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At the Battle of Beran Byrig or Beranburh the West Saxons are said to have defeated the Britons at Barbury Castle hillfort near Swindon in or around 556 AD according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

The Chronicle's entry for the year states:

556: Her Cynric 7 Ceawlin fuhton wiþ Brettas æt Beranbyrg

556: This year Cynric and Ceawlin fought with the Britons at Beran byrg.

The control of Barbury Castle and its surroundings is likely to have been strategically important for both sides, as it lies on the Ridgeway, a principal regional communication route.

References

1. Carruthers, Bob (18 March 2013). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Illustrated and Annotated. Pen and Sword. p. 323. ISBN 978-1-78159-148-2. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
2. Collingwood, Robin George; Myres, John Nowell Linton (1936). Roman Britain and the English Settlements. New York: Biblo & Tannen Publishers. p. 458. ISBN 978-0-8196-1160-4.

• Swindon Borough Council

External links

• Battle of Beranburh, AD556 at The Ravens Warband

51°29′08″N 1°47′13″W / 51.485458°N 1.786808°W / 51.485458; -1.786808

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