generals! - by Ensifer - 03-11-2010, 03:13 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-18-2012, 06:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 12:02 AM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 05:40 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 11:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 05:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 09:42 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 10:10 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:25 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-27-2012, 01:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 08-05-2012, 02:24 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-07-2014, 02:18 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-08-2014, 01:50 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-11-2014, 02:03 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-18-2014, 07:54 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-20-2014, 02:37 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-25-2014, 08:29 AM
RE: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand. - by John1 - 01-13-2017, 08:55 AM

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