Medieval Trebuchet Launches Car 60 Feet Into The Air

[Initech]

The car was the first object to be hurled by the trebuchet – a 60ft medieval siege weapon – which was set up at a farm in Shropshire. And it was followed through the skies by a church organ and a petrol bomb, which detonated in mid-air.

Hundreds of people gathered to watch the spectacle, which was held yesterday to raise money for a new organ at Acton Round Church, near Bridgnorth.

The trebuchet was commissioned by Journey’s End Wines, a vineyard in South Africa, to raise funds for the organ and causes local to the winery near Stellenbosch. The event also marked the launch of the Journey’s End 2008 Trebuchet Syrah.

Rollo Gabb, who lives at Munslow, near Craven Arms, and whose family owns and runs Journey’s End, said: “Ever since I first saw a trebuchet in action nearly 20 years ago I have wanted to include one in a project – and tying it in with one of our vintages seemed like an ideal opportunity.

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/06/24/car-is-launched-from-trebuchet-at-shropshire-fundraiser/

[Skinner]

1. Awesome.

I want one.

[bluedigger]

14. Just a short drive up I-95...

http://www.punkinchunkin.com/

[Skinner]

17. I've been to punkin chunkin.

Back before it was famous. 1994.

[bluedigger]

18. That's about when I was there, give or take.

Maybe we ducked together.

[Skinner]

19. Maybe.

I was there on a campaign stop with Charlie Oberly, who was challenging Bill Roth for US Senate. I was his driver. Pretty exciting for a 23-year-old kid.

[bluedigger]

20. I was there drinking.

Entirely normal for a mid-30's degenerate.

I remember they were going beyond the range of the field - around 5,000' - and they put a punkin through someone's chicken shed.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. On Northern Exposure, it was a piano.

[marble falls]

3. Gotta get me one.

[shenmue]

4. Wow, that was awesome!

You don't hear the word 'trebuchet' often enough nowadays.

[ashling]

5. Oh no?

I use that font all the time

[MynameisBlarney]

8. You do if you play Age of Empires, lol.

[Initech]

12. Or Civilization V like I do!

[xtraxritical]

6. The piano went farther and sounded better.

[Stuckinthebush]

7. Fetcha de moo!

Makes me think of Monte Python.

[Divernan]

9. I saw a modern replica at Mighty Urquhart Castle at Loch Ness

Edward I (Edward Longshanks) brought siege engines to Scotland and had more of them built there. During the Scottish Wars of Independence they were used in many battles and given pet names. Brother Robert, Segrave, Vicar, Parson, Gloucester and the notorious War Wolf were all present at the Battle of Sterling. . Urquhuart Castle suffered a siege in Septemer 1303 when it fell into the hands of Edward I's army. The modern replica there today was based on the work of Villard de Honnecourt, a 13th century French architect. The largest trebuchets had counterweights of up to 20 tons and could fire an object up to 400 metres (437 yards, or the length of 4 football fields).
War Wolf, i.e., Loupe de guerre, is believed to be the largest trebuchet ever made.

As described in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warwolf

When disassembled, the weapon would fill 30 wagons (current measurements put it at about 300–400 feet). It took five master carpenters and forty-nine other labourers at least three months to complete.

A contemporary account of the siege states, "During this business the king had carpenters construct a fearful engine called the loup-de-guerre (sic., War wolf), and this when it threw, brought down the whole wall."

Even before construction could be completed, the sight of the giant engine so intimidated the Scots that they tried to surrender. Edward sent the truce party back inside the castle, declaring, "You don't deserve any grace, but must surrender to my will." Edward decided to carry on with the siege and witness for himself the power of the masterful weapon. The Warwolf accurately hurled missiles weighing as much as three hundred pounds and levelled a large section of the curtain wall.

Aftermath
The recapture of Stirling Castle ten years later by the Scots was the immediate cause of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, when Edward Longshanks's son Edward II of England came with an army two or three times the Scottish numbers, and lost.

The day I visited Urquhart Castle, I also cruised Loch Ness for 3 hours, but Nessie did not put in an appearance. If you can ever visit the Scottish Highlands, do so - very wild beauty!

[toby jo]

13. Have been wanting to go there since forever.

Maybe now that my curiousity over how far a car can be launched by a trebuchet has been quenched, I'll make it....

Thanks for the link.

[Divernan]

16. Try a week's programme based at the House of Aigas nature study centre.

This place is a gem, with opportunity after opportunity to experience amazing wildlife in stunning locations. You can "look long at some portion of the earth (the wild highlands) as it was before man tampered with it." To get there from the states, fly into Edinburgh and take a scenic and comfortable ScotRail train ride to Inverness. An Aigas field ranger will meet you at the station and drive you to Aigas. As a solo traveler, I really appreciated the fact that there was no single supplement charge. As the Brits say, good value for the money.
Here's the link:
http://www.aigas.co.uk/about-aigas.asp

The place truly is as stunningly beautiful as the pictures show. When I watched Downton Abbey, I thought, oh, that's like Aigas, writ large! From the various "hides" on the property, and on late night and early morning wildlife spotting drives, I observed badgers and pine martens. a family of highland wildcats, beaver, red squirrels, red and roe deer, otters and ospreys. On day trips I saw bottlenose dolphins, herds of deer running along the edge of field, and golden eagles. You'll learn a lot of history and archaeology (going back 4000 years to the Bronze Age) from the staff rangers, as well.

"Meals are eaten in the Baronial hall, next to a roaring log fire, surrounded by family portraits and Victorian artifacts. The house library, with a fabulous collection of natural history, wildlife and local history books, is freely available for guests to use, as well as a huge wall map covering the north of Scotland. The old Victorian dining room is now used as a common room for guests to use as their own; to relax, have tea or engage in their own studies."

The House of Aigas is set amongst beautiful gardens, with rockeries, a large pond and an extensive arboretum. Most of the trees were planted by the Victorians over a hundred years ago, including many exotics such as Giant Sequoia and Western Red Cedar which have now reached considerable heights, with some native trees dating even further back.

Aigas accommodates up to 40 guests in comfortable and spacious timber lodges set in the gardens and wooded grounds of the House of Aigas. It is not at all unusual to see roe deer from your window, hear a red squirrel scuttling around on the roof or find a pine marten running along your balcony rail. The tranquility of the grounds ensures that more often than not you will fall asleep to the gentle hoot of a tawny owl in the distance.

[B Stieg]

10. Could this be used against a drone?

Perhaps with a giant flyswatter attached!

[mike_c]

11. a friend of mine has one that he and his son built....

It's not as big as the siege engine used in this case, but it's still pretty impressive. He hurls rocks the size of bowling balls. It has become a fixture of his annual Halloween parties.

[Jerry442]

15. Be a heckuva ad for a car....

...if there was a crash test dummy inside and it "survived".

If it did, that is.