The Battle of Cynuit near Combwich in Somerset. Key to King Alfred's decisive victory over the Danes at Edington.

My interest in Combwich and the Battle of Cynuit was aroused in a rather roundabout fashion which began with a newspaper article on an aspect of Cornish nationalism.  Apparently Cornish nationalists have come up with the idea of place names on signposts being in English and Cornish in order to promote the Cornish language.  The thought struck me that something similar could be done here in Somerset in order to preserve and promote the Somerset dialect.  So, I consulted my copy of Roger Evans’ Don’t Tell I, Tell ‘Ee!  An affectionate look at the Somerset dialect (Countryside Books, 2008).  In the chapter on the pronunciation of Somerset place names, alongside the more well-known Weston-super-Mare pronounced “Wessun” and Crewkerne pronounced “Crook-urn”, was Combwich pronounced “Cummidge”.

I had never come across Combwich before so I went back to the bookshelves for a little more research.  Combwich is mentioned in most histories and guides on Somerset.  However, in Ralph Whitlock’s Somerset (Batsford, 1975) and the Reverend E.H.Smith’s Happy Memories of West Somerset in 100 Pictures (1945) there is mention of the Battle of Cynuit.  Further reading revealed the significance of the fighting which took place in this quiet corner of Somerset over eleven hundred years ago.

Cynuit – the key to victory.  In the year 878AD the Anglo-Saxon campaign against the Danes begun in Somerset, and led by Alfred the Great, saved the Kingdom of Wessex and thus determined the future of English nationhood and western Christian civilisation.

It could be argued that the key to Alfred’s campaign and ultimate victory over the Danes at Edington (Ethandune) was the earlier battle of Cynuit (or Cynwit) near Combwich, a village on the west bank of the River Parrett.

A view of the harbour at Combwich on the west bank of the River Parrett.

Following his escape from Chippenham and flight to Somerset Alfred conducted a guerrilla campaign from his fortress on the Isle of Athelney against Guthrum and his Danes based in the Polden Hills.

Guthrum, unable to get to grips with Alfred’s forces because of the lakes and marshes around Athelney, sent for ships and men of the Danish fleet which had wintered over in Wales.  Consequently the Dane Hubba sailed with 23 ships and 1400 men for the River Parrett intending to force a passage upriver toward the Isle of Athelney.  However, Hubba’s progress was halted where the river narrows at Combwich, by Odda, Alderman of Devonshire, and his Saxons.  Hubba and his men disembarked and battle commenced. 

Under ferocious Danish assault the Saxons were forced to retreat inland to the hill-fort of Cynuit (the present day site of Cannington Park) one and a half miles south west from Combwich.  The Danes, confident of success, prepared to lay siege to the fort, but the next morning Odda and his Saxons, with nothing to lose, launched a counter attack.  Hubba and 850 (some sources say 1,200) of his men were slain, the survivors fled to their ships.  Odda and his victorious Saxons then made their way to Athelney to bolster King Alfred’s forces on his island fortress.



Cynuit hill-fort viewed from the east.  The hill, the present day site of Cannington Park, is 262ft high.

Guthrum’s Danes on the Polden Hills were now constantly harassed by Saxon raiders from Athelney.  Meanwhile, Alfred travelled to Egbert’s Stone on the east of Selwood in Wiltshire where an army of Saxons from Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire was gathering.

Alfred led his Saxon army west from Wiltshire to the Polden Hills then on along the ridge to Edington (Ethandune) where the Danes, demoralised and lacking reinforcements after the Battle of Cynuit,  were decisively defeated.

Evidence of battle.  There is, of course the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the writings of Asser, Alfred’s official biographer, to ponder.  Physical evidence has been found in quarries in the vicinity of Cynuit as the Reverend E.H.Smith reports: “As mute witnesses of the severity of the battle men’s bones are constantly being exhumed above the quarry now being worked on the site of the fight – in fact the writer has himself picked up and examined many, and at widely different dates, as fresh areas of quarry are opened out.”

An alternative history.  Yes, yes I know, Hubba could have been a Viking, Cynuit might have been in Devonshire at Contisbury Hill or Castle Hill near Beaford while Edington in Wiltshire is suggested as “Ethandune”.  However, in my view history is fifty per cent fact and fifty per cent opinion, so, especially as I was born in the county, I am happy to support the judgement that all the action took place in Somerset!