somerset Archives - The King Alfred Blog

February 10, 2022February 10, 2022

Carhampton in Somerset – Raids and Royalty

This post is one is one of many providing additional materials relating to my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available from Amazon and through bookshops.

In his will, King Alfred left an estate at Carhampton (as Carumtun) to his son and successor, King Edward the Elder. This by itself makes it an important place, but then we must add the two recorded Viking raids, one in 836 when King Egbert, Alfreds grandfather, fought against 35 (in one version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles it is 25) ship-loads of Vikings, with the Vikings winning amidst great slaughter. The other engagement was in 843, when King Æthelwulf (King Alfred’s father) fought and lost against another 35 ship-loads of Vikings at Carhampton. It perhaps should be noted that in the Old English of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, what is actually said is that the two engagements with the Vikings took place æt Carrum. It seems that all prominent historians take Carrum to be Carhampton. Although I see this as likely, it should be pointed out that it is not proven. It is argued that the place-name derives from the Old-English word Carr, meaning “rock”, with the dative plural being Carrum. So æt Carrum translates to “at the rocks”, meaning that the uninflected place-name of Carhampton (e.g. how it would appear in a list etc) at the time would have been something else, perhaps Carras. It makes me slightly uncomfortable that the word Carr for rock is mainly associated with Northumbria. By Domesday it is called Carentone. For the time being at least, let us side with the mainstream and take Carrum to be Carhampton.

Carhampton, Somerset. The church of St John the Baptist seen from the east.

The most obvious landing site for an attack on Carhampton would be Blue Anchor Bay, just a short distance to the north. A 1809 map shows a location called “Blue Anchor” This shows on later maps to probably be the building that became the Blue Anchor Pub (sadly closed when I passed in 2022). I understand that Blue Anchor Bay was once known as Cleeve Bay. This would have been associated with Chapel Cleeve, which was the site of a chapel dedicated to St Mary and built by the monks of nearby Cleeve Abbey. Apparently this chapel replaced one that had fallen into the sea. However, Cleeve Abbey (and therefore the churches referred to above) are post – Norman conquest and would have not been present in the Saxon period.

Blue Anchor, Somerset. Map. Mudge 1809 — Blue Anchor, Somerset. Detail from map by Mudge, 1809.

Blue Anchor, Somerset. Looking west along the coast from Blue Anchor. Minehead in the distance.

So, what was Carhampton when it was a royal estate, and what did it constitute when there was a battle with the Vikings there. There is little guidance above ground so we have to look for clues. The area around a parish church usually provides a strong clue, but in this case the older church has been demolished (two churches co-existed for many years, with the current church of St John the Baptist dating to the 15th century, although much rebuilt) and tracking down its location proved problematic. My starting point was that I was informed that it was to the east of the current church. Here is perhaps the best point to refer you to an excellent write up by Historic England of what was found in this area. The link (with map) is here. You will see that there is significant and substantial evidence of Saxon occupation between the current church and Eastbury Farm. The area of occupation may have been larger. As always with archaeology, we know far less about areas that have not been investigated). The findings included a cemetery, containing an estimated “several hundred” burials, and evidence of settlement and metalworking. The pottery finds were thought to probably indicate either a high status or a monastic site.

Looking west across part of the site where Saxon settlement has been uncovered. Taken from Eastbury Rd.

Although we are told that the church of St John the Baptist is fifteenth century (but much rebuilt) it is notable that what remains of a cross in the churchyard is dated by Historic England to about 14th century (link here). Perhaps the church of St John the Baptist is older than 15th century.

Carhampton, Somerset. Cross in the churchyard of St John the Baptist — Carhampton, Somerset. The remains of the cross in the churchyard of St John the Baptist

It seems that the last record of the older church was by Leland in 1540. Based on the pottery sherds it seems that the higher status part was at or near the Eastbury Farm buildings and to the north of the road there. It therefore seems likely that the Carhampton royal estate was focused on this area. The two battles against the Vikings may have been due to a raid on this site.

Carhampton, Somerset. Detail from map by Mudge, 1809. I struggled to interpret this map with Carhampton as it is today.

Carhampton is also an important location in the legends surrounding St Carantoc. We are told that he founded a monastery at Carhampton after defeating a dragon. While elements are clearly fanciful (i.e. the dragon), the presence of Carantoc and a monastery may not be. It has also been suggested that the name of Carhampton derives in some way from Carantoc.

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022

Langport in Somerset – a Saxon Settlement

This post is one of several providing information on places not necessarily covered in my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available from Amazon and bookshops.

Langport is not far from Athelney, where King Alfred prepared for the reconquest of his kingdom in 878, and even closer to Aller, where King Alfred baptised the Viking Guthrum after he had been defeated at Ethandun later on in 878.

There is, however, no record of King Alfred having visited Langport, although it seems to me to be likely that he would have been there on occasions, particularly as it was also a burh listed in the Burghal Hidage, a list of fortified sites that in the version that has come down to us today seems to date to the reign of his son, King Edward the Elder, although many of these defended sites may date to King Alfred’s defended post-878 settlements programme. Other listed burhs in Somerset are Watchet, Axbridge and Lyng . Bath is also included, but this might not have been in Somerset in King Alfred’s time.

All Saints' Church, Langport, Somerset. — All Saints’ Church, Langport, Somerset. Was this the centre of the Saxon burh?

There is little to see in today’s Langport to remind us of its Saxon past, but we can look for clues in things like road layout, the river, the position of the church etc. Langport is not far from Somerton and one of its functions may have been to protect that place, with another function being to act as a port for Somerton, because it is on the Parrett (although note that “Port” can also mean trading place in addition to what we today think of as being a port). The River Yeo flows into the Parrett just south of Langport, which provided it with a connection to another important location – Ilchester. However, we must be careful in this area when describing water courses as the Somerset Levels would have not been drained at this time.

The Hanging Chapel, Langport, Somerset. As seen from the east

It is speculative, but it seems possible to infer a possible Saxon burh on the area around the hill on which All Saints’ Church is located, with the eastern boundary being in line with the Hanging Chapel, the western boundary being at the junction of The Hill and North Street, and perhaps the northern extent being at the end of the pedestrian route called Priest’s Lane.

Priest Lane, Langport, Somerset — Priest Lane (looking north), Langport, Somerset

Junction of The Hill with North Street and Bow Street, Langport, Somerset. Taken from the south side of Bow Street. Is this the site of the West Gate of the former Saxon burh?

This area is, of course, well away from the river and it seems unlikely that there would not have been a settlement near the river as well (wherever that precisely was at that time). Indeed, it has been suggested that the name Langport literally means a long port (with port in this case meaning a trading place), and that this is because there could have been a long market along the long Bow Street. This seems plausible. I have also seen it suggested that the “lang” element is related to the Welsh word for boat (llong). This word may have been part of the Celtic vocabulary so cannot be ruled out, although it seems less likely to me than the perhaps more obvious “long port”.

February 6, 2022February 7, 2022

Watchet in Somerset – a Saxon Settlement

This post is one of several providing information on places not necessarily covered in my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available from Amazon and bookshops.

Watchet is on the North Somerset coast, and is a great place to visit, irrespective of its connections to the Anglo-Saxons.

There is no record of Alfred having been at Watchet, although this by no means rules his presence out at some point. Watchet was listed in the Burghal Hidage as Weced and is also referred to in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles as Wæced. Although this document in the form currently available to us was drawn up under King Alfred’s son, King Edward the Elder, it seems likely that Weced would have also been there at the time of King Alfred, and may indeed have been part of his post-878 improvement of Wessex defences against the Vikings through the development of fortified settlements (burhs). Other listed burhs in Somerset are Watchet, Axbridge and Lyng . Bath is also included, but this might not have been in Somerset in King Alfred’s time.

“Yankee Jack” at the harbour, Watchet, Somerset.

Watchet was clearly vulnerable and a target. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles tell us that in the harvest-time of 914, in the rule of Edward the Elder, King Alfred’s son, the Vikings landed at night east of Watchet but were repelled by the Saxons and fled to either Steepholm or Flatholm, before crossing to Wales and then Ireland. It is important to note that Weced may not have been where Watchet is today. It is thought that the defended settlement was at what is now called Daw’s Castle, which is on the Coast Path a little to the west of today’s Watchet. It occurs to me that the attack of 914, which we are told took place to the east of Watchet, might just mean that it took place at what is now Watchet harbour. Points further east are, of course, still possible. Although Weced was probably at Daw’s Castle it seems implausible that, even in King Alfred’s times, there would not have been some sort of settlement down at the harbour as well, before the place later became referred to as Wecedport (see below).

View from Daws Castle, Watchet, Somerset, looking west towards Minehead.

Watchet was raided in 988 (and/or 987 – different dates are provided by different versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles) when there was great slaughter, although it seems that the Vikings lost (according to a reference I saw to a document called the Life of St Oswald). It seems possible that Watchet was by now including the harbour as well as Daw’s Castle as, importantly, both the C and E versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle now name the place as Wecedport (although note that the word “port” could also mean trading place as well as what we today generally think of as being a port). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles tell us that Watchet (Wecedport) was raided again in 997, with much slaughtering and burning.

Getting to Daw’s Castle is quite straight forward, but it is quite a long climb out of Watchet up West Street and then Cleeve Hill until the footpath comes off on your right (at the time of writing). This takes you straight into the site of Daws Castle.

St Decuman's Well, near St Decuman's Church, Watchet, Somerset — St Decuman’s Well, near St Decuman’s Church, Watchet, Somerset

St Decuman’s Church, with its Holy Well should not be missed. St Decuman’s is a short distance (but quite a long walk) south of the centre of Watchet. The well is a lovely location and the church is of great interest. According to legend, Decuman crossed from Wales in Saxon times (in the 600s) on a raft with a cow and lived here as a hermit. He was decapitated by an evil man, but as a miracle he replaced his head on his shoulders and carried on, and local people assisted him in building a church. To visit the well you need to go down the little track past the church (not down the track that leads down to Watchet -there is a sign pointing the way).

St Decuman's Church, Watchet, Somerset — St Decuman’s Church, Watchet, Somerset

You may wish to take time to visit the “traditional” site of a battle between the Saxons and the Danes near Williton, a short distance south of Watchet. It is located near Danesfield School and there is a convenient lay-by where you can look across into the field. Please note that the field is private land. A tumulus (these typically, but not always, date to the Bronze Age) can be easily seen from the lay-by. On old Ordnance Survey maps the location is called “Battle Gore” and is marked on the 1888 to 1930 maps as “Site of Battle A.D. 918”. The lines of earthworks are also indicated. The field is the one to the south of where the small stream flows. Please note that this may just be legensd and I am not aware of any corroboration that a battle took place here. The year 918 does not fit well with the years of recorded attacks stated in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.

Map of Watchet, Somerset by Mudge — Map. Watchet, Somerset. Detail from 1809 map by Mudge

February 7, 2020February 22, 2022

Saxon Yeovil, Somerset

This post provides additional material in relation to my book: King Alfred, a Man on the Move, available from Amazon and bookshops.

This post on Saxon Yeovil is relatively short and one that I will probably come back to add to over time. Yeovil is about six miles west of Sherborne, which was an important location (arguably the most important in Wessex) in King Alfred’s time. There is no evidence that allows us to pin King Alfred down at Yeovil, but I include it among those places that he probably did visit. This is because King Alfred, in his will, leaves an estate at Yeovil to his eldest son Æthelweard. The location of this estate is open to speculation, but it seems that the most likely candidate is around where the hospital is currently located, in an area that was once known as Kingston.

https://goo.gl/maps/vBHkPNcpUTwrxRGVA

Old maps show that there was once a manor house here (although not going back to Saxon times, this could have been at or near the site of a predecessor) and a chapel located north of the road called Higher Kingston. It seems that this chapel went back to the 14th century although, again, it could have been on or near the site of a predecessor. The estate at Kingston could have extended as far south as the main church in Yeovil, St John the Baptist’s.

St John the Baptist church in Yeovil, Somerset

St John the Baptist’s is a lovely church and goes back to the 1390s. However, it is thought that a preceding Saxon church lay to the west of it. It is possible that this church would have been here at the time of King Alfred. If you walk up and down the lane called Church Path, just to the west of the church, you are possibly therefore walking through the site of the Saxon church.

Church path, to the west of St John the Baptist church in Yeovil, Somerset. Looking south.

It has also been suggested that the Battle of Peonnum, which took place between the Saxon Wessex King Cenwalh and the Britons in 658. The Britons were defeated and pushed as far as the River Parrett. The Old English text reads: Her Cenwalh gefeaht æt Peonnum wiþ Walas, ond hie gefliemde oþ Pedridan. I translate this as “In this year, Cenwalh fought at Peonnum against the Britons, and they fled as far as the River Parrett. It seems fairly reliable that Pedrida is the Parrett, but Peonnum is far more open to question. It is claimed to relate to the Brittonic word Pen, meaning head and by extension, headland or hill, and the connection has been made with the hills at Yeovil, and in particular a Pen Hill, and river crossings over the Yeo in the vicinity of Pen Mill (perhaps better known as one of Yeovil’s train stations). However, other candidates for the site of Peonnum exist, perhaps most prominently Pen Selwood in Wiltshire. In this part of Somerset it is wise to be cautious because there is a prominent land-owning family called Penn/Penne/Penny and it is difficult to tell whether the name Pen in a landscape feature relates to the old British word for “head” or whether it relates to this family. Penselwood has the advantage of being Penne at Domesday.

Hundred Stone, Yeovil, Somerset. Reputed to be the Hundred Stone, which would have been the meeting place for official business going back to Saxon times. Yeovil is located in Stone Hundred. Please note that I have seen no proof that this is the actual stone. It lies on high ground above Yeovil. To find it from Yeovil, go up and up Mudford Road. When it bends sharply to the right, there is a small green park on the left. It is in there.

It seems to me, however, that Peonnum may not relate to Pen at all. In Old English the word seems to me to be a dative plural, therefore pointing back to perhaps Peonnas in the nominative plural. Unfortunately, there is no place called Peonnas, but even if it did mean Pen as in “head”, it seems we should be looking for a place with multiple heads!

The video below focuses more on Sherborne, but there is a bit about Saxon Yeovil at the end.

November 22, 2019February 18, 2022

Saxon Wells, Somerset

This is one of the places where, although there is no record of his presence, I feel that King Alfred probably would have visited Saxon Wells some point. I excluded many such places from my book (although I included some, like Guildford and Somerton), but I thought it might be good to write a few words about Wells for the blog, especially as I found a few things commemorating King Alfred in the city.

Wells Cathedral, Somerset. Stained glass window showing King Alfred the Great and his son King Edward the Elder

It is said that a church at Wells was created by Ine, King of Wessex, in 705. This would have survived up to about 1175, when work on the current Cathedral is thought to have commenced. Outside the cathedral, near the south transept, a map on an information board shows where the Saxon church would have been in the early and late Saxon periods.

Wells cathedral, Somerset. An information board in the grounds showing the location of the earlier Saxon church

showing the probable location of the altar of the Saxon church at Wells Cathedral, Somerset — Wells cathedral, Somerset. Using the above map, it seems that the altar of the Saxon church would have been near the wooden bench (to the right of the middle of the picture). I have taken the photo down the line of the orientation of the Saxon church.

I found the parallels between Saxon Wells and Winchester to be striking in that the cathedral is to the side of the Saxon church (although in Winchester it is to the north instead of the south at Wells), and the mis-alignment between the Saxon church and the cathedral is about the same in both cases. Perhaps the cathedrals were built to the side in order to allow people to worship in the earlier building while the new one was being constructed.

Wells cathedral, Somerset. Stained glass window showing King Alfred the Great. St Martin of Tours is shown to the left

There are also striking similarities between Saxon Wells and Crediton, in Devon. Not only did they both become the base of new dioceses after 909 upon the division of the diocese of Sherborne, but the main ecclesiastical establishments at both locations are closely associated with wells or springs. It might, however, be that the associations between important religious buildings and such water sources may have been lost in other locations. At Wells, the association has survived in the name of the city, and the well that is thought to have been the inspiration (St Andrew’s well) can still be seen beyond the east end (and slightly to the south) of the cathedral. It lies in the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace, but can also be espied through a hole in the wall in the cathedral’s grounds.

St Andrew's Well seen from a gap in the wall from the grounds of the cathedral — St Andrew’s Well seen from a gap in the wall from the grounds of the cathedral

Although there is no evidence that King Alfred was at Wells, I feel that he would have been present at some time. The church was founded by the Wessex King Ine and was significant enough to become a diocese after 909AD after the enormous diocese of Sherborne was divided. King Alfred is certainly remembered in the cathedral. There are two stained glass windows of him, and a seat cover that recalls his presence at Wedmore. There are more details about King Alfred and Wedmore in this post.

Wells Cathedral, Somerset. Seat cover commemorating King Alfred's presence at Wedmore in 878 — Wells Cathedral, Somerset. Seat cover commemorating King Alfred’s presence at Wedmore in 878

Wells, Somerset. A sign of a pub called The King's Head. — This is a sign on a closed pub in Wells. Is it King Alfred, King Ine, or King Arthur (or another king?)

September 13, 2019February 7, 2022

Wedmore, Somerset: King Alfred hosts Guthrum

St Mary's church, Wedmore, Somerset Levels

This post on Wedmore is adapted from, and provides additional information for, my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available through Amazon and bookshops.

King Alfred defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Ethandun in 878. Alfred then oversaw the Viking leader Guthrum‘s baptism at Aller, on the Somerset Levels, and not far from Athelney, which had been the location of Alfred’s base after the Vikings appear to have taken control of Wessex after their raid on Chippenham in January 878.

We are told by both Asser and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles that after his baptism Guthrum spent twelve days with Alfred, and at least part of this time was spent at Wedmore, which Asser describes as a villa regia (royal estate). We are told that after this period the Vikings left Chippenham, where they had a base, and went to Cirencester and then re-located again to settle in East Anglia.

Before they left, we are told that they were honoured with a large amount of riches. It is impossible to know by how much, if at all, these were gifts voluntarily provided by Alfred or whether this was some sort of ransom demanded by the Vikings as part of a peace settlement.

A plaque inside St Mary's church, Wedmore, Somerset Levels recognising Alfred's making of peace with the Vikings — A plaque inside St Mary’s church, Wedmore, Somerset Levels recognising Alfred’s making of peace with the Vikings. NB. The year of King Alfred’s death has been revised to 899

It has been suggested that the royal site at Wedmore was north-west of St Mary’s church at or near the location of a manor house and it seems to me that the wall visible from the churchyard could have been the perimeter of the manor’s grounds. It occurred to me that the location could have been elsewhere in or around Wedmore, so I decided to explore further. I had been intrigued by marks in the ground visible in an aerial photograph in a field north of Manor Lane, although I could see nothing relevant when I arrived there at ground level. I also explored the hill to the north-west by taking the footpath heading west off Lascot Hill. I eventually decided that I could not improve on the suggestion that the royal estate was at the location of the former manor house.

St Mary’s is a delightful place to visit (as is Wedmore itself).

Map of Wedmore, Somerset. Mudge 1817 — Map of Wedmore, Somerset. Detail from map by Mudge 1817.

It was once thought that the Saxon royal residence was at Mudgley, just a short distance south of Wedmore. However, I could find no evidence that this was the case.

There is much more about the travels of King Alfred in my book, including maps and references. Tap or click the image of the front cover below.

July 30, 2019February 11, 2021

Wessex – where was it?

This post is aimed at answering one of the most common questions that I am asked. I live in a county (Dorset) for which the regional National Health Service is designated “Wessex”, and a local radio station is called Wessex FM. People tend to know that they are in Wessex (probably) but are uncertain of the area it should be thought to cover. I wish that the answer that I am called upon to provide was more straight-forward.

As this blog is based on King Alfred, I shall describe what Wessex was in that time period. As King Alfred is often associated with Wessex, this will hopefully answer the question for most people. Alfred was King of Wessex from 871 to 899. The following is adapted from my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, which is available from Amazon. It would be great if you could support this project by purchasing the book.

In King Alfred’s time, Wessex included the counties that we now call Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Berkshire (and some of adjacent Oxfordshire), Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, East and West Sussex, Kent and Surrey. Also included was Essex until it was ceded to Guthrum the Viking in a treaty drawn up around the year 886. It is worth pointing out that there were additional areas where King Alfred seems to have had the upper hand in power-sharing arrangements. By the end of his reign, this included London, which had earlier been under Mercian control. It also seems from Asser’s writings that at some time before 893 South Wales came under King Alfred’s control. Nor must we forget Mercia itself. After about 879, western and southern Mercia (eastern Mercia remained under Viking control) was ruled by Æthelred, who was the son-in-law of King Alfred, and it seems that it was Alfred who had the upper hand.

A map of Wessex. A schematic diagram of territorial divisions at the start of King Alfred's reign. — *A map of Wessex from my book. A schematic diagram of territorial divisions at the start of King Alfred’s reign. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right (2018).*

The extent of Wessex control in Cornwall is still unclear. The Annales Cambriæ tell us that King Dungarth of Cornwall drowned in 875, but after that there is no mention of who was ruling in Cornwall until 926 where a version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles mentions a King Huwal of West Wales, which would have then meant Cornwall. It therefore seems to me that from a monarchical point of view Cornwall remained independent during Alfred’s time. However, we know that the diocese of Sherborne (in Dorset and therefore in Wessex) extended across the whole of Cornwall.

I did say earlier that it was not straight forward. But perhaps this post will lead to a better understanding. Tap or click the image to learn more about the book.

September 1, 2018January 4, 2022

King Alfred’s Tower. Egbert’s Stone, Part 2

This post on King Alfred’s Tower and Egbert’s Stone is adapted from my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available from Amazon and book shops.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles refer to Egbert’s Stone (Ecgbryhtes stane) as the place where the armies from Somerset, Wiltshire and part of Hampshire came together to fight alongside Alfred after he had left Athelney in the seventh week after Easter in 878, en route for the important and decisive battle at Ethandun where the Vikings were defeated.

King Alfred’s Tower is frequently suggested as being at or near the site of Egbert’s Stone, and I read some material dating from 1901 that there had been a local tradition that a beacon had been lit here as a signal for the gathering of Alfred’s forces.

This building is a folly, built from 1762 onwards, and is in a lovely location surrounded by woodland on Kingsettle Hill in Somerset. The first thing that struck me about this monument is it’s size. It is huge. Indeed, an american military aeroplane crashed into it in 1944. The second thing that struck me was it’s unusual three-sided shape. I understand the views from the top are excellent but it was closed when I visited. But is this the site of Egbert’s stone? The road that goes past the tower is again the ancient Hard Way (also known as the Harrow Way), with the ancient name surviving at the nearby Hardway Farm. This is the same Hard Way / Harrow Way that crops up in relation to Willoughby Hedge (in a future post) and the Battle of Basing.

The statue of King Alfred the Great, high up on King Alfred's Tower, Somerset. — The statue of King Alfred the Great, high up on King Alfred’s Tower, Somerset.

From the evidence available, it is, however, difficult to define the location of King Alfred’s Tower as east of, or in the eastern part of, Selwood, which is required to fit the description given by Asser and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.

We need to remind ourselves of the size and shape of Selwood. Towards its southern extremity it extended eastwards across to at least Gillingham Forest (Source: Hutchins, History and Antiquities of Dorset, 1774) and further north, in Wiltshire, it extended east at least as far as Warminster. We know this because the following settlements answered at the forest eyre 1187-90: Heytesbury, Knoyle and Westbury. The following villages etc were represented at forest inquisitions: Longbridge Deverill, Sutton Veny, Warminster, and Westbury (source: Victoria County History. Wiltshire Volume IV, 1959)

The location is adjacent to an important ancient route (the Hard Way), but this does not seem enough to determine this to be the spot, or even a candidate, for being the correct location of Egbert’s Stone.

The term “Kingsettle” is also interesting, because there are some woods and a farmhouse approximately 14 miles away, just a short distance north of Shaftesbury, that also have this name. It may be that the name was shared with the location of the tower, or the other way around.

King Alfred's Tower, Somerset. An unusual three-sided folly — King Alfred’s Tower, Somerset. An unusual three-sided folly

Kilmington Common

Kilmington Common was put forward by a Dr Williams-Freeman in the 1950s . Kilmington Common is the name of the village and it lies about a mile east of Alfred’s Tower. The west-east road and track, named Tower Road and Long Lane respectively, lie on the route of the ancient track called the Hard Way, which is the same Hard Way that goes past King Alfred’s Tower. I parked near where Tower Road meets the village and walked a short distance down the track called Long Lane, partly to appreciate that this was a potential site for Egbert’s Stone and partly for the simple enjoyment of walking on the ancient Hard Way. I looked over to where “the common” is marked on the OS map, but there was little to see apart from crops. Although the case for this location is supported by evidence that tracks ran in other directions near here, it seems difficult to define this location as east of or in the eastern part of Selwood. I therefore consider this to be a less likely location for Egbert’s Stone.

Part three is now available and includes the Deverills in Wiltshire. If you missed part one, it is here.

You can view my video on Egbert’s Stone below:

There is much more about the travels of King Alfred in my book, including maps and references. To learn more about the book, click or tap the image below.

August 31, 2018February 14, 2022

In search of Egbert’s Stone. Part 1: The meeting point of Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset.

This post is adapted from my book, King Alfred: a Man on the Move, available from Amazon.

It would be great if you could support this project by purchasing a copy.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles refer to Egbert’s Stone (Ecgbryhtes stan) as the place where the armies from Somerset, Wiltshire and part of Hampshire came together to fight alongside Alfred after he had left Athelney in the seventh week after Easter in 878, en route for the important and decisive battle at Ethandun where the Vikings were defeated. It is notable that Dorset is not mentioned. However, Dorset may be an omission because Gaimar indicates that this county was involved.

Tradition has it that King Egbert, Alfred’s grandfather, marked the point where Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire met with a large stone on the bank of the River Stour. However, it may be unreliable to assume that the counties met at the same location in Egbert’s or Alfred’s time. The woodland then would have extended further south ( as indicated in this book) into today’s Dorset, and because there is some evidence that the edges of the wood were used as boundaries, it is possible that the border could have been further south than it is today. However, I have not seen anything to indicate where any older of boundary might have been. Indeed, it seems that the boundary of Dorset suggested by the Domesday survey of 1086 is more or less unchanged up to Speed’s 1610 map of Dorset, and largely similar to today’s boundaries (allowing for the addition of Christchurch from Hampshire in 1974 and the reversion of Dorset and Devon exclaves to their respective counties in the 19th century). It therefore seems more likely to me that the position of the Dorset border in the north is more or less in the same place as it was in King Alfred’s time.

I drew upon John Peddie’s reference (in this book) to Coombe Street, which is west of Zeals and north of Bourton, as a claimed location. Travelling west, the road crossesthe river where a sign indicates that you have arrived at Pen Selwood. The Stour is narrow at this point, which is unsurprising as its source is at nearby Stourhead. However, I saw no evidence of a significant stone.

The River Stour at Coombe Street near Pen Selwood. No Egbert's Stone to be seen. — The River Stour at Coombe Street near Pen Selwood. No Egbert’s Stone to be seen.

There seems to be an impression locally that a stone at Bullpits Golf Course is Egbert’s Stone. However, I have been told that this is not the case. Nearby Factory Hill crosses the Stour at a point where there was once a mill. When I visited this area it was in the process of being developed for housing. There is a footpath that comes off Kite’s Nest Lane that takes you close to where the three counties meet and water can be seen to your right as you walk up. However, maps show that the exact point at which the three counties meet is very close by but on private land, so I was unable to establish whether there was a stone there, although Phelps in his history of 1836 states that “the three shire-stones” stand in the middle of a pond belonging to Messrs Maggs’ spinning manufactory – which I feel could be the same place. However, the quest was not necessarily to find the stone but to find where Alfred brought his troops together, and if this indeed took place where the three counties now meet, then I was satisfied that I had found the spot.

The White Lion Inn at Bourton, north Dorset. A lovely place to take a break from explorations, and the food and beer are superb.

However, it seems logical that Alfred would have used a meeting point that was strategic in terms of routeways and other factors rather than an obscure location where three administrative boundaries now meet. From the evidence available, it also seems difficult to define this as east of or in the eastern part of Selwood, which is required in order to fit Asser‘s and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles’ descriptions of the location. For these reasons I consider this site to be a less likely location for Egbert’s Stone.

It is possible that somebody wished to mark the junction of the three counties with a stone and that this has somehow become tangled up with the record of Alfred’s assembling of troops from different counties. However, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles do not include Dorset as a county providing forces (although Gaimar does), which further weakens the case for Egbert’s Stone being located here.

Michael Wood, the historian and television presenter, attributes the location of Egbert’s Stone to Penselwood, which is very close to the junction between the three counties, although I don’t know whether that was the reason why he chose it. Pen Selwood is also the supposed location of the Battle of Peonnum, which had been an important victory for the Saxons in 658. However, this was before the time of King Egbert so I cannot see how his name would have become associated with this.

Parts two and three of my Egbert’s Stone posts are now available.

Superb Egbert's Stone Ale, made by the Copper Street Brewery in Dorchester, Dorset, on the pump in the lovely Royal Standard pub, Upwey, Weymouth. — Superb Egbert’s Stone Ale, made by the Copper Street Brewery in Dorchester, Dorset, on the pump in the lovely Royal Standard pub, Upwey, Weymouth.

You can view my video on Egbert’s Stone below:

There is much more about the travels of King Alfred in my book, including maps and references. Tap or click the image below to learn more about the book.

June 30, 2018January 4, 2022

Around Athelney: Lyng and Burrow Mump

This post is adapted from my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available from Amazon. It would be great if you could support this project by purchasing a copy.

Burrow Mump, which looks a bit like a smaller version of Glastonbury Tor, is a literally unmissable natural hill close by the settlement of Burrowbridge in the Somerset Levels.

The location is close to where the River Tone flows into the River Parrett , and it is important to note that the River Tone runs past Athelney, where King Alfred was hiding out in 878. The location would therefore have been strategic for defending Athelney. It is possible to see Burrow Mump from Athelney and, of course, vice-versa. The location is also close to where the River Cary once joined the Parrett, although the Cary now runs into King’s Sedgemoor Drain to the north. It should be noted, however, that particularly in Winter and Spring (covering the period when Alfred was at Athelney), the concept of getting to Athelney by travelling down the Parrett and then the Tone would have made no sense, as the area would have been largely flooded, making individual rivers indistinguishable. There is a half built 18th century church atop Burrow Mump, which is incomplete because funding ran out, and the structure is now a war memorial. However, there is evidence of earlier building going back to the 12th century. There is a car park, and those who walk up the steep incline are rewarded with great views.

The unfinished church atop Burrow Mump, Somerset Levels

An interesting story was toldto me regarding the King Alfred pub in Burrowbridge. This related to a three-legged so-called “Alfred Table.” Although I was told that it was eventually dated to be much more recent, it still apparently sold for a handsome sum to an American.

Asser tells us that the fortress on the western summit of Athelney Hill was connected to another fortress by a causeway. This second fortress appears to have been at the settlement of East Lyng which, like Athelney, was on higher ground. However, it is important to note that Asser tells us about the causeway and the second fortress in relation to the later founding of a monastery at Athelney by Alfred. There appears to be no evidence that the fortress at Lyng or the causeway were present in 878. The monastic foundation was developed around 893, and the causeway may have been built to facilitate access to and from this. The second fort may have been built as part of Alfred’s defence programme, which he started after 878.

St. Bartholomew's Church, East Lyng, Somerset Levels — St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Lyng, Somerset Levels

I wondered whether it was possible to see any remains of this second fortification. Whilst not being able to specifically find the fortification it was possible to find evidence of the burgh’s perimeter. Lyng is named in the Burghal Hidage, and a bank and ditch to the west of East Lyng may be the remains of the western perimeter of the burgh defences. I saw it suggested that this ditch and bank was in line with the east wall of St Bartholomew’s church. So, after struggling to find a parking place for the church, that is where I went, and I could indeed see what looked like possible earthworks in the field to the south of the church. I could not explore further because the field appeared to be private land. Fortunately, the presenters in the first ever episode of Time Team (here) appear to have gained access and their programme confirmed that I had indeed been looking across at the correct spot, although the alignment appeared to be more with the the west wall of the church! The bank and ditch would have extended north on the other side of the A361, but there appears to be nothing left to see there. It seems likely that the eastern boundary would be near Cuts Road, and the causeway itself, although the causeway could have taken a different line in Alfred’s time. Therefore it seems that most of the settlement of East Lyng might be sited within the burgh developed by Alfred.

The Balt Moor Wall, between Athelney and East Lyng on the Somerset Levels.

I also wanted to investigate the causeway between Athelney and East Lyng recorded by Asser. There is a structure which can still be seen that goes right up to Athelney Hill. Coming from East Lyng one drives over the first section, and it then passes onto private land (with the route of the causeway remaining visible). This structure is now called the Balt Moor Wall. I have not seen any reference that dates this to before the 12th century, so we cannot be sure that the causeway that we see today follows precisely the same route as it did in King Alfred’s time.

There is much more about the travels of King Alfred in my book, including maps and references. To learn more about the book, click or tap the image below: