beacons

conservativecave ^ | August 28, 2009 | franksolich

[franksolich]

I just got done reading a book about England during the Dark Ages.

By the way, there exists startling similarities between Ethelred the Unready ("unready" in this sense meaning "uncounseled") and Pa Kettle in the White House; in fact, one can predict Pa Kettle's foreign policy strategy by reading of Ethelred's.

Anyway.

There is much mention of military communications during this period (say, circa 500-1066 A.D.), which was facilitated by lighting beacons. Apparently it took a rider on a fast horse four days to get from the North of England to London, but with the use of beacons, messages could be carried that same distance within half a day.

However, the book is vague about exactly what "beacons" were; it gives the impression they were a series of free-standing bonfires located every so far apart, but that can't quite be it.

Whatever they were, was there some sort of "code," perhaps?

It had to be something different from Native American smoke signals.

Whether by day or by night, I can't see where such was effective communication, unless it was the general "we're in trouble, send help" sort of message. It doesn't seem to me long detailed messages, or even short detailed messages, could've been done this way.

Anybody have any idea?

Whatever it was, it worked--but what was it, and how did it work?

[franksolich]

The above's the whole thing, but if one wishes to read other comments by military experts over there, the link is good.

[ClearCase_guy]

Note that beacons were used in the LOTR. Gondor communicated from one end to another (and also to Rohan) through a long series of beacons (bonfires on hills). Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon, so he had excellent knowledge of such things.

Although communication would be extremely limited, even that can be useful. At the time of the Norman conquest (1066) King Harold was basically concerned that both a Viking invasion in the north and a Norman invasion in the south were coming. As it happened, the Vikings landed first, Harold marched north and beat them, then marched south to deal with the subsequent arrival of William in the south. I do not know if beacons were used on this occasion, but one can imagine the need to signal "We got invaders at this end of the chain" was well established in prior centuries when the Danes came over regularly.

[franksolich]

Yes, when Harold was in the North of England, having just defeated the Vikings, he received news of the landing by the Duke of Normandy on the southern coast of England within 24 hours, perhaps less, via these beacons.

He had very little time to celebrate—about one night and one morning—and had to go south like, right away, after the message was received.

[az_gila]

Some interesting stuff here with respect to present names in Dartmoor, England —

http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/beacon_fires.htm

[Bean Counter]

I suggest you get ahold of Bernard Cornwell’s series “Warlord” and his “Winter King” series, both consist of three volumes.

Cornwell is very good at taking historical events and weaving an excellent tale around it, and these two series both deal with history in early Britain under the Saxons, as well as Cornall’s interpretation of the origins of King Arthur, the Usurper.

He has also written his version of the Battle of Agincourt which is another amazingly good read. Shakespeare got close, but Cornwell is more plausible...(Hey you guys! Come on! vs “We few, we merry few...”)

I first discovered Cornwell through his Richard sharp series about the Napoleonic Wars, British India, and the tales he wove around all of Wellington’s many battles. He is one of my all time favorite authors and his stories are just fascinating.

It is fiction, but it is plausible fiction and he gives you a real feel for what it may have been like in the period surrounding actual events from History.

Go up on Amazon and do a search. There are hundreds of used Cornwell volumes available both in hard cover and paperback for a couple of bucks a copy...

[SunkenCiv]

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[sneakers]

“Lighting of the Beacons” from Lord of the Rings

video clip (one of my favorite scenes in the move!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6LGJ7evrAg

[doodad]

I thought it was interesting too that out West, the army communicated via mirrors flashing morse code from hilltops. Pretty clever.

[Molly Pitcher]

The beacons were ignited to warn of invasions. They could be seen for miles, and then down the coast, the next one would be ignited, and so forth. Famously they were used to warn of the Spanish Armada's approach to England.

The beacons were visual...but think of them like the warning bells inside a frontier fort warning those of the outside of danger: a call to arms and protection inside the stockade.

[wildbill]

The Minute Men used simple, but effective, beacon codes in our Revolution.

How can we forget, “One if by land, two if by sea, and I on the opposite shore will be.”

[franksolich]

Well, but sir, that is a little different.

The historian who wrote this book about life in England during the Dark Ages (the book covers circa 500-1066 A.D.), gives the impression these “beacons” were bonfires, not lanterns.

That’s what I’m trying to figure out here; how does one convey a message via bonfires, other than just a vague general one, “we’re in trouble, send help”?

Apparently such was possible, but I have no idea how.

[wildbill]

one bonfire if by land, two bonfires if by sea.

And I on the opposite mountain will be.