Today is the feast day of Saints Crispin and Crispinian, who are venerated not far from here at Soissons. A very tenuous link to our Forest, it would seem, but it was on this day, 611 years ago, that tradition has the longbow prevailing against French armour at Agincourt.
Antoine of Burgundy had a haras in the Forest and met his end at that battle in northern France. After capture, being in pieces of borrowed armour, he was not seen to be worth ransoming and was executed.
Should you walk up Puttendreef, along the valley of the Ijse towards the Ganzepootvijver, you will walk through the haras, as shown on René Stevens’ maps of a century or so ago.
A couple of years ago I wrote a short story entitled The Ivy and the Arrows. It was my first attempt and, although proud of it at the time, I see that it hasn’t aged well. Still, if your interest has been piqued by today’s anniversary, leave a comment below and I’ll send you a copy.