While people around the country were sadly losing their roofs yesterday, I was hunkered down modelling my own on some new buildings...
The distinctive vernacular architecture of C15 Jersey. A combination of grey-buff coloured granite walls, pale limestone mortar and thatch looking more like parts of Ireland or the Yorkshire Dales. They would be equally applicable in parts of rural Normandy and Brittany. Distinctive stone gable ends, interesting features on chimneys called 'witches seats' and a variety of other peculiar structures and features make this a fascinating project.
I plan to have a manorhouse/farm, barn, dovecote, church and cottages and maybe even a post mill if I can find an example from the region. The buildings are mostly based on those at Hamptonne country museum https://www.jerseyheritage.org/explore/find-a-place-to-visit/hamptonne-country-life-museum/
and St Lawrence church, which has an interesting Norman saddle back tower amid later Early gothic features. http://stlawrence-church.org/
What you see are the basic foamcore and card shells after a few hours work which will be clad in styrofoam panels with scribed stone detailing. The thatch will be added in Finescale Milliput.
The overall proportions of the church are a little skewed by the construction method but it is a passable caricature of St. Lawrence c.1460. Almost finished 'topping out' the church on Sunday after the tedious laying of strip card to recreate the stone tile roof. Only the transepts to finish off before I can start adding detail to the stone gable ends. Once gluing the additional bits is completed I can move to scribing the door, window and stone detailing, filling gaps and covering with milliput stonework where necessary...
It's great to see your step-by-step process, Neil. Thanks for sharing, and good luck with the rest of the topping out!
Simon
A quick w.i.p. status check on the Jersey project... a general shot of scratchbuilt dry stone walls, manor house, barn, colombier (dovecote), medieval fields, drainage ditches, bocage, hills and cottages... all made in the last few months. The masons (i.e. me) have yet to complete the parish church which is notable by its absence. I think there will also be a post-mill at some point and some hedges and wattle fencing to keep the sheep of the hamlet's kitchen gardens.
The good folk of the St. Ouen parish militia muster under the watchful eye of their seigneur, Philippe de Carteret.
Neil
Excellent looking scenery.
Your buildings (and sceneries in general !) are super lovely !!
Brillant !
Lovely stuff!
Simon
Little to add over the summer months with other real life projects getting in the way. Figure painting is ticking over gently but i made some progress on a small chapel and some boundary stone walling and wattle fencing. St Lawrence still remains stubbornly unfinished...
Quote from: sukhe_bator (Neil) on July 08, 2022, 04:13:58 PM
St Lawrence still remains stubbornly unfinished...
Gaudi had a similar problem.....🙃
Hopefully I'll get it done in my lifetime! :o
Quote from: sukhe_bator (Neil) on July 09, 2022, 07:37:59 AM
Hopefully I'll get it done in my lifetime! :o
Always good to have a deadline...(excuse the pun) 😊👍🏼
June is developing a Medieval Jersey vibe... I'm finally getting close to completing my take on St. Lawrence church. There was a surprising amount of surfaces to scribe detail onto... and numerous gaps and corners to fill with Milliput. A couple of the larger windows will need separately modelling with their tracery and inserting...
Neil
And a more modest Norman chapel and medieval churchyard cross... There is also a Lych gate in the pipeline and some kirkyard boundary walling
Neil
Lovely work, Neil!
Simon
Really nice Neil.
I think you have the colour well too.
It would make a great backdrop for a whole BB game. "Sack the Abbey".
martin :)
Sadly most of the Jerrais religious houses were closely affiliated with their Normandais neighbours across the water. I think the French Abbots would have looked askance at such outrageous behaviour by their Norman brethren... they were used as parish armouries though. A Medieval version of a raid on a local militia's arms cache is probably in order! ;D
Neil
Been a while since I've posted here... based on some terrain activity by a fellow gamers on the SCW site I've got the wind in my sails and embarked on a new project...
I finally found an ideal historic example to base my Jerrais version on...
https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/museums-and-heritage-sites/ecomuseum-roumois-terres-vivantes-in-normandy/
A somewhat unpromising beginning using styrofoam scraps...
Neil
Ah - I can tell what it will be ;)
Simon
A snowman?
martin :)
Still just a lump atm as I exorcise my AK47 terrain making demon. It will come to fruition at some point in the not too distant future!
Neil
After a long hiatus this is finally taking shape!
Hey, it's only just over a year since your last post on this, Neil.
That's nothing in terms of my wargame project timescales ;D
Looking very nice, by the way.
Simon
If you're after photos or descriptions have you tried Société Jersiaise, Jersey Heritage or the National Trust for Jersey? They can be very helpful.
Derek of Cambridge
Quote from: Bankinista on February 09, 2026, 12:40:59 AMIf you're after photos or descriptions have you tried Société Jersiaise, Jersey Heritage or the National Trust for Jersey? They can be very helpful.
Way ahead of you, Derek
That has been one of my chief sources, that and various conservation and historical surveys of the island. The gentrification and later alteration of the houses make recreations of the late Medieval period problematic, but there are some old photos about that have been fascinating. Hamptonne country life museum has been very a wonderful source too.
Neil
After a considerable hiatus, I finally managed to complete my Jerrais stone tower mill... Based on an example in Hauville, Normandy
Neil
(https://i.postimg.cc/nLCvLG6b/IMG-2153.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XZ6ZHdjQ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/tgYhgNLb/IMG-2154.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/67x7jnWb)
That looks excellent, Neil.
Museum-level quality?
Simon
I wish!
I have been heavily inspired by many older historical reconstruction models I ogled as a kid in places like the Museum of London. There are a few still around. It is heartening to see they have not entirely gone out of fashion though... this more recent offering has inspired me to go on to make some other medieval buildings, including some timber framed two storey buildings.
https://sarahhayes.org/2012/08/10/exploring-medieval-birmingham/
Neil
Very nice Neil
martin :)