Heraldry assistance

[Stuart]

It’s a massive achievement that two armies are fielded and victualled by the English in the same campaign season under this method, it must have been a huge undertaking. With ultimately very little to show for it despite all the effort and opportunity.

It’s such a fascinating period of history, Henry inherits a huge war chest and really pulls out all the stops.

With so many people still around with long military careers.

So much survives in contemporary accounts in comparison to the WOTR. I find it completely immersive

[Rick]

Yeah, so you have to remember that the English have always been an independantly minded group of belligerent buggers. After the Germans, then the Vikings, it was the English that became the feared pirates of the North Sea and then beyond! We were still trying to downplay that a bit - it would take a long time to fade (and we never really stopped until after the Napoleonic Wars!) - but one of our biggest exports to Europe during this time (up to the 30 years war, probably longer) were mercenaries. The English, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish all had marvellous careers in the various continental wars, getting paid by as many different sides as you could manage and hefty ransoms to boot! 
So when you mention 'long military careers' some of those careers were created all over Europe; the white company, the italian condottieri, all different places. Money earned came home to fund estates and businesses; not to mention a big pool of veteran.soldiers and commanders with a nice line in armour and weaponry! I have no doubt that Surrey had no lack of experience to draw on to organise a quick campaign and provisioning system! 

[modelwarrior]

The Keighley coat of arms for the town sits below. This is taken from an 1830`s print from a book which was later used by the Council so still not entirely accurate. I believe those 3 things at the bottom are stags ? Also is that a snake around the dragon head at the top ?

[modelwarrior]

Bit more on Keighley:

KEIGHLEY (Yorkshire). Argent, on a fesse sable, between three stags' heads caboshed a fountain proper, all within a bordure embattled azure. And for the Crest — On a wreath of the colours, in front of a dragon's head erased gules, entwined by a serpent or, a fountain proper. Motto — " By Worth." Granted 7th February 1883.

Burke's " General Armory " adds a description of the arms as follows :

The Crest (a red dragon) was that of the ancient family of De Kighley, for many generations Lords of the Manor, whose last representative (a female) married the then head of the house of Cavendish in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and thereby carried the Keighley estate into that noble house, of which the Duke of Devonshire is the head. His Grace still retains the estate, which has belonged to his family for nearly 700 years. The serpent twined round the head of the dragon is the Cavendish Crest. The circle with the wavy blue lines at the bottom of the Crest, and also repeated in the shield, is the heraldic emblem of water technically called a fountain, and refers to the situation of Keighley in a well-watered valley, the streams of which have greatly tended towards the progress of the town, being of great value for manufacturing purposes. This idea is also borne out by the motto ' By Worth,' that being the name of the principal stream on the banks of which Keighley is situate. The shield is a combination of the Keighley and Cavendish arms. The silver shield and black bar being those of the former family, while the three stags' heads are the cognizance of the Cavendishes. The blue embattled border surrounding the shield shows that the arms are those of an ancient town, which is the case, Keighley having obtained its original market charter in the reign of Edward I.

[modelwarrior]

The Keighley coat of arms for the town sits below. This is taken from an 1830`s print from a book which was later used by the Council so still not entirely accurate. I believe those 3 things at the bottom are stags ? Also is that a snake around the dragon head at the top ? I wonder how much has changed from the original coat of arms for Keighley the person to the town coat of arms ?

[Rick]

Yup - as I mentioned in the earlier post the town of Keighley uses a modified form of the much older Keighley, Kighley or Kytheley family heraldry. The silver shield with the black bar across is modified with a blue crenellated border, 3 stags heads on the silver and a fountain on the black bar. This is NOT the heraldry of the Kighley family at Flodden, but a later form adopted by the town - best not to confuse the two! 
The Cavendish heraldry does explain the snake on the dragon - they have a snake on their crest as the Keighley's have a dragon's head.

[Stuart]

Here’s some initial progress.

Henry Blundell amongst some billmen, couple of the distinctive blue Stanley livery coats there too.

More soon, Molyneux and some archers are needed next.

All but one of the figures are Steel fist late medieval Dollies and heads.

[Stuart H]

An amazing level of research and quality figure building, as ever. I wouldn't expect any less.

[Stuart]

All done, thanks so much for your assistance

Left to right. Henry Blundell of little Crosby (KIA), Henry Kighley of Inskip, William Molyneaux of Sefton, Thomas Gerrard of Bryn in Ashton in Mackerfield, Ralph Assheton of Middleton (Greater Manchester)

[Stuart]

Whole unit so far. Lancashire archers are next 😎

[Romark]

Sumptuous 

[Hu Rhu]

Wonderful painting. 

[Rick]

Just great to see it all come together. Fantastic figures.

[Stuart]

Here they all are based and in action at the battle of Flodden.

If you’re interested in reading more there’s plenty on my blog post

https://stuartsworkbench.blogspot.com/2025/08/stanleys-men-of-lancashire-for-flodden.html?m=1

Thanks again for your support and encouragement

Stuart

[anevilgiraffe]

that is a great photo