256 Ancient History of Shaftesbury. 



they are consistent with the narratives of all. With Asser I give 

 *' one night" at Egbertstone and one night at Acglia. With Roger 

 of Wendover I give " two days march," one day's retrograde march 

 from Egbertstone to King's Settle near Shaftesburj'', and one day's 

 forward march from King's Settle to Acglia, whether Clay Hill or 

 Leigh. With Simeon of Durham I do not bring Alfred to Ethandun 

 till "after the third day," affording a day's rest at King's Settle, 

 so needful for various reasons ; and having eight or nine miles to 

 march from either Clay Hill or Leigh to Ethandun i.e. Edington, 

 I do not with Gaimar bring him up with the enemy till noon. I 

 believe these suggestions fairly tenable, and I claim for Kings' 

 Settle near this our ancient town, the honour of having received, 

 refreshed and augmented the army of Alfred before the victory 

 which replaced him in the undisputed Sovereignty of England. 



If these suggestions are not considered tenable, then the site of 

 the battle of Ethandun must be removed from Edington near 

 Westbury to some other spot far more distant from Egbertstone, 

 and indeed from the county of Wilts altogether. Dr. Bleke and 

 Mr. Lysons suggest Heddington in the parish of Hungerford in 

 Berkshire. Others say,^ Minchinhampton in Gloucestershire. 

 Milner however would still keep the site in Wiltshire, placing it 

 at Heddington near Devizes; while Whitaker suggests Yatton, 

 near Chippenham. I consider my own suggestions most reason- 

 able, most accordant with ancient history and with continuous 

 local tradition and nomenclature : and that Edington near West- 

 bury was the scene of the battle of Ethandun, and that Alfred 

 retired from Egbertstone to this town for reinforcements before 

 encountering and finally conquering the invaders. Need we 

 wonder that one of the first acts of the grateful Monarch when 

 reinstated in his kingdom, was to restore and rebuild this ancient 

 and loyal city. 



Shaftesbury was accordingly, we find, rebuilt by Alfred imme- 

 diately A.D. 880. William of Malmesbury, writing in the twelfth 

 century, says there was in his time, in the Chapter-house of the 

 Nuns, a stone which had been brought thither from the ruins of a 



' Brayley's Graphic Illustrator. Paper on Ethandun by J. M. M. (J. M. Moffatt?) 



