The Vikings In Wirral

The Battle of Brunanburh  

The Battle of Brunanburh

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Now lets find out about an important battle that took place between the Vikings and the Anglo Saxons.

The Battle of Brunanburh

               Tradition tells us that the largest and fiercest of the battles to have taken place between the Anglo Saxons and the Vikings was fought in the year 937A.D.

A combined army of Viking raiders from Dublin and Scots fought against the Anglo-Saxon army, which was led by King Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great.

But where was that battle?

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Here is a map showing us the location of Bromborough. Could this be Brunanburh? Sounds like it to me!
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The Anglo Saxon Chronicle was a bit like a newspaper and recorded important news.
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But, where is Dingesmere?
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Battle of Brunanburh
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Where was Dingesmere?

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Could this be Dingesmere?
This is a marshy area near Heswall Dales.
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Some of the Viking settlers might have spoken with Irish accents, especially around Irby 'settlement of the Irish'. Irby is near to Thingwall, the Viking parliament in Wirral. Thing could have been pronounced as Ding!

So Dingesmere could be Thingsmere which was an old Viking name for 'wet-land of the thing'.
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If I'm right and Dingesmere was Thingsmere, the map shows you where Dingesmere, the Thing and Brunanburh might have been.

Phew, that's sorted that
then I think!
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Oh dear!

Vikings against Vikings!
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Bruna’s Fort

River Mersey
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Could that be Bruna's fort? Look at the map. Poulton Hall has the River Dibbin on the South side, Storeton woods on the north west side and Bebington Heath in the middle, just like the saga said.
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Here is a picture of Bebington
Heath today - you can see what is left of Storeton Woods at the top right.

Some historians think that the battle
took place on Bebington Heath, below Bruna's fortress and that the raiders
fled to the woods.
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The map shows you all the places we have been looking at.

On the next few pages you can see the possible steps of the battle of Brunanburh.
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There was a fierce battle on Bebington Heath near Brunanburh (Bruna’s fort), what is now Poulton Hall.
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Beblington Heath
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Dingesmere
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Bruna's Fort
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The raiders escape to Storeton Woods.
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The raiders were then chased to Dingesmere by Anglo-Saxons.
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The raiders escaped back to Dublin in whatever boats they could find. Whew, that was a close thing! Good riddance to them! We Wirral Vikings like to live in peace.
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You have finished the section about
The Battle of Brunanburh.
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Well Done!
That was hard work.

And even though we have all that evidence we still can't be one hundred percent sure about all the facts of this great battle.