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Gareth Barry




Location: South Africa
Joined: 21 May 2020

Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sat 23 May, 2020 1:03 am    Post subject: english armour circa 1460         Reply with quote

Hello all, newbie here.
Having gotten better at blacksmithing over he last 2 years and successfully made a couple of swords, I would like to start a crazy project of building an english harness of the period of the ward of the roses. The problem is that it isn't easy to find goo information of english style armour of this period. The closest I have come is Toby Capwell's book, which ends at 1450, a bit before the later stages of the wars of the roses. Other than the usual broad 'gothic' style, what elements would be particular to an english armour of this period?
I am thinking the following;
-broadly, an italain 'alla tedesca' harness.
-helmet; milanese sallet
-pauldrons or spaulders with besigews? Not sure
-fully enclosed quisses
-fully enclosed sabatons.
-not sure if the placard would be solidly riveted into the lower half of the cuirass as in the german style, or with the italian style of leather connecting strap allowing for movement.

As I say, I expect this project to take me a few years, at the moment I am just on the research stage and am probably going to start the gauntlets soon.
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Stephen Curtin




Location: Cork, Ireland
Joined: 17 Nov 2007
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Reading list: 18 books

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PostPosted: Sat 23 May, 2020 4:09 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I can't help with this question but I believe Dr. Capwell is planning on publishing more books on English armour which will cover the time period that interests you.
Éirinn go Brách
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Pedro Paulo Gaião




Location: Sioux City, IA
Joined: 14 Mar 2015
Likes: 1 page

Posts: 422

PostPosted: Mon 25 May, 2020 3:52 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Armor for Men-at-arms, archer, billmen? Heavier or light infantry equipment?

For MAA, we have tons of information. Effigies and artistic evidence of the period is one of them. Have this:
http://effigiesandbrasses.com/search/?year=14...&name=

Besides, I think Graham Turner knows effigies from this time period. By English Armor you might also want Welsh Armor (I subject I search for a time). Sir Richard Herbert (d. 1469) might offer good insights:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Herbert_of_Coldbrook#/media/File:Monumental_effigies_of_Sr._Richd._Herbert_(4670888)_(cropped).jpg

Actually, Abergavenny Priori in Wales has a chapel for the Herbert family with martial effigies.

“Burn old wood, read old books, drink old wines, have old friends.”
Alfonso X, King of Castile (1221-84)
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Anthony Clipsom




Location: YORKSHIRE, UK
Joined: 27 Jul 2009

Posts: 308

PostPosted: Tue 26 May, 2020 2:05 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

There are a quite distinctive group of English funerary brasses from around 1460

Typical is this of Thomas Quartermayne (or Quatremain)



Others include Sir William Vernon from Tong in Shropshire(1467) and an unknown figure from Adderbury, Oxfordshire

There is a similar but plainer example Sir Robert Del Bothe from Wilmslow Cheshire, which can be seen in this church bulletin

https://viewsfromwilmslow.blogspot.com/2017/10/

Anthony Clipsom
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Gareth Barry




Location: South Africa
Joined: 21 May 2020

Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri 29 May, 2020 4:06 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Wow guys thanks very much.
To clarify, I am looking at a full harness for a man at arms.
If Dr Capwell puts out a book covering this period I will be sure to snatch it up.
At the back of my mind I am wondering what the state of English armor production would have been during this time- I am not sure whether the uncertain times would have hampered production in England and made the upper classes buy their harnesses predominantly from Milan or Southern Germany. Just speculation.
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Toni Šušnjar




Location: Split, Croatia
Joined: 03 Feb 2020

Posts: 12

PostPosted: Sun 31 May, 2020 12:49 am    Post subject: Re: english armour circa 1460         Reply with quote

Gareth Barry wrote:
Hello all, newbie here.
Having gotten better at blacksmithing over he last 2 years and successfully made a couple of swords, I would like to start a crazy project of building an english harness of the period of the ward of the roses. The problem is that it isn't easy to find goo information of english style armour of this period. The closest I have come is Toby Capwell's book, which ends at 1450, a bit before the later stages of the wars of the roses. Other than the usual broad 'gothic' style, what elements would be particular to an english armour of this period?
I am thinking the following;
-broadly, an italain 'alla tedesca' harness.
-helmet; milanese sallet
-pauldrons or spaulders with besigews? Not sure
-fully enclosed quisses
-fully enclosed sabatons.
-not sure if the placard would be solidly riveted into the lower half of the cuirass as in the german style, or with the italian style of leather connecting strap allowing for movement.

As I say, I expect this project to take me a few years, at the moment I am just on the research stage and am probably going to start the gauntlets soon.


English Gothic armour was, from what I managed to find out, halfway-step between German and Italian styles. Specifically, English sallet was more curvaceous and had less extreme tail projection compared to German one, but it was still less curvaceous and with more pronounced tail than Italian sallet. That is the only difference I know of, however. I am still in the process of studying armour.

https://militaryfantasy.home.blog/
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