John Burke's Hastings, August 1999
Dover Castle |
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| Sunday 1st August 1999
We left the Yorkists and the Lancastrians to fight it out between themselves and after a quick
bite in the castle cafeteria we left the keep to have a look elsewhere.
This chap had also handed in a note from his mum and was sitting enjoying the sun and picking
the mud from his boots with the pointy end of his over-sized toothpick.
There was a medieval car boot sale - or maybe a "cart boot" sale going on below the keep. |
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Mum and Dad decided against a new long bow at 90 pounds (cost not draw-weight!) and here, Mum
has her head buried in the apothecary's tent.
She must have been looking for ingredients for her favourite dish -
eye of newt, dragon's gizzard etc. etc... |
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| Right: the smith was making small bits of metal - possibly nails in his forge.
Meanwhile the onlooker was picking his nose and the crossbow maker was picking a quarrel
with someone...
We left the medieval market and made our way across to the oldest buildings on the site -
that pre-date the castle itself. |
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The church is Saxon, the tower at its end even older. It is the remains of a
Roman pharos or lighthouse.
It was originally an 8-sided tower with 8 stepped stages, though only four of these now
survive. |
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It was one of three such lighthouses in the area - another stood on the other side
of the harbour at Dover and the third was over the Channel at Boulogne.
At the top there would be some sort of brazier, holding a fire bright enough to be seen from sea.
The photograph, left, was taken looking up, inside the pharos. Scaffolding and a wooden
platform suggest that it will take more than chance to keep the pharos standing for another 2000
years! |
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As we came down from the earthworks surrounding the church and pharos there
came a shout; "Have a care! " and then; BANG! - closely followed by the sound of my heart
hammering in my chest!
Yes, those pesky Yorkists were up for it again! |
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Totally ignoring the unbelievable row of the guncrew on
the hillside, the brave lads (and one or two lasses) of Lancashire attack the Yorkists, as well
they might...
The referee keeps an eye on the linesmen but the crowd are keeping close and all balls stay
on the pitch... |
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In days of old, when knights were bold...
Whilst the armoured guys fight it out, the chaps with the bill hooks are on their half-time
break. They stop battle and suck a lemon apiece, to get back in the mood for the second half
scrum!
The chap in the middle has taken his hat off, as the mad cannoneers have brought down a pheasant
and it's got stuck on his hat band! |
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The referee awards a foul against the Lancastrians and play recommences with
the Yorkists feeling aggrieved. In fact, it's got King Richard's back up...
With a final blast of the whistle it's all over bar the shouting. Our hero from the top of the page
walks off the pitch with a smug face and a soiled weapon...
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