Little bit different post- but if you like reading, there is quite a good book called the "Gunpowder Plot" - mostly covers the politics and social history (rathee than eg the technical side of "how would 36 barrels going off affected the king..." ) But is a good historical narrative. History book in a more traditional way- I have read a few recently about the SAS (The Italian Job) and World War One which (SAS) seem to go for a "heros and villains" approach, and the WW1 stuff tends be quite emotive. Like all the pilots that got shot down so quickly. Gunpowder plot was much further back of course, but still is a good sort of non-emotional look at events. That said, there was a fatalism/fanaticism about the plotters, which is not unlike certain groups today . Interesting!
It's thought that the powder may have been spanish as this was traded all over europe and into the middle east. Spanish powder at that time was regarded as the finest in the world. A bit later on, our own powder rivaled that of the spaniards and was exported to spain and much further afield. The majority of that powder was made in my birth county of Cumbria. If you want to have a fascinating read about this period of excellent british manufacture and enginuity: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780952302889/Gunpowder-Mills-Cumbria-History-Cumbrias-0952302888/plp There are still remnants of mills and milling machinery hidden throughout the Lake District and this book gives you precise locations and directions to find them. I've visited a few. Well worth a scenic exploration if you fancy a treck out one day. Interestingly, I reside in a boat on the Lancaster canal. Specifically built for transporting gunpowder and mineral and metal ores mined throughout the Lakeland fells. The canal once stretched from Kendal (lots of wealth from powder mill owners was fed into this town to make it what it is today) to Preston. Sadly, after the decline of horse-drawn barges and with no foresight of the canls growing into a massively successful leisure industry, they slapped the M6 right through it at Tewitfield and severed it in half. A real real shame.
Grab a brew and watch this. Beautiful yet sad and interesting too. All part of our gunpowder manufacturing past. The northern reaches of the canal which used to ferry huge quantities of powder from Hincaster, Sedgewick and all the other many many mills. Now dried up and forgotten.
Thanks I am fond of local and industrial history, so wll check this out. Very specific, but as you mention it, do you happen to know anything about "the bunkers" which are just outside Dolphinholme inLancaster? It's a country road, in some woodland - heading out of Dolphiholme - there are a series of now ruined hanger/bunker shaped buildings, theyare on both sides of the little road and oppite each other. Possibly has another explaination- I'm sure could be mundane- but having cycled past them in the past I wonder if theyare munitions storage at one point or si ialr. Does that ring any bells? Here is a map- noview at all from the air- which I feel might be the point! big red circle is where they are, there is also a ruined house nearby- now blocked off, I think going to fall off the edge soon.
Most stuff like this is on subbrit, but it doesn't look like an ROC post to me: https://www.subbrit.org.uk/locations/lancashire/
Start on YouTube, "Sub Exploration" and "IKS Exploration" are both British and both very good. "The Proper People" are American and more urban exploration, but the quality of their camerawork and production is superb. Its hella addictive. My condolences in advance for the loss of your evenings for the next few weeks
Well, What are winter nights for if not popping a log on the fire, pouring a glass of port and relaxing...I shall start right away...Good by for now.
Thanks! Glad they are what we thought they were, too- the location and and style does have an ordenance look about it- hidden and unifrom. No warning signs or anything around them too.
