Here's a close up photo of the rivet mail I bring with me when I give talks. Also a brooch based on finds from the late Anglo Saxon/early Norman period. The mail was made for me by Nathan Beal, a fellower re-enactor, who based the piece (a ventail, which is the bit that protects the throat and mouth) on detailed research at the National Armouries, Leeds. It's the most amazing, touchy-feely stuff, and dare I say it, very sexy - a lot more so than plate mail! It also takes hours and hours of painstaking work, so no wonder a mail shirt could cost the equivalent of a four bedroomed house today! In THE GREATEST KNIGHT, I based a scene in Poitou on an afternoon's observation of Nathan crafting this mail at a show Regia Anglorum www.regia.org put on at Castle Rising in Norfolk.There may be a slight hiatus in my posting to the blog while I get to grips with the copy edits for my second novel on William Marshal - THE SCARLET LION. Plus I'm away this weekend, fetching my youngest son home for Easter from the university of Aberystwyth. However, I hope to be back soon with some more news and topical photos - including an intriguing one of what John Marshal might have looked like - and it's a stunner!
My thanks to Maggie Ingram for the above photo, taken at Folkestone library during my most recent 'show and tell' excursion.
6 comments:
Ohh, you gave in to the Blog temptation. Verra nice. :)
I think we first met in the comment section of Carla's blog, discussion romance.
Hi Gabriele,
Thanks for dropping by. I think we did meet on Carla's link. I try to drop by various historical ficition blogs when I have time (hah!)
Still very new to all this and have yet to unravel the mysteries of how to link to other blogs, but slowly getting there I think!
Cheers!
Hi Elizabeth,
I love your blog. Thank you for posting these fabulous observations. I'm really enjoying them.
Would you share some of the places you visited on your trip to Wales? We'll be vacationing there in the next few months.
Many thanks,
Aileen
I have just finished your book shadows and strongholds and really enjoyed it so I decided to look up your web site I have now ordered another book lords of the white castle and cant wait to get started.
Hi Aileen
Thanks for dropping by. I'm just squeezing some time before I log off to make a quick reply. If you're in Medieval frame of mind then Wales has a lot to offer, but it does cover quite a large area, so it'll depend whether you're heading north, south or middle. Last year we were on the 'Marshal trail' for my research, so we were in South Wales and the middle Marches. We visited Pembroke, Goodrich, Cilgerran, Usk, and Tintern Abbey. Also Chepstow and King John's tomb in Worcester Cathedral (which isn't Wales but was on our way home!) Also in South Wales, Manorbier Castle is gorgeous and right on the beach.
Ludlow in Shropshire is wonderful - both the town and the castle, and nearby Stokesay has a more or less intact fortified manor house from the early towards high Middle Ages. If you're in the North Wales area then don't miss Caernarfon Castle. Harlech and Beaumaris are very interesting too.
Hope you enjoy your vacation!
Hi to my other poster who dropped in.
Glad you enjoyed 'Shadows and Strongholds' and hope that you'll like Lords of the White Castle too!
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