By the Rev. J. E. Jackson. 23 
battle which made them so was fought at Wilton. So long as 
there were eight petty kings, each resided within his own province, 
and the King of Wessex being as fond of field sports as his 
predecessors, like them came to North Wilts for that purpose. He 
had several hunting seats, and one at Chippenham; for this is all that 
is meant by the Royal Palace which constant tradition has given 
to this place. Jt is not necessary to suppose that there was a 
Windsor Castle here. The Windsor Castle of the King of Wessex 
was at Winchester. Chippenham was his Balmoral, or his 
Osborne. 
But why did he fix upon Chippenham? Simply, and without 
suggesting various reasons which your own partiality might 
approve, because it belonged to him. The Wessex crown had 
a very large property in this neighbourhood, including the whole 
parish, or, as it would then be called—Manor, of Chippenham ; 
all Calne, Bromham, Melksham, Corsham, and "Warminster. 
These Manors together formed one noble demesne, of which the 
king was landlord. Whatever villages or farms may have been 
within it, were held directly of the crown, without any intermediate 
lord. Of course, wherever kings take up their residence, were it 
even in a wilderness, there will presently spring up the needful 
establishment of followers and appurtenances; a church and 
chaplains, farmers, labourers, mechanics, and the other materials 
of society. The places just named, of whatever size they were 
in Saxon times, (probably humble enough), must have owed their 
origin and growth to their dependence upon the crown of Wessex. 
Such, then, was the condition of this neighbourhood, when 
scourge the third suddenly fell upon England in the form of 
Tue Danes. 
These visitors also, like their predecessors, came from the northern 
coasts of Europe, Jutland and thereabouts, and made their first 
descent, A.D. 833. 
Not long after this, King Alfred was born at Wantage, in Berk- 
shire. He was properly, and by family descent, King of Wessex ; 
but, by position, King of all England. His history, so well known, 
must only be alluded to so far as concerns the present subject. 
