92 WAREHAM ! ITS INVASIONS AND BATTLES. 



a fortress of the West Saxons, and which Hume says was the centre 

 of King Alfred's dominions, and having surprised the town the 

 inhabitants were driven away or plundered and massacred, and the 

 whole town reduced to a heap of ruins." The destruction of the 

 Nunnery followed ; the inmates of such houses were special objects 

 of hatred to the Danes, and the riches accumulated therein was a 

 guerdon for plunder, but why they persisted in the demolition of 

 the Castle is a matter of surprise. It could seem but an empty 

 honour to plant the Reafen in such a heap of ruins, but the 

 mysterious raven which had been woven with such magic art, and 

 made the subject of many a dark incantation, by its fancied 

 movements, inspired confidence in the breasts of the invaders, who, 

 stimulated by success, made strenuous efforts to secure the coveted 

 possession which was to them of great importance. Their 

 occupation of Wareham continued for about a year, during which 

 period it was conjectured by Hutchins the Wareham walls were 

 thrown up we must not suppose anything like the stupendous 

 fortifications they afterwards became, but of sufficient strength to 

 afford protection, and also to defend a certain portion of Wareham 

 admirably adapted to their requirements. There are no means of 

 ascertaining the actual size of Wareham. The British name 

 Durnguies is given " not as designating a town, but a tract of 

 country." " The district," writes Mr. Warne, " which is called in 

 British Durnguies, in Saxon Thornsseta, clearly referring to the 

 country around and not to a particular place." 



Without asserting positively that the Walls date from this period 

 reasons are suggested which show that the theory is not 

 improbable : earthworks belong to no particular period, there are 

 specimens of British, Roman, and Danish in the neighbourhood ; 

 the numerous tumuli around us belong to successive periods ; it is 

 evident that tumuli were known to Josephus, and not used 

 exclusively for burials. In the Saxon age, "the torch of war," 

 writes Collier, " was carried through the land ; the Danes recoiling 

 from the walls of the fortified towns, and never able to make any 

 head against an army in the field ; but wherever they stayed 



