By Geo. Matcham, Esq. 187 



because on looking over Mr. Gough's additions to Camden's Britan- 

 nia, lie has found a place called Slaughterford, and a camp adjoin- 

 ing. Such topographical and historical misstatements should stand 

 corrected, even though made by so intelligent and seducing an 

 author as Mr. Whitaker."^ 



The strongest corroboration of these, and similar views, will be 

 found in the valuable map which accompanies Dr. Thurnam's 

 paper. The reader will there see that Brixton Deveril or Egbert's 

 Stone, was chosen as the secret place of meeting, because the con- 

 tingents could make their way to it unperceived through the line 

 of wood, along the valley of the Wiley, which shrouded them 

 from observation by those possessing the down. But this furtive 

 course would have been unnecessary if the march, as suggested by 

 Dr. Thurnam, was subsequently made through an open country. 

 Brixton, indeed, would have been a rendezvous quite inappropriate 

 to an open attack in the neighbourhood of Chippenham, for it 

 would have been far out of any direct line of march. Some place 

 of meeting would, in that case, have been chosen, probably north- 

 ward of Selwood, and advantage would perhaps have been taken of 

 the fosse way, which leads thence in the direction of Chippenham. 

 But to quote the words of the historian of the Anglo-Saxons, " the 

 attack was meant by the celerity of the movements to be a sur- 

 prize, and most probably was so, and the expression used by most 

 of the chroniclers, imply this circumstance." It appears to me 

 that a key is here found to unlock the whole controversy; it 

 explains and identifies the secret steps of Alfred's march, inti- 

 mating a site approaching the shrubby purlieus of Selwood, and 

 fixes his victory, where before it always has been fixed, at Edington. 



' Mr. Turner (who published his history of the Anglo-Saxons subsequently to 

 the appearance of the Life of St. Neot,) although he fully notices the positive 

 affirmation, I will not say the reasoning, of Whitaker, is not influenced by his 

 dogmatic decision. On the contrary, ho states that the Danish army "was 

 encamped in or about Bratton Hill at Edendun, near Westbury." — vol. ii. p. 86. 

 " Edeudun lies under Bratton Hill, which is lofty, abrupt, and of difficult access. 

 On its summit there are yet extant, the trenches and ditches of the Danish 

 camp. Two branches for the sake of water spread to the foot of tlie mountain. 

 Here weary of the confinement of a camp, and under no alarm of any hostile 

 troops, the Danes difl'used themselves to Edendun, &c." 



