The Lost Battle of Brunanburh 937 AD

[Ghostmojo]

Although primarily interested in the ancient Greeks, I also have a growing fascination for Dark Age (post-Roman) Britain. My interest was further piqued several years ago by the discovery of the fact that the lost Battle of Brunanburh might well have been fought on land currently occupied by my house and garden!

There are many contenders for the site of this battle which has sadly slipped into legend and not recorded history. There have been studies and most draw from the records of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. It was apparently "the moment when Englishness came of age" and for such a momentous occurence it is tragic we have nothing definite regarding its locale.

Is anybody else here interested in Brunanburh or possessing any knowledge of it they would like to share? It is a curious and intriging subject which after all covers all sorts of topics and groups - English; 'Celtic'; Viking; Anglo-Saxon; and Scottish; and of course Æthelstan - the first King of a united England.

[Redwald]

This is a very useful resource on the battle:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Brunanbur...970&sr=1-1



Paul

[Vindex]

Becoming more interested in all things "post Roman" (whatever that means!) and pre-Norman Conquest (for UK) so I'll watch this thread and learn - but sorry, can't contribute much!


Very exciting that you live near the battle filed though - is it a scheduled monument? Are detectorists kept at bay??? hock:

[Ghostmojo]

... Very exciting that you live near the battle filed though - is it a scheduled monument? ...

It is a 'lost' battle Moi, and the local claim to it being the actual site is just one of many (as I said above). However, current scholarly thinking suggests Bromborough (15thC 'Brunburgh') to be a highly likely descendant of the Brunanburh name. The story of what happened there before and after the battle also sort of fits the local topography and geography, but alas it cannot (as yet) be proven. So it is most definitley not a "Scheduled Monument". In fact, if it is the site, part of it lies beneath a golf course! But it seems the current hot favourite of a dozen or more contenders across the UK.

Nearby is the remains of an ancient quarry (still used up until fairly modern times) in Storeton Woods, from where apparently the Romans took local stone, and much much later in history some of it ended up as part of the Empire State Building in N.Y.C. (I kid you not - there is a plaque commemorating that)! There is also a lane running across the countyside known as 'Roman Road'.

There is some very faint local folk memory of a battle having once taken place there (or something violent). Very indistinct as I say due to the 1000+ years since it happening. However, local names such as Red Hill; Bloody Hill; Red Hill Road; Rest Hill Road; Soldier's Hill; and areas known as 'battlefields' and Dead Man's Woods can't all be entirely coincidental. Can they?

[Ghostmojo]

This is a very useful resource on the battle:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Brunanbur...970&sr=1-1

Paul

Thank you very much for bringing that to my attention Paul. It is clearly a very recent publication. I have some books produced by local history enthusiasts and have explored a number of web sites devoted to it. I will get that book from Amazon and report back.

Other sites worth looking at:

http://www.brunanburh.org.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/ea...runanburh/
(Oliver's views about Æthelstan's motives - locator arrow gets the site wrong BTW)

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/-sczsteve/Brunanburh.htm

http://www.enotes.com/topic/Battle_of_Brunanburh

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merse...112301.stm

http://blogs.wirralnews.co.uk/wirralvikings/2011/12/

http://www.historyextra.com/book-review/...h-casebook

http://www.rotherhamweb.co.uk/h/brunanburh.htm

http://thorntonthroughtime.co.uk/TheBatt...nburh.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Brunanburh

Regardless of where it was fought it is fascinating because of the importance of it and who took part - just about all the major powers in the British Isles at the time.

[Redwald]

Hi Howard,
I do have the book but haven't read it yet -- there is a tremendous amount in it -- but is really about the sources that refer to the battle - rather than the battle itself - there is certainly a lot of work in it.

Paul

[D B Campbell]

Although primarily interested in the ancient Greeks, I also have a growing fascination for Dark Age (post-Roman) Britain. My interest was further piqued several years ago by the discovery of the fact that the lost Battle of Brunanburh might well have been fought on land currently occupied by my house and garden!

You might be interested in the next issue of Medieval Warfare magazine: Medieval Warfare II-1. Murray Dahm discusses "The Battle of Brunnanburh" poem (though not the battle site).

[Ghostmojo]

Thank you both. I have checked that link Duncan and may get the mag, although to be honest I get Ancient Warfare already and that is pretty pricey!

I am interested in all aspects of the battle Paul, and I guess this is where our resident experts in Viking and Anglo-Saxon shieldwall tactics should jump right in!

[Ghostmojo]

Hi Howard, I do have the book but haven't read it yet - there is a tremendous amount in it - but is really about the sources that refer to the battle - rather than the battle itself - there is certainly a lot of work in it. Paul

Hi Paul,

I ordered it from Amazon and quick as a flash it arrived this morning. It is quite a chunk of book that is for sure. Very detailed and perhaps everything you could possibly wish to know about the sources, opinions and scholarly research - everything except of course for absolute proof as to location - or details about the battle, as you say.

But I have started it and am enjoying the analysis so far. The general view seems to point towards my home patch (which is nice) as the site but I guess we will have to wait until Time Team get around to digging before (if) anything is found!!!

Also found these brief TV news articles:

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/-sczsteve/BB...0Dec04.mpg

http://www.wirral-mbc.gov.uk/Vikings/Ste...anburh.wmv

http://www.wirral-mbc.gov.uk/Vikings/Ste...esmere.wmv

And this is a bit of fun aimed at schoolkids (introduced by a Beatle's brother):

http://www.wirral-mbc.gov.uk/vikings/scene10.swf (tolerate the awful speech bubbles!)

[John1]

Interestingly the Professor interviewed by the BBC is a Professor of Biosciences;

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/biosciences/...ve.harding

another example of the non-archaeologist/historians being on point on these projects?

He seems to be coming at it from a dna point of view;
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/...nd-vikings