Northumberland Yesterday and To-dayTerry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
History
Northumberland Yesterday and To-day
Terry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
Northumberland (England) -- Guidebooks; Northumberland (England) -- History
Within the limits of this chapter it is impossible to go into the
details of every “foughten field” within the county; the most that
can be done is to indicate the many and treat in detail only the
few. A goodly number have already been alluded to in connection
with the place where each occurred.
After the Roman campaigns, from those of Agricola to those of
Theodosius the elder and Maximus, and the legion sent by Stilicho,
the earliest battle story is that of the one in Glendale fought by
King Arthur. Then the forming of the kingdom of Bernicia with the
advent of Ida at Bamburgh was the beginning of a long-protracted
struggle between the various little states, each fighting for its
life, and surrounded by others equally determined to take every
advantage that offered against it. The sons of Ida fought against
the celebrated Urien, a Keltic chief, who almost succeeded in
dispossessing them of their kingdom of Bernicia. Hussa, one of
Ida’s sons, ultimately vanquished Urien’s son Owen, “chief of the
glittering West”; and after Hussa’s death Ethelric of Bernicia, as
we have seen, overcame the neighbouring chieftain of Deira, thus
forming the kingdom of Northumbria. His successor, Ethelfrith, in
the year 603 gained a great victory over a large force of northern
Britons under a leader named Aedan at a place called Daegsanstan,
which is thought to be Dissington, near Newcastle. His further
victories were gained outside the limits of our present survey.
After the long and glorious reign of Edwin, his successor,
Ethelfrith’s sons came back to Bamburgh; the eldest, Eanfrid, was
slain within a year, and his brother Oswald carried on the struggle
against Penda of Mercia. We have seen how he fought against Penda
and Cadwallon on the Heavenfield near Chollerford, and gained a
victory which obtained for him many years of peace. Penda was
finally slain by Oswald’s successor Oswy in a great battle which is
supposed to have taken place on the banks of the Tweed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account