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Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 495AD - Cerdicesora
(Cerdic and Cynric)
 
The entry from the Chronicles

Original text
Her cuomon twegen aldormen on Bretene, Cerdic ⁊ Cynric his sunu, mid .v. scipum in þone stede þe is gecueden Cerdicesora ⁊ þy ilcan dæge gefuhtun wiþ Walum.

Translation
495AD. This year came two leaders into Britain, Cerdic and Cynric his son, with five ships, at a place that is called Cerdicesora. And they fought with the Welsh the same day. Cerdic died this year possibly injuries from the Battle and Cynric took over.

Where might it be

Cerdicesora appears to be made up of three Saxon snippets Cerdic named after the Saxon leader (this is rare in Saxon village names) then es which denotes ownership and finally ora meaning shore. So they landed at Cerdic's Shore, which probably changed to Icesora then the es for ownership was replaced by en meaning 'people of' which converts the name to Icenora then to Icenore in Domesday and finally Itchenor today.

Itchenor is very close to the modern boundary of Sussex and Hampshire, so is very likely to be the location of the landing.

Possible interpretation of the Chronicles

Cerdicesora is most likely at Ichenor in West Sussex, and lies to the west of Chichester which had been taken by Ælle some time after the battle of Mearcrædesburnan stæðe in 485AD. This landing point was probably on the far western boundary of Sussex as the invasion along the south coast according to the Anglo Saxon Chronicles appears to progress from East to West.


Map showing the Battles of Cerdic, Cynric and the West Saxons
 
Map showing the Battles of Cerdic, Cynric and the West Saxons
Map generated using Google My Maps 2024 - showing the Landscape, modern Counties and sea in 477AD


Please Note: this map is my interpretation of the Anglo Saxon Chronicles entries relating to Cerdic, Cynric and the West Saxons and their take over of Hampshire, the thin purple line shows the modern Hampshire 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



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Author Simon M - Last updated - 2024-10-17 09:41:51
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