Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 36 Page 49
Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 36 Page 49 is in Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 36.
On Friday a large number left the Market Place in well appointed breaks, at 9.30. The glorious weather, and the drive through a charming country, with magnificent views at every turn were delightful. The destination was Camelot, or Cadbury Castle, at the foot of which the Members were joined by the Dorset Field Club, amongst whom were Mr. Mansel-Pleydell, the President, and the Rev. 0. P. Cambridge, F.R.S., Hon. Treasurer. Their party numbered about forty. After climb ing up the steep embankments to the summit, from which there are splendid and extensive views of the surrounding country.
The Rev. J. A. Bennett conducted the party over the Camp, and delivered, in situ, an address, to which his en thusiasm for the subject, and his genial manner, lent a charm to the hearers which can in no way be reproduced even by the full text printed in Part II.
In the discussion which followed,
Mr. Norris, in expressing the great pleasure he had experienced whilst listening to their Secretary’s eloquent exposition of the grand old Camp on which they were assembled, felt that he was also giving vent to at least equal gratification on the part of those whose presence around him proved that this height was not now impregnable, whatever it might have been in days gone by.
He was aware that the study of "Camelot" had been to his friend, Mr. Bennett, a lifelong labour of love ; neverthe less, although he could afford to make him a present of King Arthur and his round table, he must demur to the appro priation of Kenwealh and his brave followers. He considered it highly probable that the great scene of conflict between Saxon and Briton in the year 658, was some miles to the west of the spot on which they stood. He had elsewhere1 given his reasons for believing that the British tribes east of the Parret had made their final stand at the Pens ("Pen Mill", and "Pen Hill"), by Yeovil, where also there were several other hills which, from their configuration, might well have been called "Pens", 1,200 years ago.
Note 1. Proc. Som. Arch, and Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. xxx, pt. ii, p. 146.
The opposing forces had, according to the Ang. Sax. Chron., met in bloody combat at Bradford-on-Avon, in a.d. 652; a combat in which he believed each side claimed the victory. The next reference in the chronicle to the struggle between the Saxons and the British was that referring (a.d. 658) to the victory of Kenwealh over the Britons, in a fight beginning at Peonna, of late generally translated as "The Pens" (in the plural number), and ending at Pedrida, usually given as the river Parret; the great stream which, with its marshes and swamps, was at that time a formidable barrier between the tribes who occupied its eastern and western banks respectively, but which was capable of being crossed at a favourable spot (now called Petherton Bridge), by the Foss-way ford, signs of which were still visible at low water.
Looming above this, to the east, was the great residential fortress of Ham Hill, which crowns a steep natural promon tory, commanding the adjacent country, and approached on the east only by a road over the hills from Aldon and Hendford (close to the Yeovil “Pens ”), five miles distant.
He held that the chronicles recorded, for the most part, great historic events, wdthout giving in detail, causes that led up to them. Doubtless, between 652 and 658, there had been constant frontier fights between the opposing forces — the Saxons advancing, and the Britons retiring — along the neighbourhood of the Foss-way, until meeting for a decesive conflict at Yeovil, the invaded party took to the heights of Aldon and Hendford, following the road over Odcombe and Odcombe Down, towards their strong river fortress on Hamden.
The battle must have been bloody, severe, and long contested, with alternate advantage to either side, until at its end the Britons w r ere finally and for ever driven across the river “ to a place called Pederydan,” as Æthelweard told us in his chronicle. This could only mean South Petherton, the Saxon edition of a British town which once stood on the western bank of the Parret, and which spot had been identified by the discovery of various relics, in the speaker’s possession.
Doubtless they attempted to cross the river by the ford alluded to, a f short mile ’ west of which, on slightly^ rising ground, stood the old Domesday estate of IF^-borough, which name was quite as indicative of some big fight as Sig-well would be of a victory.
For these reasons, and perhaps for others not equally strong, Mr. Norris felt that he was entitled to regard his theory as to the site of Kenwealh’s last victory over the British as being at least as tenable as that of his friend Mr. Bennett, to whom he offered, on his own part, his best thanks for his able and highly interesting address. (See Part II.)
Leaving Camelot, the Members next visited