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History => Ancient and Medieval History => Topic started by: Duncan Head on January 05, 2025, 06:28:14 PM

Title: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Duncan Head on January 05, 2025, 06:28:14 PM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vnl1evdkko
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Imperial Dave on January 05, 2025, 06:50:46 PM
Gadzooks man! Deviant.....!!!  ;D
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Jim Webster on January 05, 2025, 07:44:53 PM
As deviant as centre partings indeed
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Ian61 on January 05, 2025, 09:56:20 PM
X rated fashion. Should this have come with a morality warning? :o  ;D
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Keraunos on January 06, 2025, 08:58:23 AM
What a wonderful bit of statistical analysis to link pointy shoes to bunions and to falling over and breaking your arm!  -1 mobility to any troops with pointy shoes.
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Ian61 on January 06, 2025, 09:41:06 AM
Quote from: Keraunos on January 06, 2025, 08:58:23 AMWhat a wonderful bit of statistical analysis to link pointy shoes to bunions and to falling over and breaking your arm!  -1 mobility to any troops with pointy shoes.

However humans remain very stupid - high heels stay in fashion despite the dangers and the pain, my wife was a physio and won't touch them with a bargepole for very similar reasons.
[troops in high heels extra damage in difficult terrain? ::) ?]
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Erpingham on January 06, 2025, 09:50:25 AM
Interestingly, an English term for these shoes was "pikes", from the original meaning of pike - a point.  So, when we see reference to medieval pikemen, instead of men with long pointy sticks should we think units in curly-toed shoes?  :-\ 
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Imperial Dave on January 06, 2025, 12:45:03 PM
Winkle pickers in my parts... ;D
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Erpingham on January 06, 2025, 01:10:39 PM
Quote from: Imperial Dave on January 06, 2025, 12:45:03 PMWinkle pickers in my parts... ;D

Sounds painful. 

For younger and overseas members, winkle pickers were very narrow pointed shoes in fashion in the (I think) early 60s. Their name comes from the sharply pointed tool used to pull winkles out of their shells.
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Nick Harbud on January 06, 2025, 02:02:21 PM
...which will doubtless confirm any impression that one might hold regarding the eccentricity of the Brits.  I mean, who else would attempt to eat the timy periwinkle sea snail (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_periwinkle) with their shoes?

:-[
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Imperial Dave on January 06, 2025, 07:01:53 PM
 ::)
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Jim Webster on January 06, 2025, 07:57:07 PM
I remember seeing a youtube video some while ago which pointed out that before the hard leather sole, people tended to put their toe down first, whereas we tend to put our heels down first. So the visual effect of the shoe might have been different 
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: kodiakblair on January 06, 2025, 10:26:03 PM
I was handed a pair of 'pointy shoes' on the Outlaw King set.

As I watched folk skite all over the place I came to the conclusion nobody ever wore pointy shoes in medieval times and the only reason we think people did was the artists of the day were crap at drawing Doc Martins  ;D 
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Imperial Dave on January 07, 2025, 05:54:48 AM
 ;D
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Cantabrigian on January 07, 2025, 08:33:48 PM
Quote from: Erpingham on January 06, 2025, 09:50:25 AMInterestingly, an English term for these shoes was "pikes", from the original meaning of pike - a point.  So, when we see reference to medieval pikemen, instead of men with long pointy sticks should we think units in curly-toed shoes?  :-\ 

Does this apply to Hannibal's pikemen as well?
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Keraunos on January 08, 2025, 12:26:22 AM
Quote from: Cantabrigian on January 07, 2025, 08:33:48 PM
Quote from: Erpingham on January 06, 2025, 09:50:25 AMInterestingly, an English term for these shoes was "pikes", from the original meaning of pike - a point.  So, when we see reference to medieval pikemen, instead of men with long pointy sticks should we think units in curly-toed shoes?  :-\ 

Does this apply to Hannibal's pikemen as well?

No.  You will find that they got their name as a tribute to their having conquered the pikes of the Alps  ;)
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Imperial Dave on January 08, 2025, 05:59:12 AM
I prefer pikelets of course....

 :)
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Keraunos on January 08, 2025, 06:09:26 AM
Who doesn't  :)
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Imperial Dave on January 08, 2025, 08:49:31 AM
Some prefer crumpet....
Title: Re: "The pointy-shoed corruption of medieval London"
Post by: Cantabrigian on January 08, 2025, 09:50:21 PM
Quote from: Keraunos on January 08, 2025, 12:26:22 AMNo.  You will find that they got their name as a tribute to their having conquered the pikes of the Alps  ;)

Which is pretty impressive when wearing pointy toed shoes.