Huge battle at Catcliffe / Brinsworth?

[aelfheah]

Is anyone else familiar with the Battle of Brunanburh in 937ad, fought (many historian's site-theories differ) on Brinsworth ridge- which was sited along the northern-most border between Anglo-Saxon England and the 'Danelaw'. Templeborough is reputedly the site of the allied camp on the eve before battle.

Kings had often been mentioned in chronicles having submitted to one another at 'Dore' and Bakewell.

 

The redoubtable grandson of King Alfred- King Athelstan- marched a huge(for that era) army of c.18,000 Mercian/Wessex troops north to check the ravaging of a fearsome coalition of c.18,000 - Scots(under King Constantine); British Strathclyde(under King Owain); Irish Norse(under Olaf Gothfrithsson) & Norsemen from York[Jorvik] under Olaf Sihtricsson.

They were intending to invade southwards and conquer Mercia, E.Anglia & Wessex.

 

It was apparently a brutal all-day struggle, but the 'English' shieldwall on the ridge held firm late into the day, and a counter-attack slaughtered huge numbers of the allies as they broke. Athelstan's crushing victory was celebrated in poems.

 

Thus the lesson for today is over...

[owdlad]

I bet it was this lot.

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=133940

[fr8neck]

How do you know it was there? Are there any archeological bits & pieces (swords,limbs,skulls,etc..)?

 

On a similar note, does anyone know where EXACTLY the battle between Radwald & the kings of Northumbria & Elmet took place? (near Bawtry is too vague)

[melthebell]

shouldnt this be int he history section?

 

bet it involved chavs

[aelfheah]

How do you know it was there? Are there any archeological bits & pieces (swords,limbs,skulls,etc..)?

 

On a similar note, does anyone know where EXACTLY the battle between Radwald & the kings of Northumbria & Elmet took place? (near Bawtry is too vague)

 

Many esteemed historians(ie. Michael Wood; A.H.Burne) state that their research(too detailed to blab on about here) leaves them to conclude this site as the most likely. Though there are several schools of thought(Scotland; Merseyside, etc)

 

There is little hope of 'hard evidence', as the land has been mined etc for ages.

[Sweetcheeks]

Hi aelfheah, I mentioned this battle on a previous thread. It does appear that is was fought just to the west of Catcliffe, nr Brinsworth around the area now covered by Sheffield Airport. Judging by the obvious importance of the battle and the outcome, I am amazed that so little is known and the complete lack of information available to the general public about the event. Michael Wood did a wonderful series, In Search of The Dark Ages, for BBC TV, I believe in the 80`s, which does not appear to have been repeated. It is still his best work yet and I managed to tape some of the series from transmission, including the one on Aethelstan, where Michael tries to trace the area of the battle by helicopter, flying up the Don Valley until he reached a point by Tinsley Marshalling Yard. I do hope that it is released on DVD as his other work has been and hopefully more people will be aware of just how important the battle was.

[Jabberwocky]

Its sad that the site had to be covered by industry isnt it. I bet theres still good evidence though if they bothered to set up a few digs around the area.

[Sweetcheeks]

Hi Jabbs, I believe there would be little chance of finding anything as most of the site has been used for industrial purposes and it has been open cast mined. The motorway has been built across it, plus the airport and a railway marshalling yard and diesel depot. Mind you, with our Council even if it was untouched they wouldn`t want to know, they do not appear to care about our history.

[Jabberwocky]

Hi Jabbs, I believe there would be little chance of finding anything as most of the site has been used for industrial purposes and it has been open cast mined. The motorway has been built across it, plus the airport and a railway marshalling yard and diesel depot. Mind you, with our Council even if it was untouched they wouldn`t want to know, they do not appear to care about our history.

Its the same where I am at the moment, there was supposed to have been a huge Roman battle here but the local authorities simply dont care.

Its sad.

[Falls]

Hi aelfheah, I mentioned this battle on a previous thread. It does appear that is was fought just to the west of Catcliffe, nr Brinsworth around the area now covered by Sheffield Airport. Judging by the obvious importance of the battle and the outcome, I am amazed that so little is known and the complete lack of information available to the general public about the event. Michael Wood did a wonderful series, In Search of The Dark Ages, for BBC TV, I believe in the 80`s, which does not appear to have been repeated. It is still his best work yet and I managed to tape some of the series from transmission, including the one on Aethelstan, where Michael tries to trace the area of the battle by helicopter, flying up the Don Valley until he reached a point by Tinsley Marshalling Yard. I do hope that it is released on DVD as his other work has been and hopefully more people will be aware of just how important the battle was.

 

 

Hi,

 

Michael Wood did return to the story of the Battle of Brunanburh in his 1999 book entitled:

 

"In Search of England:Journeys into the English Past"

 

In the 2001 paper back edition - see Chapter 11:Tinsley Wood".

 

Unfortuately, the book does not add anything new to the story presented in the TV show. The exact location of the battle is still a mystery that may never be solved.

 

Regards