Richard Denning's Blog, page 3

I have heard you might have Tea!

My experiences at Essen Spiel 2014

Running the UK’s largest Hobby Games convention (UK Games Expo every May in Birmingham ) as we do, each October since 2006 has seen an annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of board games – Essen Spiel. For those who have not attended, this is the largest Hobby Games event in the world  with an attendance of 130,000 or there abouts.  They use three Huge halls of the Essen Messe (which is like the NEC) plus other smaller bits.  This event is all about playing and buying board and card games, and to a much lesser extent miniatures and role playing.

This year we had a party of 12. I took a carload of 4 with the UK Games Expo Stand in and drove through France and Belgium last Tuesday. Another car load and an “airborne contingent” lead by my fellow director, Tony followed on the Wednesday. We also had Expo senior managers like Lindsey, Pat “the main man” Campbell and coming to his first Essen, John Dodd and a number of friends who are all in some way associated with UKGE.   Wednesday is a setup day at Essen so we unloaded and set up a small booth of 5m x 2m consisting of a display/reception area to promote the show from and a 3m x2m office. In that inner sanctum we laid out a map of UK Games Expo so that during the meetings with the potential exhibitors we would show them the space and then they would get marked on a map with blue card.  A huge Tetris game then ensues.

In that room we also set up a coffee machine and a kettle and then we unpacked our secret weapon: Yorkshire Tea. As occurred last year we soon had British traders entering the room saying “I have heard you might have Tea!” or “I could kill for a cuppa”. Tea on the continent is usually herbal with a lemon in it and only Brits fully understand the kind of desperation that a Brit abroad encounters when you can’t get a proper cuppa! Next year I am going to take a Tea Pot and go the whole hog.

So then, we set to selling space at UK Games Expo. Pat and Lindsey with notable help from Alex Hickman backed up by John Dodd (who had sciatica poor chap and missed  a lot), Mal , Christine and my dad would stand at the desk and talk to any visitors and then book in meetings  for Tony and I. Tony and I had something like 50 meetings over the fair and only got out of our cell for an hour or two a day. We would then hurtle round and try and see the show, buy some games and grab some food. The result is that around 90% of Trade space at UK Games Expo is provisionally reserved and we confirmed some sponsorships and even picked up some guest ideas via John Dodd attending an industry party.  On top of that we have ideas for seminars, a movie to show and some cool game ideas too.  This means UK Games Expo 2015 is already looking exciting.

At 7 PM we would jump in a taxi and try to get fed in a restaurant. We had two decent meals in a German steak house where the beer was very good too. Our usual Chinese buffet restaurant was up to scratch.  However we had a well cooked but VERY slow meal in a Spanish restaurant that took 2 hours to serve us!  Getting food after hours in Essen can be difficult at times with 30,000 extra hotel residents!  Then we would retreat to the hotel and play some games.  UKGE organizers are first and foremost games players and we want to play a game in the evening!

As for those games – Essen sees hundreds of new ones each year and I can recommend a few. Orcs Orcs Orcs (above)was a twist on the Castle Panic style of game but with well thought out spell casting rules. A light and fun game of Mages vs Orcs.  Armymals (below) is a tank battle game with nice little tanks and terrain and a surprising amount of strategy for a light game.

As for more involved games, I really enjoyed (and won!!) a game of Castles of Mad King Ludwig.  Based on a historical king who built extravagant castles with weird designs, you are soon building your castle and juggling bedrooms and armories about.

I also opened the box of a what was leading the BGG rankings at one point: Alchemist  (BGG= BOard Games Geek by the way and at Essen it runs a live list of games recommended by the vistors).  I have not yet played it because the rules were complex and our brains on Saturday night were frazzled.  Its all about experimenting with potions and trying to make them. Lots of deduction needed. One for an evening when I am less tired.

 

I also picked up some of the new World War 2 planes for Wings of Glory – including the famous Memphis Belle shown below. I can see some air war over Germany games on a table near here soon.

Overall I thought Essen was a lot quieter than usual – this was due it seemed to a main line rail strike in Germany. As a result I think a lot of the more casual day trippers probably gave it a miss.  However I enjoyed the trip as I always do – it has become an annual working holiday that is totally different to my day job. I now see so many  friends and contacts from the games world as well as UK Games Expo visitors that come by to say hello that is a real social occasion. It is now critically important to UKGE as we have so many important meetings and helps raise our profile both inside the UK and outside.

Now, If you will excuse me now I have a B17 to fly.

And a cup of tea to drink.

 

At the Wellington Literary Festival

Wellington is  a small town near Telford in Shropshire. For  a number of years it has held an autumn literary festival. Today was their children’s day and Catherine Cooper (Author of The Adventures of Jack Brenin ) invited me to attend along with illustrator, Natalie Furnival, young children’s author ~ Ann Scantlebury, poet ~ Elizabeth Leaper, and Georgina Kirk who was a story teller for the day.

Ready for the day. My table at the festival.

I decided to take along a bag full of Anglo-Saxon replica items including weapons, armour, musical instruments, a game and other bits and bobs plus of course my books. I do find that having the replica items really helps with the conversations. Children love trying on helmets, picking up swords and axes and even looking at the things Saxons used to clean their ears!

One of the most amazing groups present was Arty Party. These took up station in the cafe of the Library and  gave poetry recitals. It is a local  group of young people have various problems who publish poetry and books and  work together as a team and run a market stall every week. Some of them cannot write but dictate stories which others publish. Their drive and enthusiasm was amazing and we other authors were soon taking down names of their printers and illustrators.

These types of activities are as much about “getting out there” and making connections and meeting readers as it is about actually selling books and today was enjoyable.

Many thanks to Catherine for  the invitation.

Wellington Literary Festival Children’s Day

I am looking forward to attending the Wellington Literary Festival’s Children’s day at Wellington Library in Wellington, Shropshire next weekend. There will be several children’s authors along, an illustrator, a Poet and  a story teller. I will be taking some of my Anglo-Saxon replica items and maybe some clothes for the children to try on as well as my books.

The event is on between 10am and 3pm in the Library which is part of Wellington Civic Centre, Lakin Way, Wellington. More details click on this image:

 

Full details of the whole Festival is here: http://www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/05367-18th-Literary-festival-programme-v-1.pdf

 

Space is Big… I mean really big

There are some times that you see an image that makes you realize just how small and insignificant you really are. This image is one of them. It is a map of our part of the universe. It is not even the whole universe. Sort of like pages 34-35 of an A-Z.

Each dot you see is a galaxy: each of trillions of stars like our sun. Our galaxy is part of a “galaxy of galaxies” with the name of Laniakea.

Like I say this is just one part of the universe which is much bigger than this. 

When you realize just how bloody big the universe is and just how old it is, it does make you think and doubt certainties. Just how likely is it that one political view or one religion is the right one amongst all that? How likely is it that we are the only planet with life amongst all that?  It also makes you wonder why we bother so often with minor things that wind us up. On this scale what really does matter?

With human life the briefest of flashes against the backdrop of forever maybe one just needs to focus on stuff that matters most.

Like seeing England winning back the Ashes, running a damn good games convention, beating Tony Hyams or Patrick Campbell at a game or finishing another novel.

The Historical Novel Society Conference 2014

 

This weekend I was fortunate to spend in London at the Historical Novel Society Conference. This is the second such event I have attended and I enjoyed it more than the first (although that was fun too). This was primarily because 2 years ago I was there as a bit of a hanger on with the Indie/ self publishing table and knew almost nobody.  This year I found I knew quite a lot of folk. Indeed Friday evening when I arrived the first thing that happened was that a number of Facebook friends said hello and it was good to meet folk that until now I have only just talked with online. I was also much less nervous at being amongst all these other authors because you soon release that they are actually human too!

One of the factors that made me feel more conformable was that the event was launched on Friday evening with the First HNS Indie Award. This event was thought up by the wonderful Helen Hollick who is a great champion of Indie and Self Published authors and novels. The award was presented by Elizabeth Chadwick.  The idea was to recognize superb Indie fiction. I was delighted to see that one of the short listed novels was by a author who has attended my UK Games Expo on the writers table: Dave Mccall – writing as Dave Ebsworth and his book Jacobite’s Apprentice. So right away it was clear that the HNS have a pretty open approach to us self published authors. I knew this to an extent already – being a HNS Indie reviewer but organizing an award was a nice reinforcement. As i chatted to folk during the Friday evening drinks session I came accross a mix of mainstream authors, fellow Indie authors and readers – all interested in historical fiction of course.

The main conference took place on Saturday all day and Sunday  morning. There was a conference dinner one could attend on either Friday or Saturday night at a nearby restaurant which was noisy but fun. the food was inspired by 18th century dishes. I had London Paticular pea soup and Kedgeree.

The main event however were the addresses and workshops. I will look at a few here.

Selling Historical Fiction: the challenges and triumphs  was an opportunity to hear what publishers felt worked in selling fiction.  Some principles – a good cover for example clearly apply equally to INdie as to mainstream. Other comments about adverts in newspapers less so. The panel was mostly publishers and book buyers for WH smith – those kind of folk. So I found that it assumed we were talking about what sells mainstream books already destined for  the windows of waterstones. It would have been good to have had an indie perspective from a successful indie author as to what works for them with the harder struggle of getting recognition for them selves.

Conn Iggulden’s address as guest of hour was excellent. Witty and clever, I found it useful on more than one level. I do talks at school and adult groups and found he has a natural ability to be entertaining and that I found myself paying attention to as much how he spoke as what he said. But as for what he said one message was the need for Historical Fiction Authors to make certain choices when faced with the unknowns of history. In the end we are writing fiction. It is NOT a thesis and it is meant to entertain. Academics shy away from making pronouncements when they don’t know what really happened. Fiction writers cannot not. You just have to make  a choice you can defend. This was encouraging given the scarcity of known facts I have to deal with in the 7th century.

I attended a workshop on Mavericks in fiction which was a useful look at the attraction of characters who stray a bit away from the norm. I also discovered a new author - Angus Donald whose Outlaw Series I will be checking out. HIs fellow panelist was not listed on the HNS site so I cant link to him but he wrote about a Norman Knight after the conquest. It also sounded worth a look.

I think my favourite session of the whole conference was the “My Era is better than yours” where 5 authors defended Ancient Rome, Vikings, The Age of Chivalry, Tudors and Georgian England.  Some well thought out arguments and funny banter made this a great session.

On Sunday the best session from my point of view was the Workshop on Battle Scenes. This was a well presented analysis of the elements that make for a good battle scene: the importance of research, the technology of the weapons, the terrain, the tactics used and the chance for the hero to be at the critical location.

We finished with a  fun quiz on historical fiction.  I cant believe I forgot which Sharpe novel Isiah tongue dies in!!

there were many other workshop on such things as self publishing, the use of historical language etc,

All in all a great weekend if you are a historical fiction writer, or trying to become one. You can meet other authors, editors etc and make some useful contacts. Roll on the next one.

 

Games at the Edinburgh Fringe

I have been visiting the Edinburgh Fringe these last few days along with many thousands of other visitors and have taken in a good number of shows. I talk about a few others of them here. Such is the variety of shows that even gaming – both computer, TV based and board game have inspired shows and events. I heard of but did not get a chance to see one inspired by the Knightmare TV series

You awake to find yourself in a dark room!

Last night I managed to attend The Dark Room. Remember those text based adventure games from the 1980′s or early 1990′s  that for many of us were our first experience of Computer gaming? Well Australian comedian, John Robertson has devised a live action version in which he plays a “floating head” who controls the game. Audience members get to choose which way to go and what to do. Naturally most choices lead to death in a variety of entertaining ways. Indeed in a somewhat tongue in cheek approach many options were bizarre -but inspired by the incredibly frustrating options and responses these games did contain.

It was clear that many in the audience were veterans of the game but many like my family were new to the experience and feeling their way, and trying to avoid being called on to play! That said providing you approached the game as a bit of fun you had a good time although it was clear that a few in the Saturday night Edinburgh crowd had a beer or five too many to appreciate it but Robertson did not seem phased by this and had witty come backs to most situations that arose.  Now the game seemed impossible to win but we were assured that you CAN win the game which is available online for those wanting to try but for my money the fun here is to play the game live, see how people react to the choices they have and how the floating head reacts in turn to those choices.

Usually with sarcasm or DEATH!

I have found a You-Tube clip which includes some footage of the game in play.

 How board games can change your life and save the world! was  the tag line for Always be rolling  This was a comedy show all about board games and the experiences we have playing them – the good and bad. So we were taken through those terrible games that people played as kids, or play at Christmas like the dreaded Monopoly and on to the immeasurably better games like Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. Along the way we played a live action version of buckaroo in which the comedian, James Cook was the donkey and two audience members including, ahem, me were invited forward to play with full size version of the game pieces. Alas  hanging the spade on a finger was my undoing.

So what you get is a extremely fun, accessible look at board games including some audience participation and some very funny examinations of board game box covers in which recurring themes come out.

Now this is a great 60 minutes if you are interesting in board games but even if you are not is a great little comedy act. Take the family (probably 10+’s) or go yourself for a very different Free Fringe Event.

I should put my hand up and admit that I liked this show even more because UK Games Expo gets a mention – James himself coming 6th in our Carcassonne tournament this May. But marketing thoughts aside Always be Rolling is a  recommended experience.

Norse Legends at Edinburgh Fringe

I am spending a few days at the Edinburgh Fringe – the first time I have been here. We booked some events in advance but then just looked at the flyers that are thrust into your hands as your wander along the Royal Mile, Grassmarket and elsewhere. The result is a mixed bag of good, not so good and great events. The Scottish Falsetto Sock puppets was a hilarious look at politics both Scottish, UK, European and Worldwide.

 Shhh the improvised silent movie was entertaining and clever. The Suesification of Midsummers nights dream – was a Dr seus version of the bards play and for all of us a surprise hit and well recommended.  Axis of Awesome were – well awesome and hilarious with their take on pop music.

 For me though one of the best things I have seen was the telling of the Norse- Germanic myths by a group of 7 students from Cirencester. In an hour using nothing other than 2 step ladders, a stick, a couple of ropes and each other (and here I do mean the actors themselves were sometimes the props) the core of the Norse legends were retold. We saw the creation of the world from fire and ice, the coming of the gods, the first war, the tricks of Loki, the death of Baldur and Ragnarok.

I come at this from the point of view of a writer of historical fiction with a focus on the early Anglo-Saxon World rather than an actor, critic or agent but to me the acting was first rate and the interpretation and knowledge excellent. In particular they boiled down sometimes complex and difficult myths into an easy to understand storyline.

I believe this group are performing this play back in Cirencester so I would recommend it and I would not be surprised to see one of these faces in larger roles in years to come.

 

 

The Tale of Two Aethelrics

The period of history around the late 6th and early 7th Century could be referred to as the ‘darkest years of the darkages’ for the documentation of events at these times is sketchy and incomplete. The writer of historical fiction set in this period must become a detective themselves and solve the mysteries of the past or at least come up with a plausible interpretation of events. An example of just such a mystery is that of the relations between the two Kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira that become the Kingdom of Northumbria – the most powerful kingdom in Britain in the late 7th century.

Bernicia was located around Bamburgh and Lindisfarne and its dynasty included a King Ida, who had a son (amongst many): Aethelric who in turn had a son called Aethelfrith.

Deira was located in Yorkshire and along the Humbar and had a powerful king called Aelle who had a son called Edwin.

What we do know is that out of a dynasty of warrior kings of the northern kingdom of Bernicia, Aethelfrith emerges and conquers or absorbs the southern kingdom of Deria (Aelle by now was dead), marries its princess, Acha and sends its prince, Edwin into Exile. Edwin wanders the southern kingdoms for years and then returns from exile some considerable time later and takes back his throne from the usurper around 617 AD. Edwin himself dies in battle around 632 and Aethelfrith’s sons return and retake Northumbria. Its a fascinating ding-dong story of fluctuating fortunes.

Within that skeleton though there are two versions of history that MIGHT have happened.

History Version A:

Aethelric of Bernicia succeeeds Aelle about 588 and he or his son Aethelfrith annexes Bernicia. Prince Edwin (probably only age 3 or maybe 8 goes into exile for 29 years).

History Version B:

Aethelric of Bernicia’s son Aethelfrith succeeds him to the throne of Bernicia ONLY in 593. He later invades Deira circa 603 to 605 AD, possibly kills the king (who may have been also called Aethelric – but this time Aethelric of of Deira) and rules all of Northumbria for 12 years before Edwin takes it back. This would mean Edwin goes into exile as a teenager aged about 18 or so and spends maybe 13 to 14 years in exile.

In his recent The King of the North biography of Oswald,  Max Adams plumps for Version A having Edwin go off into exile around 590. (This is a good account of Oswalds life btw and well worth the read).

I personally however favour Version B.

Which version is right?

Well, here is the written evidence:

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

A.D. 560. This year Ceawlin undertook the government of the West-Saxons; and Ella, on the death of Ida, that of the Northumbrians; each of whom reigned thirty winters.

A.D. 588. This year died King Ella; and Ethelric reigned after him five years.

A.D. 593. This year Ethelfrith succeeded to the kingdom of the Northumbrians. He was the son of Ethelric; Ethelric of Ida.

A.D. 617. This year was Ethelfrith, king of the Northumbrians, slain by Redwald, king of the East-Angles; and Edwin, the son of Ella, having succeeded to the kingdom, subdued all Britain

OK so that seems nice and clear. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has an Alla (Aelle) replaced by an Ethelric who is succeeded in turn by his son.   It fits VERSION A of history nicely. If we don’t dig any deeper our job is done and we can all get home for tea and crumpets. But I guess we we will see what Bede has to say.

Bede, On the Reckoning of Time

He [Pope Gregory] sent to Britain Augustine, Mellitus and John, and many others, with God-fearing monks with them, to convert the English to Christ. However, the people of the Angles north of the river Humber, under Kings Aelle and Aethelfrith, did not at this time hear the Word of life.

–Bede, On the Reckoning of Time, Chapter 66.

So Bede is telling us that at the time of the coming of Augustine to Britain that NORTH OF THE HUMBER ie in Northumbria there were two kings: Aelle and Aethelfrith. So when was this? When did Augustine come to Britian. Bede tells us:

Bede, Ecclesiastical History

AUGUSTINE, COMING INTO BRITAIN, FIRST PREACHED IN THE ISLE OF THANET TO KING ETHELBERT, AND HAVING OBTAINED LICENCE, ENTERED THE KINGDOM OF KENT, IN ORDER TO PREACH THEREIN. (A.D. 597.)

So in 597 Aelle was still alive. If Bede is right he did not die in 588 then which contradicts the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. He is alive and moreover is still a King and ruling in Deira. If that is the case what was Aethelfrith doing? He could not ALSO be ruling Deira.

Lets see what Nennius has to say in his

Historia Brittonum

Chapter 63: “Eadfered Flesaurs reigned twelve years in Bernicia, and twelve others in Deira”

Now Aethelfrith (Eadfered) dies about 616/617 (Bede tells us this elsewhere) so working backwards he ruled Deira AND Bernicia from about 604 or 605 and before then was only ruling the northern bit of Northumbria – Bernicia.

The plot thickens when you consult the Historia Britonum about the genealogy of the Kings of Bernicia.

Ida had twelve sons, Adda, Belric Theodric, Thelric, Theodhere, Osmer, and one queen Bearnoch, Ealric. Ethelric begat Ethelfrid: the same is Aedlfred Flesaur.

Adda, son of Ida, reigned eight years; Ethelric, son of Adda, reigned four years. Theodoric, son of Ida, reigned seven years. Freothwulf reigned six years. Hussa reigned seven years.

Where on earth do all these Kings fit in to VERSION A. The short answer is there do not. VERSION A of history is essentially the version based mostly on the Anglo Saxon Chronicle. The problem is that the ASC was written in the reign of Alfred the Great three hundred years after the time it is referring to. By that time the Vikings had destroyed Northumbria and many of its records. The monks compiling the ASC look like they tried to simplify matters and merged the chronologies of Deira and Bernicia and the royal genealogies blurring the issue. They essentially assumed that Aelle was rulling all of Norththumbria and in turn his successors Aethelric of Bernicia and Aelethfrith were also ruling the whole show. Fortunately we have primary sources closer to events in Bede and Nennius to go to.

Bede was writing only a hundred years after the events, Nennius two hundred years afterwards and both before the Viking’s changed the face of Northumbria. They show us that the whole situation is much more complex than the ASC records. Whilst Aelle is rulling Deira for probably 30 years, carving out a Kingdom in Yorkshire the Bernicians go through a whole dynasty of kings as they too fight and claw a kingdom together against the might of Owain and Urien of Rheged (but that is a whole other story).

What they give us are facts that allow for a VERSION B which relies upon their having been a second King Aethelric in DEIRA as well as the one in Bernicia. This Deiran Aethelric succeeded Aelle perhaps a year or two AFTER the Augustine mission came to Britain. If he ruled for 5 years that brings us conveniently to about 604/605. The facts fit much better.

So in Bernicia Aethelric of Bericia the son of Ida is (eventually and after a few other kings)succeeded by Aethelfrith who for 12 years rules Bernicia alone and then in 604/5 he takes over Deira possibly killing Aethelric of DEIRA and sending young Edwin into Exile.

Aethelric of Deira step forward a moment

So, if this Aethelric of Deira existed and was king for 5 years after Aelle, who was he? He is not mentioned clearly in any genealogy. Well there are a few possibilities:

A)Aelle probably had more than 1 son. Aethelric might have been an older brother to Edwin. Edwin certainly had a nephew Hereric who must have come from somewhere.

B)He might have been a brother of Aelle. Aelle did have a brother Aelfric, who is mentioned by Bede. Maybe he had another brother.

C)He may he been a more distant relative eg a cousin or even a total outsider who stepped in to rule after Aelle died when Edwin was too young to be king.

What sort of a man was Aethelric of Deira? Well William of Malmesbury speaks of Aethelric ‘son of Ida” as being a pitiful, elderly man and shadow of the glory of Aethelfrith his son.This seems at odds with other descriptions of Aethelric of Bernicia as being possibly the man the British called Firebrand, a fierce warrior lord and opponent of Urien and Owain of Rheged who drove his armies deep into the British lands and is remembered in Welsh Poetry centuries later. Again here we must remember that Malmesbury is writing his history five hundred years after the events and probably reliant at least partially on the ASC.

I think Malmesbury might have confused WHO he was talking about. I think his description is much more likely to be applicable to Aethelric of Deira: a man who succeeded Aelle after his predecessor’s long and glorious reign and perhaps was never suited to kingship. Certainly it seems he could do little to halt the expansion of the ambitious Aethefrith of Bernicia who it seems either dominated him politically or, most likely, killed him and took his throne, sending his younger brother, Edwin into exile.

This is the version of history that I follow in the Northern Crown Series.

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Richard Denning is a historical fiction author whose main period of interest is the Early Anglo-Saxon Era. His Northern Crown series explores the late 6th and early 7th centuries through the eyes of a young Saxon lord.

Explore the darkest years of the dark ages with Cerdic.

www.richarddenning.co.uk

 

The Church, the Tree the King and Robin Hood

Recently I happened to find myself in the vicinity of a small village called Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire. Being on the edge of Sherwood Forrest it was managed to develop a decent if  small scale little tourist industry focused around it’s main claim to fame. That claim to fame is the links with the Robin Hood legend. A church was founded here in AD 633 and the current building was begun in 1175. Legend has it that this building is the very same that Robin and Marion got married in.

Edwinstowe is also the Parish in which the Major Oak Tree lies which all Robin Hood legend fans will recall was used both as a rendezvous location for Robin and his merry men but also possibly as a hiding place by his band. 

The current tree (voted as the one of the most beloved in Britain) should probably be called The Major Oak II. It is certainly impressive – weighing  they estimate 23 tons and probably over a thousand years old. It also has those enchanting cracks and chasms that might just hide an outlaw or two. However in circa 1195 when Robin hood would have been active (assuming he existed of course) the current tree would have been only a couple of hundred years old and not the magnificent king of the Forrest. So assuming there was an original Major Oak (perhaps the current tree’s dad) in this area it would have been a tree  which in 1195 was 800 to 1000 years old. So Robin hid in a tree that may have dated back to something like the 2nd or 3rd century when the Roman’s were still here, which is itself exciting I think.

That tree: Major Oak I, if you like, stood in growing majesty throughout the passing centuries. In the year  633 it might have been witness to a band of men who hurried through the Forrest carrying the body of their dead king.  This was a certain King Edwin of Northumbria and after ruling Northumbria for about 16 years he had fallen in battle of Hatfield chase – only miles away to the north and, so the story goes, was carried away in secret so his body should not fall into the hand of the pagan Mercians and their king, Penda.  Edwin’s followers decapitated Edwin and buried the body where Penda would not find it. Then they took the head of their monarch back to York, where it was buried in St Peter’s Cathedral.

Some time later Edwin’s supporters were able to return for the body. It would be buried in Whitby Abbey. By now Edwin was being revered by the locals as a saint. The place where his body had lain was hallowed ground and a small wooden chapel was built on the spot.

Thus Edwinstowe — or “Edwin’s place” – was born.

So there you have it – a relatively obscure village is touched by history – one event leading to the village coming into existence in the first place and gaining its name. Another event 600 years later, albeit legendary, and the village has its place in history and who can blame the locals for making a few bucks out of it.

 

Can you win “Britains got Illness”?

Very busy at the present. Decided to run a “Britains got Illness” event.

Rules:

You get one sentence each to describe your ailment (no more than fifteen words smart guys).

As I only have time to examine a few patients only the most impressive descriptions will progress to the couch phase. Hint: “I just don’t feel right” won’t cut it.

I will be looking for clinical signs of a striking nature  so if you arrange to lose a leg or for your skin to go purple this will give you more marks.

I will only be writing one prescription today so It will be a tough choice but I am sure someone out their has the spots and the symptoms to be a Britains got Illness champion.

Disclaimer: This event might get me struck off so book your appointment early.