seaxe left Anglo Saxon History

seaxe right


Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 455AD - Aeglesthrep
(Henghest and Horsa)
 
The entry from the Chronicles

Original text
455. Her Hengest 7 Horsa fuhton wiþ Wyrtgeorne þam cyninge, in þære stowe þe is gecueden Agælesþrep, 7 his broþur Horsan man ofslog; 7 æfter þam Hengest feng to rice 7 Æsc his sunu

Translation
455AD. This year Hengest and Horsa fought with Wurtgern the king on the spot that is called Agælesþrep. His brother Horsa being there slain, Hengest afterwards took to the kingdom with his son Esc.
What does this mean

If we look at the Saxon name 'Agælesþreáp', pronounced 'Eagles threp' it is made up from two Saxon components 'Agæles' which means 'Eagles' and 'þreáp' which means 'troops'.

This would make this location the 'Place of the Eagle troops - Roman Legion', the most likely place for this is the old Roman Legion fort at Rochester.

Rochester
This is derived from the Saxon 'Hrof' - roofed and 'cæster' - a roman fortified town - hence 'the Roofed Roman Fort'

The walled area of Rochester is about the size required for a complete Roman Legion. Rochester was known as 'Durobrivae' by the Romans and is a main stopping point on Watling Street where the Medway was bridged.

Rochester was also the second administrative centre for the Cantii and administered West Kent from the Medway to London, so would be a good place for Vortigern to be based if pushed out of Canterbury which was the main administrative center of the Cantii and usually controlled the Eastern part of Kent.

In the 1800's this battle was claimed to be at nearby 'Aylesford' as the name was similar, but the strategic importance of the bridge at Rochester would have been more important than the ford at Aylesford.
 
 
Possible interpretation of the Chronicles

If Vortigern had been pushed back from Canterbury by Henghest and Horsa then this would be a good place to defend based in the old Roman Fortress at Rochester and blocking Watling Street to London by holding the bridge across the Medway.

Map of Henghest and Horsa invasion of Kent in 455AD
Map generated using Google My Maps 2024 - showing the Landscape, modern Counties and sea in 455AD


Please Note: this map is my interpretation of the Anglo Saxon Chronicles entries relating to Henghest, Horsa and Aesc and their take over of Kent, the purple line shows the modern Kent boundary.

The logic for the coastal changes and the Forest of Andredsweald can be viewed on the following pages:

Roman Roads in Britain

The Great Forest of Andredsweald - Anglo Saxon Chronicles

Landscape - Was the sea level in Saxon times at Pevensey 4 to 5 metres higher ?

Was the high tide in Saxon times 5 metres higher ? - the Wash

Landscape - The History of the Romney Marsh in maps(Pre-Roman to Modern times)

Roman Locations that have not been identified and roads that just terminate



Copyright saxonhistory.co.uk 2013 - 2024
Contact Simon
Author Simon M - Last updated - 2024-10-16 07:53:52
All pages on our site (Sitemap)
 
Local Interest
Just click an image
Winchelsea Museum
Battle and District Historical Society
Wadhurst History Society
Ninfield History Group
Bexhill Museum
World War 2 Vehicle database
Wealden Iron Research Group
Hastings Rock the place to listen to
Rye Museum
The Bald Explorer for local documentaries
For all things mosaic, commissions workshops etc please contact Hannah
The Rudes as lots of people call us, are an outdoor touring theatre company specialising in taking new & original theatre to mainly small rural communities and a few towns across the South of England. We were founded in 1998 & first toured in the Summer of 1999. Currently we tour only in the summer performing 50+ times nightly during June, July & August. https://therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk