The Setting

From Ars Magica

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=Local Medieval History and Geography=
==Where are we?==
==Where are we?==
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The game begins with the players and their retinue arriving at an inn in the small village of Little Stretton.
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The game begins with the players and their retinue arriving at an inn in the small hamlet of Church Stretton.
Little Stretton, Church Stretton, and All Stretton, are three small settlements that form the manor of Stretton-en-le-Dale.  The central and largest settlement, where the church was built, is the small market town of Church Stretton, some 19 km. (12 miles/4 leagues). south-southwest of Shrewsbury and 20 km. (12 1/2 miles/4 leagues) north-north-west of Ludlow.  The village is dominated by the huge Long Mynd massif, which provides Church Stretton with both its views, and good, fresh spring water.
Little Stretton, Church Stretton, and All Stretton, are three small settlements that form the manor of Stretton-en-le-Dale.  The central and largest settlement, where the church was built, is the small market town of Church Stretton, some 19 km. (12 miles/4 leagues). south-southwest of Shrewsbury and 20 km. (12 1/2 miles/4 leagues) north-north-west of Ludlow.  The village is dominated by the huge Long Mynd massif, which provides Church Stretton with both its views, and good, fresh spring water.
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==Geological Information==
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==Geological Information about Church Stretton==
The parish's geology is almost entirely PreCambrian. The principal feature is the Church Stretton Fault running along the east side of the dale. East of the fault, broadly speaking, the hills are formed of what, apart from some small areas of schists near the Wrekin, are Shropshire's oldest rocks, the Uriconian volcanics: mainly Ragleth Tuffs, though Caer Caradoc's geology is complicated by Caer Caradoc Andesites and Cwms Rhyolites with intrusive igneous Dolerite. West of the fault the younger Longmyndian sedimentary rocks from the Long Mynd, their strata dipping almost vertically to the northwest, throwing up the Stretton Series of fine-grained siltstones and a thin band of Cardingmill Grit and, further west and beyond the parish boundary, the newer coarse-grained Wentnor Series; the higher parts of the Long Mynd are covered with head and, between All Stretton and Colliers Lye, areas of boulder clay.  In the centre of the dale Longmyndian rocks are exposed on both sides of the fault so that Stretton Shales from the lowest slopes not only of the Long Mynd but also of Ragleth and Helmeth hills and the south-western slope of Caer Caradoc hill; on the western slopes of the eastern hills, though not on the Long Mynd, Helmeth Grit, oldest of the Longmyndian rocks, appears from beneath the Stretton Shales. Small areas at the south end of Ragleth hill (around Wiresytch coppice) and at the eastern end of Minton township (around Queensbatch mill and Marshbrook) are Ordovician: Caradoc shales, flags, and sandstone. The floor of the dale consists of glacial deposits of boulder clay overlying Silurian shales and limestone; some of those shales, of the Llandovery and Wenlock Series, are exposed in the southern part of the dale, particularly around Minton. There are alluvial deposits along the courses of the streams and, here and there, islands of sand and gravel. Coal Measures have been encountered near Botvyle.
The parish's geology is almost entirely PreCambrian. The principal feature is the Church Stretton Fault running along the east side of the dale. East of the fault, broadly speaking, the hills are formed of what, apart from some small areas of schists near the Wrekin, are Shropshire's oldest rocks, the Uriconian volcanics: mainly Ragleth Tuffs, though Caer Caradoc's geology is complicated by Caer Caradoc Andesites and Cwms Rhyolites with intrusive igneous Dolerite. West of the fault the younger Longmyndian sedimentary rocks from the Long Mynd, their strata dipping almost vertically to the northwest, throwing up the Stretton Series of fine-grained siltstones and a thin band of Cardingmill Grit and, further west and beyond the parish boundary, the newer coarse-grained Wentnor Series; the higher parts of the Long Mynd are covered with head and, between All Stretton and Colliers Lye, areas of boulder clay.  In the centre of the dale Longmyndian rocks are exposed on both sides of the fault so that Stretton Shales from the lowest slopes not only of the Long Mynd but also of Ragleth and Helmeth hills and the south-western slope of Caer Caradoc hill; on the western slopes of the eastern hills, though not on the Long Mynd, Helmeth Grit, oldest of the Longmyndian rocks, appears from beneath the Stretton Shales. Small areas at the south end of Ragleth hill (around Wiresytch coppice) and at the eastern end of Minton township (around Queensbatch mill and Marshbrook) are Ordovician: Caradoc shales, flags, and sandstone. The floor of the dale consists of glacial deposits of boulder clay overlying Silurian shales and limestone; some of those shales, of the Llandovery and Wenlock Series, are exposed in the southern part of the dale, particularly around Minton. There are alluvial deposits along the courses of the streams and, here and there, islands of sand and gravel. Coal Measures have been encountered near Botvyle.
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== Shrewsbury - 13th Century History ==
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== Shrewsbury ==
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*[[Shrewsbury]]/Shewsbury/Shrewesbury/Sarop/Salop is the nearest major town to the player's starting location.
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SHREWSBURY IN THE MIDDLE AGES
 
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Shrewsbury began as a Saxon settlement. It was first mentioned in the year 901. Its place name ending 'bury' showed it was once a fortified settlement called a burgh.(The Saxons created a network of fortified settlements across England). Shrewsbury was probably protected by a ditch with an earth rampart and a wooden stockade. In the 10th century Shrewsbury had a mint so it must have been a fairly important place. At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 Shrewsbury probably had a population of about 1200. It would seem tiny to us but towns were very small in those days.
 
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The Normans built a wooden fort at Shrewsbury. However in 1069 a rebellion occurred and the rebles laid siege to the fort. When Norman reinforcements arrived the rebels set the town alight then fled. Although part of Shrewsbury burned the town soon recovered. (Fire, whether deliberate or accidental was a constant hazard in the Middle Ages when most buildings were of wood with thatched roofs. On the other hand if they burned down they could easily be rebuilt).
 
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Shrewsbury Abbey was founded in 1083 by Roger de Montgomery the first Earl of Shrewsbury. The same man built a castle in Shrewsbury to replace the rough wooden fort.
 
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In the Middle Ages Shrewsbury flourished. By the 12th century it had 2 bridges. In the early 12th century King Henry I gave Shrewsbury a charter (a document granting the townspeople certain rights). King Richard I gave Shrewsbury a 2nd charter in 1189. In the 13th century stone walls were built around Shrewsbury.
 
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By the 14th century Shrewsbury probably had a population of about 3,000. To us it would seem no more than a village but by medieval standards it was a fair sized town.
 
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There was an important leather industry in Shrewsbury. There were skinners and tanners in the town as well as shoemakers and glovers. In the late Middle Ages Shrewsbury grew prosperous on the Welsh wool and flax trade. There were many drapers and tailors in Shrewsbury.
 
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In the 13th century friars arrived in Shrewsbury. (Friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world they went out to preach and help the poor). Franciscan friars were called grey friars because of their grey costumes. Dominican friars were called black friars. There were also Austin friars in Shrewsbury.
 
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During the 13th century there was frequent warfare between the English and the Welsh. Shrewsbury was, obviously, in the front line because of its position. In 1215 Shrewsbury was captured by the Welsh under their leader Llewelyn the Great. However the Welsh only held the town for a short time. Nevertheless warfare between the English and the Welsh continued through the 13th century.
 
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== The County of Shropshire ==
== The County of Shropshire ==
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=== Locations in Shropshire ===
=== Locations in Shropshire ===
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{{Gazeteer}}
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Information garnered from various modern sources about the area of the time of the campaign.
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Edit the [[Template:Gazeteer]]
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[[Acton]],
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[[Acton Castle]],
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[[All Stretton]],
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[[Bishop's Castle]],
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[[Brockhurst Castle]],
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[[Clun]],
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[[Clun Castle]],
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[[Craven Arms]],
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[[Church Stretton]],
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[[Little Stretton]],
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[[The Long Mynd | Long Mynd]],
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[[Ludlow]],
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[[Ludlow Castle]],
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[[Much Wenlock]],
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[[Newton]],
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[[Norton Camp]],
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[[Shrewsbury]],
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[[Shrewsbury Castle]],
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[[Stokesay Castle]],
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[[Wenlock Edge]],
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[[Wistanstow]],
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[[Template:Place]] - Template for general locations<br>
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=== Maps of Shropshire ===
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[[Template:Castle]] - Template for castles and similar<br>
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=== Maps of Shropshire ===
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Immediate area [[around Church Stretton]]
[[Image:map_shropshire_01.gif]]
[[Image:map_shropshire_01.gif]]
[[Image:shropshire_map.gif]]
[[Image:shropshire_map.gif]]
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This page has a selection of maps, as a basis for discussions about the location of the game.
 
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Some maps show castle locations (where there are castles, there are bothersome nobles), roads (nosy passersby), roman-latin nomenclature, etc.
 
====A map of just Shropshire, showing Shrewsbury and the Strettons====
====A map of just Shropshire, showing Shrewsbury and the Strettons====
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====A series of blank maps of the local area====
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<small>These images were created using the two interactive map websites that can be found in [[OOC links]].  Feel free to use these, or create new maps, for any purpose that springs to mind, such as vis sources, covenant locations, etcetera.  Change them as you like.</small>
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<center><gallery>
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Image:localmap1.gif|A top down map of the larger area.
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Image:localmap2.gif|A top down map of the immediate area.
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Image:localmap3.gif|An angled map of the immediate area.
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Image:localmap4.gif|An angled map of the larger area.
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</gallery></center>
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== Maps of all or part of Britain ==
== Maps of all or part of Britain ==
<small>Click on the following thumbnails for full-size versions.  The largest files will present you with an intermediate-size thumbnail, and the option of downloading the very high resolution version of the picture.</small>
<small>Click on the following thumbnails for full-size versions.  The largest files will present you with an intermediate-size thumbnail, and the option of downloading the very high resolution version of the picture.</small>
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[[image:1399englanda.jpg|left|thumb|120px|A map of England in the year 1399.]]
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<center><gallery>
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[[image:Image5.jpg|left|thumb|120px|A map showing castle locations.]][[image:Image3.jpg|left|thumb|120px|A map showing castle locations.]]
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image:1399englanda.jpg|A map of England in the year 1399.
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[[image:Ecclesiastical_Brit_Isles.jpg|left|thumb|100px|An ecclesiastical map of the British Isles.]]
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image:Image5.jpg|left|thumb|120px|A map showing castle locations.
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[[image:ancient_britannia_1852.jpg|none|thumb|120px|Ancient Brittanica - 1852.]]
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image:Image3.jpg|A map showing castle locations.]]
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image:Ecclesiastical_Brit_Isles.jpg|An ecclesiastical map of the British Isles.
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image:ancient_britannia_1852.jpg|Ancient Brittanica - 1852.
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</gallery></center>
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== Random Notes ==
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== Maps of all or part of Europe ==
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[[image:Europe_1200.jpg|center|thumb|600px|A political map of Europe in the year 1200.]]
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=English Medieval History=
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<big>
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*[[Kings of England|Reigns of the Plantagenets]]
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*[[The Church of the 12th-13th Century]]
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{| border=2 |
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*[[A glossary of Medieval Terms]]
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| colspan=3 bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>PLANTAGENETS</b></center>
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| bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>Monarch</b></center>
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| bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>Reign</b></center>
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| bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>Date that regnal year commences.</b></center>
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|Henry II 
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|1154-1189 
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|19th December, 1154
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|Richard I 
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|1189-1199 
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|3 September, 1189
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|John     
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|1199-1216 
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|27th May, 1199
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|-
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|Henry III 
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|1216-1272 
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|28th October, 1216
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|-
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|Edward I 
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|1272-1307 
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|20th November, 1272
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|Edward II 
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|1307-1327 
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|8th July, 1307
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|-
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|Edward III
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|1327-1377 
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|25th January, 1327
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| colspan=3 |Regnal year is used in this period (from 1189) in civil documents and private charters in England. As an example, <i>1st January 1220</i> would be described as <i>1st January in the 4th Year of Henry III</i>.
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{| border=2 |
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*[[A timeline of events in the Medieval Period]]
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| colspan=3 bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>POPES of the same time.</b></center>
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</big>
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| bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>Pope</b></center></font>
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| bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>Reign</b></center></font>
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| bgcolor=gray | <font color=white><center><b>Notes</b></center></font>
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|-
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|Anastasias IV. 
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|1153-1154
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|-
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|Adrian V       
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|1154-1159
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|-
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|Alexander III 
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|1159-1181
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|-
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|Victor IV     
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|1159-1164
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|disupted papacy
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|-
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|Paschal III   
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|1164-1168
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|disputed papacy
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|-
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|Calixtus III 
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|1168-resigned 1178
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|disputed papacy
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|-
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|Innocent III 
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|1179; deposed 1180
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|disputed papacy
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|-
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|Lucius III     
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|1181-1185
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|-
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|Urban III     
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|1185-1187
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|-
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|Gregory VIII
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|1187-1187
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|-
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|Clement III   
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|1187-1191
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|-
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|Celestine III 
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|1191-1198
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|-
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|Innocent III   
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|1198-1216
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|-
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|Honorius III
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|1216-1227
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|d.18 March 1227
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|-
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|Gregory IX     
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|1227-1241
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|Celestine IV   
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|1241-1241
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|Innocent IV   
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|1243-1254
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|Alexander IV   
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|1254-1261
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|Urban IV       
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|1261-1264
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|-
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|Clement IV     
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|1265-1268
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|-
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|Gregory X     
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|1271-1276
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|-
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|Innocent V     
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|1276-1276
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|-
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|Adrian V       
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|1276-1276
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|-
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|John XXI       
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|1276-1277
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|-
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|Nicholas III   
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|1277-1280
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|
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|-
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|Martin IV     
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|1281-1285
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|-
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|Honorius IV   
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|1285-1287
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|-
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|Nicholas IV   
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|1288-1292
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|-
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|Celestine V   
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|1294-resigned 1294
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|-
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|Boniface VIII 
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|1294-1303
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|
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|-
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|Benedict XI   
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|1303-1304
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|
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|-
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|Clement V     
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|1305-1314
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|
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|-
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|John XXII     
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|1316-1334
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|
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Current revision as of 18:41, 15 March 2006

Contents

Local Medieval History and Geography

Where are we?

A picture of Church Stretton, "Carding" valley, the roman road, and the Long Mynd massif, as they appear in modern times.


The game begins with the players and their retinue arriving at an inn in the small hamlet of Church Stretton.

Little Stretton, Church Stretton, and All Stretton, are three small settlements that form the manor of Stretton-en-le-Dale. The central and largest settlement, where the church was built, is the small market town of Church Stretton, some 19 km. (12 miles/4 leagues). south-southwest of Shrewsbury and 20 km. (12 1/2 miles/4 leagues) north-north-west of Ludlow. The village is dominated by the huge Long Mynd massif, which provides Church Stretton with both its views, and good, fresh spring water.

All the settlements lie near, but not on, the Roman road from Deva (Chester) via Viroconium Cornoviorum (Wroxeter) to Isca (Caerleon, Mon.) The road, itself known as Botte (Bot) Street, gave a name to the three Strettons, All Stretton apparently taking its particular name from one Alfred, the nature of whose connection with the settlement is not known.

Between Little Stretton and Church Stretton lies Brockhurst Hill, upon which a modest castle has been newly constructed to watch over the roman road.

The Long Mynd, or 'Long Mountain', is a ridge of high ground in South Shropshire, running roughly SW to NE, and extending some 15 km. (9 miles/3 leagues) in length, between the Stiperstones to the west, and Wenlock Edge to the east. The rock is pre-Cambrian, though not as old as the volcanic rock of the Stretton hills (Lawley, Caradoc and Ragleth) to the east. The highest point is Pole Bank, 516m. (1693 ft.) above sea level. An ancient track, the Portway, runs along the top of the ridge.


Geological Information about Church Stretton

The parish's geology is almost entirely PreCambrian. The principal feature is the Church Stretton Fault running along the east side of the dale. East of the fault, broadly speaking, the hills are formed of what, apart from some small areas of schists near the Wrekin, are Shropshire's oldest rocks, the Uriconian volcanics: mainly Ragleth Tuffs, though Caer Caradoc's geology is complicated by Caer Caradoc Andesites and Cwms Rhyolites with intrusive igneous Dolerite. West of the fault the younger Longmyndian sedimentary rocks from the Long Mynd, their strata dipping almost vertically to the northwest, throwing up the Stretton Series of fine-grained siltstones and a thin band of Cardingmill Grit and, further west and beyond the parish boundary, the newer coarse-grained Wentnor Series; the higher parts of the Long Mynd are covered with head and, between All Stretton and Colliers Lye, areas of boulder clay. In the centre of the dale Longmyndian rocks are exposed on both sides of the fault so that Stretton Shales from the lowest slopes not only of the Long Mynd but also of Ragleth and Helmeth hills and the south-western slope of Caer Caradoc hill; on the western slopes of the eastern hills, though not on the Long Mynd, Helmeth Grit, oldest of the Longmyndian rocks, appears from beneath the Stretton Shales. Small areas at the south end of Ragleth hill (around Wiresytch coppice) and at the eastern end of Minton township (around Queensbatch mill and Marshbrook) are Ordovician: Caradoc shales, flags, and sandstone. The floor of the dale consists of glacial deposits of boulder clay overlying Silurian shales and limestone; some of those shales, of the Llandovery and Wenlock Series, are exposed in the southern part of the dale, particularly around Minton. There are alluvial deposits along the courses of the streams and, here and there, islands of sand and gravel. Coal Measures have been encountered near Botvyle.

From: 'Church Stretton', A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 10: Munslow Hundred (part), The Liberty and Borough of Wenlock (1998), pp. 72-120. URL: http://british.history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=22861. Date accessed: 26 January 2006.


Shrewsbury

  • Shrewsbury/Shewsbury/Shrewesbury/Sarop/Salop is the nearest major town to the player's starting location.

The County of Shropshire

The History of Shropshire

History of Shropshire from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britanica

Locations in Shropshire

Information garnered from various modern sources about the area of the time of the campaign.
Acton, Acton Castle, All Stretton, Bishop's Castle, Brockhurst Castle, Cheyney Longville, Clun, Clun Castle, Craven Arms, Church Stretton, Little Stretton, Long Mynd, Ludlow, Ludlow Castle, Much Wenlock, Newton, Norton Camp, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Castle, Stokesay Castle, Wenlock Edge, Wistanstow,

Edit the Template:Gazeteer

Maps of Shropshire

Immediate area around Church Stretton Image:map_shropshire_01.gif Image:shropshire_map.gif

A map of just Shropshire, showing Shrewsbury and the Strettons

Click for an excellent, very high resolution map. n.b. hills are heavily stylised.


A series of blank maps of the local area

These images were created using the two interactive map websites that can be found in OOC links. Feel free to use these, or create new maps, for any purpose that springs to mind, such as vis sources, covenant locations, etcetera. Change them as you like.

A top down map of the larger area.

A top down map of the immediate area.

An angled map of the immediate area.

An angled map of the larger area.

Maps of all or part of Britain

Click on the following thumbnails for full-size versions. The largest files will present you with an intermediate-size thumbnail, and the option of downloading the very high resolution version of the picture.

A map of England in the year 1399.

left|thumb|120px|A map showing castle locations.

A map showing castle locations.]]

An ecclesiastical map of the British Isles.

Ancient Brittanica - 1852.

Maps of all or part of Europe

A political map of Europe in the year 1200.

English Medieval History

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