Burghal Hidage
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The Burghal Hidage is a Anglo-Saxon document providing a list of Wessex's fortified burhs. It offers an unusually detailed picture of the network of burhs that Alfred the Great designed to defend his kingdom from the predatations of Viking invaders.[1] The existing document is dated to the reign of Alfred's son Edward. The list identifies 33 burhs, most founded during Alfred's reign.
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[edit] Burhs and Hides
Burhs were fortified towns or forts in Anglo-Saxon England, many founded by Alfred the Great. Burhs had official status recognized by grants such as the right to mint coinage. These fortified communities were geographically distributed so that, in the period when the Burghal Hidage was compiled, everyone in Wessex lived within a day's march of a place of refuge.
In regions of medieval England outside the Danelaw, the hide was a unit of land defined according to its agricultural yield and taxable potential rather than its area. The areas of hides ranged from 15 to 30 modern acres (6 to 12 hectares). One hide was assumed to support one household. In wartime, five hides were expected to provide one fully armed soldier.
[edit] List of Burhs
This list shows the 33 burhs included in the existing document in order of hidage. Burhs that were probably added to the document after Alfred's time are shown in bold. The hidage for Exeter is thought to be too low, and likely an error.
| Winchester | 2400 |
| Wallingford | 2400 |
| Warwick | 2400 |
| Southwark | 1800 |
| Wareham | 1600 |
| Buckingham | 1600 |
| Chichester | 1500 |
| Cricklade | 1500 |
| Wilton | 1400 |
| Oxford | 1400 |
| Lewes | 1300 |
| Malmesbury | 1200 |
| Worcester | 1200 |
| Sashes | 1000 |
| Bath | 1000 |
| Bridport | 760 |
| Exeter | 734 |
| Burpham | 720 |
| Shaftesbury | 700 |
| Chisbury | 700 |
| Langport | 600 |
| Eashing | 600 |
| Watchet | 513 |
| Hastings | 500 |
| Portchester | 500 |
| Twynam | 470 |
| Axbridge | 400 |
| Pilton | 360 |
| Eorpeburnan | 324 |
| Halwell | 300 |
| Southampton | 150 |
| Lydford | 140 |
| Lyng | 100 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Stenton, F. (1971). Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
- Hill, D., & Rumble, A. R. (eds.)(1996). The Defence of Wessex: The Burghal Hidage and Anglo-Saxon fortifications. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.
