Lentune Ladies were enthralled today by Philip St Lawrence's talk "Alfred the Great - his darkest hour and the birth of English nationhood".

Alfred was born in 849 and by the age of 9 he had lost his parents and brothers. In 877, aged 28 only Wessex was free of the Viking invaders 

In 878, Gudrum, the Viking leader, was in talks with Ubba in Ireland. They planned a two prong attack on Alfred who had several options. Eventually he decided to hold out. Defiantly he headed to Athelney in disguise and it was here that the apocryphal story was set when Alfred “burns the cakes”!

Alfred now had an army of 4000 farmers armed only with spears and farming implements. He marched them up to Bratton Camp, near Edington, they spy the heathen army below and the cry went up “Close the shield wall”. This ploy worked well and Gudrum retreated to Chippenham and Alfred followed and laid siege to the town.  After 14 days Gudrum surrendered. Alfred was magnanimous in victory and did not execute his foes but forced them to become Christians and real gentlemen. In Edington it is supposed that the English Nationhood was born. 

Alfred was a great warrior King, he reformed English administration, balanced human rights versus the State and introduced the jury system, literacy and trading centres such as London. He later learnt Latin and translated the Psalms into Old English. A plaque to him in Wantage quotes him – “I desired to live worthily as long as I live”. 

Following this fascinating and exciting talk, the ladies enjoyed a good lunch with some discussion about this extraordinary tale of English history.