Research - I honestly prefer to base my WIP about the Restoration era court of King Charles on fact. But, having the misfortune of being born over 300 years to late to see it for myself and take notes as Pepys did, I have to settle for the often vague and teasing accounts or the dry and dusty words left by others who did get to see it all in person.
Right now I'm researching the 1651 Battle at Worcester and Charles 'escape afterwards. It all happened 9 years before he was able to return to England, but I think it was a very significant event in his life. All writers have to interpret the 'research' they do in order to turn it into story that others might want to read, and I see this event and the weeks he spent in peril afterwards as things that colored much he did as well as influenced his attitudes as King... and so, it is to the long ago battlefield of Worcester I must journey.
I'll record the research notes and sources I find here, any odd thoughts and plot points that occur to me as I work through the process. Interesting? Can't promise that - but it will be a nice place to keep track of my 'sources'! I am very, very impatiently awaiting the arrival of the book titled 'Worcester' - you can follow the link to check it out. Yes, I ordered it 6 days ago, live in the US and would greatly appreciate it if the thing would get here from the UK, as in like NOW please? Oh well, at least it's not coming by square-rigged sailing ship, all the way across the Atlantic, around South America, and up to California. but still...
Any who wish, feel free to explore with me - access to my time machine is free to all :D
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Oh me too...I was at Moseley Old Hall last week and not at all intrested in Charles the second. But then I noticed how similar my son was in appearance to the young king and suddenly the story became personal (silly reason, but that's the way things are). My grandmother lived in Spies Lane just up from the Royal Oak public house (so this part of Charles's story would be the journey from Quinton to Bromsgrove) and my father had told me the story of Charles when I was young; suddenly the connection was made between my past and this old story as I stood looking into the priesthole poor Charles had had to hide within the whole night through. So I have just bought the first part of 'The Monarch's Way' from Amazon. It would be mighty strange to do the journey by foot -and quite a long way indeed!
ReplyDeleteAs I have just found this blog entry of yours and I don't see a date I do not know how your journy is progressing. But I live close to Worcester, and Bromsgrove and Quinton and if you would like me to send you photographs of any specific places connected with Charles, I'll be pleased to help out.
Best wishes
Jo