Essex and the Battle of Edgehill
John Lobban (1919-1996)
Category
Coins and medals
Date
1992
Materials
Silver
Measurements
517 mm (Diameter)
Place of origin
United Kingdom
Order this imageCollection
Osterley Park and House, London
NT 773249
Summary
Silver, Essex and the Battle of Edgehill, medal designed by John Lobban (1919-1996) and Michael Harvey (1931-2013), struck Royal Mint, Llantrisant, 1992. A silver medal depicting Robert Devereux, Third Earl of Essex (1591-1646) and the Battle of Edgehill on 23 October 1642. The second medal in a set of twelve issued by the Royal Mint in 1992 and 1993, to mark the 350th Anniversary of the English Civil War. The obverse, designed by John Lobban, shows a melée, with a mounted Parliamentarian at left firing his pistol, and striking another cavalryman who falls from his horse. At right a third cavalryman brandishes a sword. Artist’s monogram 'JL' at far left. The descriptive legend on the reverse, designed by Michael Harvey (1931-2013), reads 'ESSEX AND THE BATTLE OF EDGEHILL/. 23 OCTOBER 1642. / For God and King Charles'. The latter phrase refers to the cry used by the King’s supporters during and after the war.
Full description
The Civil War was fought, mainly in England, between 1642 and 1649, the result of a long struggle for power between King Charles I (1600-49) and Parliament. The Battle of Edgehill, in Warwickshire, was the first pitched battle in the Civil War. It took place as the Parliamentary army, under the command of the Earl of Essex, sought to prevent the royalist forces under Charles from advancing to London. Combat took place over some three days, with 23 October the main day of battle. The result was regarded as a stalemate, but the royalist advance towards London was only held up, not prevented. This was the second in a series of twelve medals issued by the Royal Mint at monthly intervals from June 1992, to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the outbreak of the English Civil War. The twelve medals illustrate the significant points in the conflict, from the raising of Charles I’s standard at Nottingham on 22 August 1642, to his execution on 30 January 1649. The designs of the obverses of the medals were commissioned from three leading contemporary artists, John Lobban, Michael Rizzello and Avril Vaughan, whilst the reverses, each of which contains a quotation relating to the subject of the medal, were designed by the distinguished lettering artist Michael Harvey, best-known for the names of celebrated Renaissance artists carved into the stonework of the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery. Michael Harvey’s original artwork for the series is in the Library of the University of Reading (URL MS 5115, file 392). The selection of the twelve episodes and the accompanying legend was devised by the historian of Tudor coinage Dr Christopher Challis. The medals were issued in silver and in bronze, in editions of 2,500 and 5,000, retailing at £84.50 or £49.50 per medal respectively. It was possible to buy the medals singly or as a set of twelve, the latter housed in an African walnut case. The whole series is in the collection at Osterley, but without the wooden case (NT 773248-773258, NT 773623). Jeremy Warren 2019
Provenance
Given to the National Trust in 1993 by George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910-1998).
Marks and inscriptions
Obverse, at far left: JL (John Lobban monogram) Reverse, legend: ESSEX AND THE BATTLE OF EDGEHILL. / 23 OCTOBER 1642. / For God and King Charles
Makers and roles
John Lobban (1919-1996), designer Michael Harvey (1931-2013), designer The Royal Mint, manufacturer