I visited the battle site that doesn’t seem anything special now after all this time. So unremarkable in fact that I may well have missed what is now a rather insignificant field in northern France if it wasn’t for the roadside decoration where English archers and French cavalry faced each other once again in row after row of wooden statues.
A few neighbouring wind farms apart, the terrain has barely changed in the six hundred intervening years and today the battlefield is exactly that – a field, with ploughed ridges a foot deep, flanked by trees on either side. Sixty miles west of Lille, the flat country is broken up by poplars dotted with mistletoe, red-roofed bungalows and small Gothic churches with broach spires.
All of those English long-bow guys lined up does remind me of the fame of England’s archers, Andrew. Remember, Robin Hood was my hero. 🙂 –Curt
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The archers unleashed awesome power. They delivered that power not from their arms but from their shoulders and spine which meant most of them spent their old age in painful agony as a result! An English crossbow made of Yew was a lot more difficult to control than an Olympic Games fibreglass substitute!
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Never heard of the health problem, Andrew. Very interesting. Peggy has a cousin who makes beautiful custom bows that the English would have appreciated. He is a true artist. –Curt
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The archers power came from their shoulder and their upper spine and not from the arm as most people imagine. This led to deformity and pain in later life. Even Robin Hood probably had a bad back!
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Those medieval weapons were horrific. When you consider the total lack of medical care for the injured, these battles must have been literal blood baths. Were the casualties buried at the scene of the battle?
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Buried on site for certain but only after they the corpses had been robbed of any useful possessions. No grave markers for sure!
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Would you say its worth visiting ?
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If you are passing nearby then certainly. The museum is small but well presented. The battlefield site is just a field. Thanks for stopping by!
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If I’m ever in that part of the world I would love to visit the site. No worries
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