Sunday, January 03, 2016

Marshal Tallart in Nottingham after the Battle of Blenheim



I came across this plaque on a house near Nottingham Castle which is now home to the World Service restaurant.

Marshal Tallart was the commander of the French forces at Blenheim. He was captured during the battle and afterwards was sent to live at Newdigate House in Nottingham under parole.

Nottinghamshire History tells us:
Being a sensible man, lie settled down to live a happy and useful life amid his erstwhile enemies. 
His courtesy and innate goodness soon made him popular, and to him our forefathers owed many novel and useful innovations. He taught their wives how to make white bread and how to prepare salads, and he taught the men how to grow roses. 
The greatest gift we owe to him is celery. He had known the plant in France, and sadly missed it in England, where its use was unknown. He found it growing wild in the marshes at Lenton, and cultivated it in his garden, which still remains, and whose wall is shown in this picture.
Tallart was allowed to return to France in 1711. Would an enemy general be treated in such a civilised manner today?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Curiously, I believe he was Tallard and not Tallart as the plaque would suggest. How strange is that? (a bit like the Nottingham Goal sign I guess!). By the way, it is definitely World Service, not Word Service.

Jonathan Calder said...

Thank you, Anon.