Essex Under Arms: the early years to 1900
Author: Ken Smith ISBN: 0 86025 490 9	£9.95 at Parish Chest

The people of Essex have always felt the need to defend their territory. This is traced from prehistoric times, through the Roman invasion and Boudicca’s rebellion and its aftermath, to the Count of the Saxon Shore and the defence against Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Vikings. After the Norman Conquest and its castles came the Peasants’ Revolt and then the mobilisation of the peasantry.

The English Civil Wars created havoc, especially in the Colchester region and this was followed by the Dutch incursions into the Thames. Next came the Napoleonic threat and the Militias, evacuation plans and hurried defences. There is a review of blockhouses, forts and armaments in general and of the Regiments raised in or named after the county and their exploits.

128 pages, 40 photographs, 5 maps

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