"Frischermont" Topic

Frischermont is possibly the least known building at Waterloo. I've been piecing together the limited evidence and my father has been constructing the model using the that evidence.

This is a useful diagram of the farm:

This is slightly fanciful but roughly accurate:

It ties up with this photograph:

Our model shows these barns thus:

This drawing shows the tower in the southeast corner:

Our rendering of the tower:

The eastern side of the farm:

The dwelling on the north side of the complex:

The whole farm with some walls still to be built:

Frischermont, Smohain, La Haye and Papelotte in relation to each other:

These are splendid models and great detective work trying to figure out what they looked like. So many of the 'farms' in the 100 Days seem to be effectively small castles. Is this peculiar to the region or do such structures feature in other battles that just don't get the in-depth coverage of Waterloo.
The Granery at Essling being an exception.

I think that translating "Chateau" to "Castle" is overstating any military significance. These were stately homes, owned by lords of the manor. That they were well enclosed, with high brick walls, proved fortunate, but I do have the impression that such places were then sought out, as more defensible.

So, it is a self fulfilling prophecy, that enclosed, up market and expensive, farms feature more prominently in the Napoleonic Era. They were more likely to be defended and contested, by definition. Then they appear in the history books

My sense is that the defensive nature of these farms was more about rural crime and brigandage than war itself, but as Deadhead says, they became handy places to defend in a battle. Except of course that at Waterloo Frischermont was nearer to the French than Allied lines so it was less about the Orange Nassau's defending it from the French, than the French defending it from the Prussians.

I was not saying that they were castles, simply that they were well adapted to defence against anything but artillery. Also, as Waterloo seems so well supplied with such features that exert an influence on the battle why don't they feature more in other battles? Of course an alternative could be that their significance at Waterloo is overplayed?

Super looking model. Any details on the techniques used?

It's a good question Billy, and perhaps others can shed more light.

Artilleryman, the models are built by my father. I work out the measurements carefully, utilising available data from Google Earth, contemporary pictures snd other records. Together, we draw a detailed plan with precise measurements.

He uses thick card to build the walls, bought from an art shop. We sometimes clad the buildings in H00 brick.

In this instance, we have used windows generously provided by Deadhead. The roofs are made by selecting the right sort of cardboard box, which, when carefully peeled apart, reveal an internal corrugation which make excellent tiles. Getting these small enough is critical – too often, war game model roofs look outsized and lumpen.

The white building is then painted in acrylic paints and mounted on the terrain.

I should add that in this instance the evidence suggests a slate roof rather than tiles, so this effect is created by using narrow strips of thin card scored at equidistant intervals. This creates the natural look of roofing which is more realistic than plastic roof sheets which look too stiff.

Magnificent modeling.

Well done! It looks pretty accurate to me!

The windows were a pure fluke. I had no idea that Frischermont had anything remotely like them, let alone identical.

It is the old story, if you keep a thing long enough, you end with an awful lot of things and in an attic that is inaccessible.

Excellent research and lovely modelling.

James's dad gets better and better.

Best wishes,

Chris

Thanks Chris!