“The Battles and Battlefields of Northamptonshire” by Mike Ingram and Graham Evans
Following on from their successful publications covering the Battles of Northampton and Edgcote during the Wars of the Roses, the two authors have collaborated on a comprehensive survey of the County’s turbulent and bloody military history.
Society Chairman and co-author Mike Ingram said “You would not know from looking at how peaceful the county is now that its past has seen many battles and campaigns fought across it. There are a number of special reasons as to why Northampton and Northamptonshire was so important historically, and that importance was one of the main reasons so much fighting has taken place here. Some of these battles are of national importance, – such as Naseby during the Civil War – whilst others, such as the Newton Revolt, may only have affected the people in the county. All of them have a fascinating story to be told, and all of them deserve to be remembered”.
The book covers all of the known battles and campaigns, starting with Boudicca’s Revolt and the Romans, through the two Barons Wars, the Wars of the Roses, the First and Second Civil Wars, military mutiny in the 18th century, and the County’s own unique contribution to our understanding of the Battle of Waterloo. Each chapter contains a thorough examination of what we know about the campaigns and battles, woven into a compelling story. The book also makes use of numerous maps and illustrations to help tell the story.
Graham Evans, Secretary of the Society and co-author added “The book has been written for both the general reader and anyone interested in both local and military history.” Having said that, Graham concedes it hasn’t been plain sailing. “Mike and I started writing the book in October last year. Little did we know what was about to happen to us all. The coronavirus has presented us with several challenges in getting the book to publication, but with so many areas of life being curtailed, we thought it was important to keep promoting the County’s heritage and keep telling these wonderful stories. It has been a real pleasure working on this book. There’s so much of our county’s history that isn’t well known, so being given the opportunity to bring it to a wider audience is really welcome”.
The book retails for £9.99 and is available from Amazon, or directly from the Society. ISBN 9798623780270. 161 pages.
Northamptonshire Battlefields Society
Northamptonshire Battlefields Society was founded in 2014 by concerned local residents to oppose the destruction of what remains of the 1460 archaeology and battlefield site. Since then the Society was also instrumental in setting up the “Save our Eleanor Cross” campaign. It meets on a monthly basis and features both local and national speakers on a range of relevant historical subjects from Richard III to the Second World War activities of the SOE in Northamptonshire. Membership is open to all at £15 for a single membership or £25 for a family.
Header Image Credit : Paul Kitchener
