The Siege of Swayne Castle

by R.C. Sherriff

Lord Swayne owned a well-protected castle on a particularly strategic stretch of the English coast. A powerful Earl with estates nearby coveted the castle and its surrounding land. Under the guise of protecting King John from treachery, he declared his intention of 'smashing the castle to the ground, hanging the garrison amidst its ruins and wiping the pestilent Swaynes off the face of the earth'. Lord Swayne had some advantages however, one of which was that he held the Earl's son, Gregory, captive.

This is a fascinating account of a medieval siege. It is also the story of the growing friendship between two boys, Lord Swayne's son Roger, and his prisoner, Gregory.

'The techniques and tragedies of medieval siege can seldom have been described in such a clear-cut, practical way; this exciting one-thing-after-another tale should be spread very widely among history-lovers and also those who have scant interest in the past.' Sunday Times

191 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Robert Cedric Sherriff was an English writer best known for his play Journey's End which was based on his experiences as a Captain in World War I. He wrote several plays, novels, and screenplays, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) and two British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't stress enough how useful this will prove if you ever find yourself besieged in a medieval castle, or trying to breach a medieval castle. Invaluable. As in Sherriff's post-apocalyptic The Hopkins Manuscript , it features chickens. Come to think of it, a chicken also plays a part in Act III of Journey's End . I think this may be the literary key that unlocks Sherriff.