Battle of Cannington
Who Fought
Vikings: 1,200
History & Significance
The Battle of Cynwit or Countisbury Hill took place between West Saxons and Vikings in 878. The location of the fortress the battle is named for is not known with certainty but probably was at Countisbury Hill or Wind Hill, near Countisbury, Devon. A possible alternative site for the siege and battle is Cannington Camp in the Parrett estuary near Combwich.
The Viking army was said to have been led by Ubba, brother of Ivar the Boneless and Halfdan Ragnarsson, and sailed from Dyfed (where they had overwintered) to land on the coast at Countisbury with 23 ships and 1200 men. On landing, the Viking army discovered that the West Saxons had taken refuge in a stronghold at "Cynuit", possibly Countisbury. According to the 10th century chronicler Æthelweard, the West Saxons were led by Odda, the ealdorman of Devon. The Vikings perceived that the stronghold was unprepared for battle and decided to besiege it, as it did not seem to have any food or water supply.
And the same winter the brother of Hingwar and of Halfdene came with twenty-three ships to Devonshire in Wessex; and he was there slain, and with him eight hundred and forty men of his army: and there was taken the war-flag which they called the Raven.
This year, during midwinter, after twelfth night, the army stole away to Chippenham, and overran the land of the West-Saxons, and sat down there; and many of the people they drove beyond sea, and of the remainder the greater part they subdued and forced to obey them, except king Alfred
The Battle of Cynwit was one of several triumphant stories recorded by Asser and the Chronicle in 878, ultimately culminating in the English victory over the Vikings at the Battle of Edington.
Baggs, A P; Siraut, M C. (1992). "Cannington". In Dunning, R W; Elrington, C R (eds.). A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes). British History Online. pp. 73–76. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
Cornwell, Bernard (2005). The Last Kingdom. London: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-714991-3.
Exmoor National Park (2014). "MDE1236 - Countisbury Castle or Wind Hill Promontory Fort". Exmoor's Past. Exmoor National Park. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
Giles, J.A. (1914). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle . London: G. Bell and Sons Ltd. – via Wikisource.
Giles, J A, ed. (1906). "The Chronicle of Fabius Ethelwerd". Six Old English Chronicles. London: Henry G. Bohn. OCLC 59720584.
Hindley, Geoffrey (2015). The Anglo Saxons. London: Robinson. ISBN 978-1-84529-161-7.
Historic England. "Earthwork defences of Countisbury Castle promontory fort (1020807)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Cannington lies on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.
- West Saxons: Few
- Vikings: 800
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything a full report reveals about Battle of Cannington
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