Battlefields›Battle of Ellendun 825
Early Medieval

Battle of Ellendun 825

825
Wiltshire, England
Also known as: Battle of Wroughton · Ecgberht defeats Beornwulf
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Wiltshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Mercia (Beornwulf)
Forces
Mercian army
VS
Victor
Wessex (Ecgberht)
Forces
West Saxon army
Outcome
Beornwulf decisively defeated; Mercian supremacy over England ended; Wessex becomes the dominant kingdom
The Battle

History & Significance

Ecgberht of Wessex crushed Beornwulf of Mercia at Ellendun near Swindon. The Chronicle records a great slaughter. Within months Ecgberht sent his son Aethelwulf to bring Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Essex under West Saxon rule; Northumbria and East Anglia soon acknowledged his overlordship. The age of Mercian dominance was over.

Casualties & Losses

Great slaughter recorded; Beornwulf survived but his power was broken

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Ellendun 825

Bincknoll Camp
Scheduled monument · ~3.9 miles
Two earthwork enclosures and a linear earthwork 625m north of Barbury Castle
Scheduled monument · ~4.1 miles
Two bowl barrows 680m north of Upper Herdswick Farm, Barbury Down
Scheduled monument · ~4.2 miles
Earthwork enclosure and dewpond 490m north of Barbury Castle
Scheduled monument · ~4.2 miles
Field system and earthwork enclosure on Burderop Down
Scheduled monument · ~4.4 miles
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Anglian Assault on Roman York (c.450-500 AD)
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