Our copy of Charles Oman's account of the Battle of Lewes comes from the original 1885 edition of his book "The Art of War in the Middle Ages", now obtainable only from second hand and antiquarian booksellers.  The current version is the 1998 reprint of the 1991 Greenhill Books edition of "The Art of War in the Middle Ages" (see above).  There are two volumes in the set; only volume 1 concerns us. This military classic covers the transition of warfare from the fall of the Roman Empire to the battle of Marchfeld in 1278.  It gives a brief strategic overview of each period before delving into detailed descriptions of tactics, weapons, armour and organisation of the armies involved. Only a few battles are considered from each period, selected for their significance and most importantly to illustrate the particulars of warfare for each period, and is written in an approachable and exciting style, as you will see from this excerpt.

For information about the Battlefieds Trust contact Michael Rayner, Meadow Cottage, 33 High Green, Brooke, Norwich NR15 1HR tel. 01508 558145 or visit the website http://www.battlefieldstrust.com/