The Battle of Mercredesburne was one of three battles fought as part of the conquest of what became the Kingdom of Sussex in southern England. The battles were fought between the Saxon leader Ælle's army and the local Britons.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, states that Ælle arrived in Sussex with three ships and went on to fight at Cymenshore in 477 CE, Mercredesburne in 485, and Pevensey in 491. Ælle became the first king of the South Saxons. The Kingdom of Sussex was eventually annexed by the Kingdom of Wessex in the 9th century and went on to become the county of Sussex, England.
The legendary foundation of the Kingdom of the South Saxons is provided by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, that states that in the year 477 Ælle arrived at a place called Cymenshore with his three sons Cymen, Wlenking, and Cissa.[1][2][3] The chronicle describes how on landing Ælle slew the local defenders and drove the remainder into the Forest of Andred and then goes on to describe Ælle's battle with the British in 485 near the bank of Mercredesburne, and his siege of Pevensey in 491 after which the inhabitants were massacred.[4][5]
The historian and archaeologist, Martin Welch suggests that the area between the Ouse and Cuckmere valleys in Sussex was ceded to the Anglo-Saxons by the British in a treaty settlement.[6]Nennius, a 9th-century Welsh monk and chronicler, describes how the British leader Vortigern arranged to meet Hengest the Anglo-Saxon leader to work out a treaty. Vortigern and three hundred British leaders met with Hengest, supposedly to ratify the treaty, however Hengest's men slaughtered all of Vortigern's companions, after getting them drunk.[7] Vortigern was then coerced into agreeing to a treaty that included the cession of Sussex to the Anglo-Saxons and the suggestion that Mercredesburne means "river of the frontier agreed by treaty" is seen as confirmation of this assertion.[6][8]
BattleEdit
17th century depiction of Ælle
According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of 485, Ælle fought a battle with the British at Mercredesburne.[5] Other versions of the battle have been derived from more elaborate descriptions, such as the one from Henry of Huntingdon, a 12th-century historian's version who suggests that when the army of Ælle and his sons engaged with the Britons neither side won and both sides pledged friendship although after the event the Anglo-Saxons sent a request to the German homelands for more troops.[9][10]
The problem for historians is that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was commissioned in the reign of Alfred the Great some four hundred years after the supposed events. There is some evidence that the Anglo-Saxons were using runes at this time.[12] However their culture was largely of an oral tradition and they did not really start writing down legal and historical events until they were evangelised; this would have been the late 7th century for the South Saxons. The early Christian chroniclers would have taken most of their references for the early period from oral sources such as poetry.[2][13] The medieval historians then produced embroidered versions of the chronicles to suit their own purposes.[14]
AftermathEdit
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle does not provide any information on the death of Ælle or his succession, but Henry of Huntingdon suggests that Ælle died as the first king of Sussex in 515 and that he was succeeded by his son Cissa.[15]
LocationEdit
The location of the battle is unknown.
The villages of Ashburnham and Penhurst in East Sussex maintain a tradition that a pre-Saxon earthwork known as Town Creep, situated in Creep Wood which adjoins the two villages, was the site of Mercredsburn.[16][17] Oral tradition surviving to the end of the 19th century referred to the earthwork as being the site of a town which was besieged and destroyed by the Saxons. In 1896 members of The Sussex Archaeological Society investigated this claim, and subsequently published a paper concluding that the earthwork was a possible location for the battle of Mercredsburn, and that the modern name, Town Creep, could have an etymology derived from the latter part of 'Mercrede', whilst the 'burn' (or stream) may refer to The Ashburn stream running beneath the earthwork.[18][19]
There is also a possibility that Mearcredesburnan stede was at modern Binstead based on the etymology mære cærses burnan steðe meaning 'the sea landing stage at the watercress stream' [20]
^ abWelch.Anglo-Saxon England p.9.- When Ælle and his three sons land from three ships on a beach named after one of the sons, we are reading legend rather than history.
^Jones.The End of Roman Britain. p.71. - ..the repetitious entries for invading ships in the Chronicle (three ships of Hengest and Horsa; three ships of Ælle; five ships of Cerdic and Cynric; two ships of Port; three ships of Stuf and Wihtgar), drawn from preliterate traditions including bogus eponyms and duplications, might be considered a poetic convention.
^Jones. The End of Roman Britain; p. 58.... they must ultimately have been derived from oral traditions, for the Anglo-Saxons were illiterate at the time of the invasions ...
^Greenway; Henry of Huntingdon. Historia Anglorum Sources section p. lxxxvi. Henry [of Huntingdon] was one of the 'weaver' compilers of whom Bernard Guenee has written. Taking a phrase from here and a phrase from there, connecting with one there, he wove together a continuous narrative which, derivative though it mostly is, is still very much his own creation ...
^Greenway. p.97. Footnote57.No genealogy of the South Saxon royal house survives and none seem to have been available to Henry. The death of Ælle and the succession of Cissa are probably deduced from ASC 477 and 491..
^"Penhurst". VillageNet.co.uk. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^. Asburnham Past. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
^Napper, H.F (1894). "Towncreep: Is It Mercredsburn?". Sussex Archaeological Collections. Lewes, Sussex: Sussex Archaeological Society. 39: 168–174. doi:10.5284/1086473.
. Britannia.com LLC. Archived from the original on 13 December 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
Welch, M. G. (1992). Anglo-Saxon England. English Heritage. ISBN0-7134-6566-2.
Welch, Martin (1978). Peter Brandon (ed.). The South Saxons: Early Anglo-Saxon Sussex. Chichester: Phillimore. ISBN0-85033-240-0.
October 27, 2023
battle, mercredesburne, three, battles, fought, part, conquest, what, became, kingdom, sussex, southern, england, battles, were, fought, between, saxon, leader, Ælle, army, local, britons, part, anglo, saxon, settlement, britaindate485, celocationunknown, vari. The Battle of Mercredesburne was one of three battles fought as part of the conquest of what became the Kingdom of Sussex in southern England The battles were fought between the Saxon leader AElle s army and the local Britons Battle of MercredesburnePart of the Anglo Saxon settlement of BritainDate485 CELocationUnknown various locations possible50 55 50 N 0 25 36 E 50 930454 N 0 426664 E 50 930454 0 426664ResultUncertain neither side wonBelligerentsSouth BritonsSouth SaxonsCommanders and leadersAurelius Ambrosius AElleStrengthUnknownUnknownCasualties and lossesUnknownUnknown The Anglo Saxon Chronicle states that AElle arrived in Sussex with three ships and went on to fight at Cymenshore in 477 CE Mercredesburne in 485 and Pevensey in 491 AElle became the first king of the South Saxons The Kingdom of Sussex was eventually annexed by the Kingdom of Wessex in the 9th century and went on to become the county of Sussex England Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 3 Aftermath 4 Location 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesBackground EditThe legendary foundation of the Kingdom of the South Saxons is provided by the Anglo Saxon Chronicle that states that in the year 477 AElle arrived at a place called Cymenshore with his three sons Cymen Wlenking and Cissa 1 2 3 The chronicle describes how on landing AElle slew the local defenders and drove the remainder into the Forest of Andred and then goes on to describe AElle s battle with the British in 485 near the bank of Mercredesburne and his siege of Pevensey in 491 after which the inhabitants were massacred 4 5 The historian and archaeologist Martin Welch suggests that the area between the Ouse and Cuckmere valleys in Sussex was ceded to the Anglo Saxons by the British in a treaty settlement 6 Nennius a 9th century Welsh monk and chronicler describes how the British leader Vortigern arranged to meet Hengest the Anglo Saxon leader to work out a treaty Vortigern and three hundred British leaders met with Hengest supposedly to ratify the treaty however Hengest s men slaughtered all of Vortigern s companions after getting them drunk 7 Vortigern was then coerced into agreeing to a treaty that included the cession of Sussex to the Anglo Saxons and the suggestion that Mercredesburne means river of the frontier agreed by treaty is seen as confirmation of this assertion 6 8 Battle Edit nbsp 17th century depiction of AElleAccording to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle of 485 AElle fought a battle with the British at Mercredesburne 5 Other versions of the battle have been derived from more elaborate descriptions such as the one from Henry of Huntingdon a 12th century historian s version who suggests that when the army of AElle and his sons engaged with the Britons neither side won and both sides pledged friendship although after the event the Anglo Saxons sent a request to the German homelands for more troops 9 10 The 14th century chronicler Roger of Wendover even names the leader of the British forces as Aurelius Ambrosius 11 The problem for historians is that the Anglo Saxon Chronicle was commissioned in the reign of Alfred the Great some four hundred years after the supposed events There is some evidence that the Anglo Saxons were using runes at this time 12 However their culture was largely of an oral tradition and they did not really start writing down legal and historical events until they were evangelised this would have been the late 7th century for the South Saxons The early Christian chroniclers would have taken most of their references for the early period from oral sources such as poetry 2 13 The medieval historians then produced embroidered versions of the chronicles to suit their own purposes 14 Aftermath EditThe Anglo Saxon Chronicle does not provide any information on the death of AElle or his succession but Henry of Huntingdon suggests that AElle died as the first king of Sussex in 515 and that he was succeeded by his son Cissa 15 Location EditThe location of the battle is unknown The villages of Ashburnham and Penhurst in East Sussex maintain a tradition that a pre Saxon earthwork known as Town Creep situated in Creep Wood which adjoins the two villages was the site of Mercredsburn 16 17 Oral tradition surviving to the end of the 19th century referred to the earthwork as being the site of a town which was besieged and destroyed by the Saxons In 1896 members of The Sussex Archaeological Society investigated this claim and subsequently published a paper concluding that the earthwork was a possible location for the battle of Mercredsburn and that the modern name Town Creep could have an etymology derived from the latter part of Mercrede whilst the burn or stream may refer to The Ashburn stream running beneath the earthwork 18 19 There is also a possibility that Mearcredesburnan stede was at modern Binstead based on the etymology maere caerses burnan stede meaning the sea landing stage at the watercress stream 20 See also EditHistory of SussexNotes Edit Anglo Saxon Chronicle Parker MS 477 AD a b Welch Anglo Saxon England p 9 When AElle and his three sons land from three ships on a beach named after one of the sons we are reading legend rather than history Jones The End of Roman Britain p 71 the repetitious entries for invading ships in the Chronicle three ships of Hengest and Horsa three ships of AElle five ships of Cerdic and Cynric two ships of Port three ships of Stuf and Wihtgar drawn from preliterate traditions including bogus eponyms and duplications might be considered a poetic convention Anglo Saxon Chronicle Parker MS 485AD a b Anglo Saxon Chronicle Parker MS 491AD a b Welch Early Anglo Saxon Sussex pp 24 25 Nennius Ch 44 46 Friar The Sutton Companion to Local History pp 274 275 Mere from the Old English maere meaning boundary land Britannia com Timeline of British History Greenway Henry of Huntingdon Historia Anglorum pp 90 91 and footnote 38 An expanded version of ASC485 Roger of Wendover Flowers of History p 20 Page Introduction to runes pp 16 19 Jones The End of Roman Britain p 58 they must ultimately have been derived from oral traditions for the Anglo Saxons were illiterate at the time of the invasions Greenway Henry of Huntingdon Historia Anglorum Sources section p lxxxvi Henry of Huntingdon was one of the weaver compilers of whom Bernard Guenee has written Taking a phrase from here and a phrase from there connecting with one there he wove together a continuous narrative which derivative though it mostly is is still very much his own creation Greenway p 97 Footnote57 No genealogy of the South Saxon royal house survives and none seem to have been available to Henry The death of AElle and the succession of Cissa are probably deduced from ASC 477 and 491 Penhurst VillageNet co uk Retrieved 11 November 2021 Ashburnham Asburnham Past Archived from the original on 31 December 2012 Retrieved 11 February 2013 Napper H F 1894 Towncreep Is It Mercredsburn Sussex Archaeological Collections Lewes Sussex Sussex Archaeological Society 39 168 174 doi 10 5284 1086473 Napper H F 1896 Town Creep PDF Sussex Archaeological Collections Lewes Sussex Sussex Archaeological Society 40 267 Retrieved 16 June 2017 nbsp South Saxons Aelle s battle of Mearcredesburnan stede in 485AD SaxonHistory co uk Retrieved 28 February 2023 References Edit nbsp s Anglo Saxon Chronicle Commissioned in the reign of Alfred the Great Friar Stephen 2004 The Sutton Companion to Local History Stroud Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 2723 2 Henry of Huntingdon 1996 Diana E Greenway ed Historia Anglorum the history of the English Oxford OUP ISBN 0 19 822224 6 Jones Michael E 1998 The End of Roman Britain Ithaca NY Cornell University Press ISBN 978 0 8014 8530 5 Nennius 1859 J A Giles trans ed History of the Britons London Bohn Page Raymond Ian 1999 An introduction to English runes 2nd ed Woodbridge Suffolk Woodbridge Boydell ISBN 0 8511 5946 X Roger of Wendover 1858 Roger of Wendover s Flowers of History Translated by Giles J A London Bohn Sussex Archaeological Collections Volume 39 Lewes Sussex Archaeological Society 1894 Timeline of British History Britannia com LLC Archived from the original on 13 December 2010 Retrieved 8 December 2010 Welch M G 1992 Anglo Saxon England English Heritage ISBN 0 7134 6566 2 Welch Martin 1978 Peter Brandon ed The South Saxons Early Anglo Saxon Sussex Chichester Phillimore ISBN 0 85033 240 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of Mercredesburne amp oldid 1164464135, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
