Anglo Saxons 400AD - 1066AD - VillageNet History

In 406AD Emperor Honorius withdrew troops from Britain to defend the Rhine region from invading Barbarians. Two years later a directive was sent from the Emperor to all major towns in Britain telling the local govenors that they were responsible for their own defense. The defense of Sussex in late Roman times was based on the shore fort at Pevensey, called Andredecaester in the Saxon chronicles. The Romans had brought with them many Germanic settlers when they invaded, and most of these settlers remained in Britain.

477AD New detailed page on Aelle/Aella the Saxon

In 597 Pope Gregory sent a Christian mission to Britain which was led by Augustine landed in Kent. He was very successful and converted King Aethelbert together with the kings of Essex and East Anglia.

In 793 the first Viking raids took place in Northern England, and during the next years saw major raids along most of the Southern and Eastern coasts of England. These raids culminated in the ‘Great Army’ of 865 which wintered on the Isle of Thanet before commencing on a twelve year invasion.

The first major British Monarchs , the house of Wessex also began its rise to fame during the 800's commencing with Egbert who defeated the Mercians in 825. It is noteworthy that his son, Aethelwulf, was the first king of Wessex to inherit the throne from his father since the seventh century. His other four sons succeeded him in turn Aethelbald, Aethelbert, Aethelred I and finally the youngest and most famous, Alfred the Great. Alfred fought the Vikings 'Great Army' and eventually brought them to a standstill at Edington which produced the Treaty of Wedmore in 878. This led to an uneasy peace and the establishment of the Danelaw, which gave the Danes about half of the country to the East. Alfred left a number of defensive sites in our area including ones at Kenardington Newenden Penhurst and Pevensey .
The house of Wessex continued to expand their frontiers, and in 937 Athelstan achieved a decisive victory at Brunanburgh, when a coalition of Irish, Norse, Scots and Northumbrians were defeated.

In 954 king Eadred defeated Eric Bloodaxe who was driven out of York and killed at Stainmoor. Edgar who came to the throne in 959 spent the next 17 years of his reign trying to weld the states of Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex into a single body. This is the time that the English state was formed.

During the reign of Aethelred the Unready (978-1016) the Viking attacks on England started again. In the 980’s the Vikings raided the Welsh coast and south-west England. At the same time attacks on London and the south-east began from the North Sea and Scandinavia. In the 990’s the great armies of Norway and Sweden under the leadership of Olaf (later King of Norway) and Svein ( King of Denmark) attacked.

The Viking onslaught came mainly from King Svein of Denmark from 1003 to 1006 , with Thorkell the Tall campaigning in the south and east between 1009 and 1013. Svein returned in 1013 and at Gainsborough he became King of Northumbria, towards the end of the year the last Wessex resistance failed and Swein was made King of England and Aethelred fled to Normandy.

In 1014 Svein died, and Canute took his father throne both in England and in Denmark, however Edmund the son of Aethelred came back and took back the South. In 1016 Edmund died, and the land reverted to Canute. On Canute's death in 1035, the kingdom was inherited by his son Hardicanute, but he was unable to take control as he was fighting Magnus of Norway in Denmark, so Canute's half brother Harald took over. Harald died in 1040 and at last Hardicanute inherited the throne. Finally Hardicanute died in 1042, and the house of Wessex was restored to power in the hands of Edward the Confessor .

During this time the family of Earl Godwin came to power from obscure origins in Sussex. The family rose in two generations to the pinnacle of power in England. A turning point in the family’s fortunes was the marriage in 1043 of Godwin’s daughter Edith to King Edward the Confessor .

The next step of this story is told on our 1066 pages.
Language

Anglo Saxon Words which have influenced village names in the area.

Modern Explanation

ash From the word aesc meaning ash tree

broad From the word bred meaning wide

brook From the word broka meaning a stream or marsh

borough From the word burh meaning fortress, or it can also be derived from beorg meaning a hill.

burgh From the word burh meaning fortress, or it can also be derived from beorg meaning a hill.

bury From the word burh meaning fortress

burn From the word burna a stream

bourn(e) From the word burna a stream

church From the word ciric meaning burial ground. Ciric mutated to circe then finally church

combe From the word comb meaning a valley or low place.

den A village suffix from the original denbera, meaning a large clearing in the forest, or a swine pasture.

dene From the original denbera, meaning a large clearing in the forest, or a swine pasture.

ew A village prefix meaning yew(tree)

ey A village suffix from Ie meaning Island

field A village suffix from the original feld, meaning a large clearing in the forest.

hart meaning deer.

ham A village suffix meaning enclosure.

heath From the original ethe, meaning a patch of heath land in the forest.

hurst A village suffix meaning wooded hill from the Anglo Saxon hyrst

ing Meaning followers or family of

ly A village suffix from the original leagh, meaning a clearing in the forest.

ley A village suffix from the original leagh, meaning a clearing in the forest.

leigh A village suffix from the original leagh, meaning a clearing in the forest.

mare A village prefix from the original mere, meaning a pool or pond.

marsh A village suffix from the original mersc, meaning a marsh or bog.

paddock A village prefix a corruption of the word parruc meaning park or enclosure.

sale A village prefix, a corruption of the word sealh meaning willow(tree).

shire A governable area

shore taken from ora a shore,haven or port usually only used for notable landings

stede A place, a spot or locality

tice A village prefix, the word for kids(goats)

ton A village suffix meaning homestead

tun A village suffix meaning homestead

town A village suffix meaning homestead

walda the name for woody ground

weald From the Roman the forest of Anderida , which was turned into Andred Wold, then Andreadsweald, finally Weald. (This was a forest covering a large part of Southern Kent and East Sussex.)

welsh Saxon word used to describe foreigners

ye A village suffix from Ie meaning Island

Alciston (Fifty thousand tiles on the Barn)

Aldington (The Aldington Gang)

Alfriston (Smuggling and Ghosts)

Appledore (Danes invade England)

Arlington (Peaceful Village and hectic Stadium)

Ashburnham (Last Iron Furnace in Sussex)

Ashurst (Miraculous Carving)

Barcombe (Village in three places)

Beckley (Alfred the Great and Guns !)

Beddingham (At the base of Mount Caburn)

Benenden (One of Englands Top Girls Schools)

Berwick (Sharpen your arrows on the Church)

Bidborough

Biddenden (The Maids of Biddenden)

Bilsington (The Priory and Obelisk)

Bishopstone (Largest Tide-Mill in Sussex)

Blackham (Roughs and Prize Fighters)

Bodiam (The finest ruined castle in the Country)

Bonnington (Saint Rumwold the child saint)

Boreham Street (Picturesque village on top of the Ridge)

Boughton Monchelsea (Miraculous vision)

Brasted (Doctor to King George III)

Brede (Edward I inspects the Channel Fleet)

Brenzett (St Eanswyth a saxon princess)

Brightling (famous for Mad Jack Fuller)

Brookland (13th century wooden spire)

Buxted (The first Iron Cannon in England)

Cade Street (Jack Cade and the Kentish rebellion)

Catsfield (Iron, Railways and Clocks)

Chailey (The Heritage and Bricks)

Chalvington (The miniature church)

Chelwood Gate The Forest entrance and President Kennedy

Chiddingly (Walking on Cheese ??)

Chiddingstone (A perfect Tudor village)

Cranbrook (Christmas Cards and Union Mill)

Crockham Hill

Crowhurst (Village devastated by the Normans)

Dallington (Custers Last Stand!)

Danehill (Stopping point between London and Lewes)

Denton (Earl Godwins Manor)

Dungeness (Fishermen and Lighthouses)

Dymchurch (The Romans and the sea wall)

East Blatchington (Mutiny and the Edge of Space)

East Dean (Fishing and Wrecking)

East Hoathly (Another Sussex Cannibal?)

East Peckham (Centre of the Hop Industry)

Edenbridge (Roman Crossing to Victorian Bridge)

Etchingham (The oldest Brass Weather Vane in the country)

Ewhurst Green (Great Fire of London contributions)

Exceat (Alfred the Great's Naval Base?)

Fairlight (Firehills and Views)

Firle (Home of the Greengage)

Fletching (Simon de Montfort and Jack Cade)

Folkington (Teasles and Badgers)

Fordcombe

Framfield (380 years without a church tower)

Frant (King Johns hunting lodge)

Friston (Home of the Railway Children)

Frittenden (The Search for the Treacle Mines)

Glynde (Home of English Opera)

Goudhurst (Smugglers, Iron and Forests)

Groombridge (Home of the Groombridge Gang)

Guestling (Changing guards at Buckingham Palace)

Hadlow (Mays Folly - 150ft tower)

Hadlow Down (Wealden Cannons and Charcoal)

Hailsham (Ropes and Napoleon)

Hamsey (Abandoned Saxon Island)

Hamstreet & Orlestone (The Start of the Ordnance Survey)

Hartfield (A.A.Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh)

Hawkhurst (A Notorious Gang of Smugglers)

Headcorn (King Johns Oak)

Hellingly (Only remaining Ciric in Sussex)

Herstmonceux (Castle and Observatory)

Hever (Anne Boleyn and the Castle)

High Hurstwood

Hooe (The Haunt of Smugglers)

Horam (Which Station do we get off at ?)

Horsmonden (The largest Wealden Iron Works)

Hurst Green (The Youngest Highwayman on record)

Icklesham (Paul McCartney's Recording Studio)

Ide Hill

Iden (Sheriff of Kent and Jack Cade)

Ightham

Isfield (Simon de Montfort and the Lavender Line)

Ivychurch (The burial ground on the Island)

Jevington (Smugglers and Churchill Tanks)

Kenardington (Danes destroy Saxon Fort)

Lamberhurst (Scotney Castle and Gardens)

Langton Green (Modern village and Old Quarry)

Laughton (Knight captures King of France)

Leigh

Linton (Cavalier loses House)

Litlington (Secret marriage of George IV)

Lullington (destroyed by Cromwell ??)

Lydd (The Cathedral of the Marsh)

Marden (Broadcloth and Agriculture)

Maresfield (Soldiers and Iron)

Mark Cross (Policeman arrests eccentric landowner)

Matfield (Largest Village Green in Kent)

Mayfield (Saint Dunstan and the Devil)

Mersham (Founder of Ashford Grammar School)

Mountfield (17th Century Coal !!)

Netherfield (Village at the top of the Hill)

Newchurch (The Church Tower with a kink)

Newenden (Alfred the Great's Fort)

Newick (Killer Cricket and Dirk Bogarde)

New Romney (Cinque Port and Storm)

Ninfield (Last of the Iron Stocks)

Northiam (Prime Ministers D Day inspection)

Nutley (Edward III and the Post Mill)

Offham ( Chalk Pit and the Battle of Lewes )

Old Romney (Sheep and Wool Smuggling)

Old Winchelsea (Abandoned after the Great Storm)

Paddock Wood (Railway brings prosperity)

Peasmarsh (Black Death moves village)

Pembury (The ghost of Hawkwell)

Penhurst (Beautiful yet Remote)

Pett (End of the Royal Military Canal)

Pevensey (Ancient Roman Fortification)

Piltdown (The Piltdown Man hoax)

Platt

Playden (Saltcote and fish)

Reading Street & Ebony (Priory and Shipbuilding)

Rotherfield (Source of the rivers Rother and Uck)

Ruckinge (Smuggling and Traction Engines)

Rusthall (The Toad Rock)

Salehurst (Richard the Lion Heart's Gift)

Sandhurst (Escape from the Great Plague)

Seaford (The cormorants or shags)

Seal

Sedlescombe (Best gunpowder in Europe)

Sellindge (Oliver Cromwells Horse)

Selmeston (Tomb to store the Contraband)

Sevenoaks Weald (Lower the tower by twenty feet)

Sevington (Saxons and Dual Carriageway)

Sheffield Park (Capability Brown and the Bluebell Line)

Shipbourne

Sissinghurst (The magnificent garden of Vita Sackville-West)

Smallhythe (The Ellen Terry Museum)

Smeeth (The Scott Family)

Snave (the Remote church)

Speldhurst (Nobleman captured at Agincourt)

Spithurst

Staplecross (Mothers grudge hangs son)

Staplehurst (Charles Dickens train crash)

St Mary in the Marsh (Ancient Celts)

Stonegate (Ancient Roman Cross Road)

Sundridge (Last Peer of England to be hanged)

Sutton Valence (seized from Simon de Montfort)

Tenterden (Centre of the Broadcloth industry)

Ticehurst (Anne Boleyn and Pashley Manor)

Udimore (Angels move the Church)

Wadhurst (Last bare fisted Prize-Fight in England)

Waldron (Fullers Earth)

Warbleton (The Iron Man)

Warehorne (A good place to explore the Marshes)

Wartling (World War II defence centre)

West Dean (Alfred the Great's Palace)

Westham (Enclosure for the Castle)

West Malling

Wilmington (The Long Man)

Yalding (longest medieval bridge in Kent)