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Summary

A battle is alleged to have taken place near Threekingham in 870, between Danes and Saxons.

Full description

In September (of 870), the Saxons of Holland, Lindsey and Kesteven defeated a Danish army driving them back to their camp. The Danes buried three of their slain kings at the place, which, from that circumstance, obtained the name of Threckingham. The next day the Danes marched from their camp and again met the Saxons in battle and defeated them. {1}

This suggested derivation for the place-name Threekingham is not accepted by place-name specialists. {2}{3}

The story of the battle, originally told by Ingulph (who is said to be "unreliable"), is given in detail by W.A. Cragg who notes that "doubts have been expressed that there ever was a battle of Threekingham". The story includes references and "explanations" for various local landmarks and traditions. The battle is said to have taken place in the fields between Threekingham and Stow, and these fields were known locally as the Danesfield. The moat earthworks at Hall Close (PRN 60049) were said to be the remains of the Danish force's camp whilst the men of Kesteven were said to have mustered on Stow Green Hill to receive Holy Sacrament before the second day of fighting and this is given as the reason why a chapel (PRN 60047) was later built there. The fair at Stow Green (PRN 64872) was also supposed to have been held in commemoration of the Kesteven force's last stand there. The story says that three Danish kings were killed in the first day's fighting, and the various mounds around the village including the Beacon mound (actually a formal garden feature, see PRN 60054, see also PRN 64867 for the other "tumuli") were said to be their burial places. There have also been reports of large numbers of skeletons found around the village (PRN 60041) and it has been suggested that these are the dead from the battle, although it is noted that other relics of the battle, such as armour or weapons, have never been found. {4}{5}{6}

Although the Danesfield place name is not shown, there is a Danes Hill shown to the west of the village on the 1824 Ordnance Survey map. 'Danes Field' is, however, marked on the original Ordnance Survey surveyor's drawing for this map and the drawing was surveyed in 1814. {7}{8}

Dugdale mentions the battle in his Monasticon Anglicanum, giving the fate of one of the Saxon leaders. Dugdale states that Algar II, who lived during the time of Mercian Kings Bernulf and Burrd, was killed by the Danes Ungar and Ubba in Kesteven near Strekingham, and that Algar was buried near Croyland. {9}

<1> William White, 1856, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition, p.22 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI886.

<2> Kenneth Cameron, 1998, A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names, p.127 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI5432.

<3> Ekwall, E., 1960, Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names - Fourth Edition, p.470 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1065.

<4> CRAGG, W.A., 1913, A History of Threekingham with Stow in Lincolnshire, pp.3-7 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI11444.

<5> Lincolnshire County Council, Sites and Monuments Record Card Index, TF 03 NE: O (Index). SLI2881.

<6> Edward Trollope, 1872, Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln, pp.524-5 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI920.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1824-1825, 1 Inch Map - First Edition, Sheet 36 (Map). SLI3685.

<8> British Library, 2011->, Ordnance Survey Drawings, Grantham sheet p.19 (Website). SLI13883.

<9> Sir William Dugdale, 1817-30, Monasticon Anglicanum: a History of the Abbeys and other Monasteries, Hospitals, Friaries, and Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, with their Dependencies, in England and Wales, vol.3, p.192 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1018.

Monument Types

• BATTLEFIELD (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 870 AD to 870 AD)
• LEGEND (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 870 AD to 870 AD)

Sources and further reading

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