Who is Hengist of Hengstesrig in the ancient kingdom of Wessex
Have fun speculating about Anglo Saxon settlement names
One thousand six hundred years ago, the small west country settlement of Hengstesrig (Henstridge) was part of the kingdom of Wessex in ancient Britain. The turbulent history of Wessex starts in 410 AD and ends with the Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings in 1066 which killed Harold Godwinson, successor of the last, great Anglo-Saxon King of England, Edward the Confessor.?
Few early records exist of this time, traditionally called the ‘Dark Ages,’ consequently archaeology is fundamental to a better understanding. One highly distinguished ruler, Alfred the Great, King of England (871-99) is attributed to starting one of the most acclaimed history books of these times, right here in Wessex, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. An illuminating series of manuscripts written by cleric monks, portraying six hundred years of history, revealing England as a land of many kingdoms, many invasions and many rulers. Scotland and Wales are never part of the kingdoms and remain largely unconquered throughout this period.??
The Chronicles claim the Kingdom of Wessex (originally known as West Saxon) was taken over in 494AD by Cerdic and his son Cynric who became the first kings. Wessex developed as one of seven great Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms of England, the others being, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria and Sussex. By the mid-9th century there are just four and as the century ends, Wessex emerges as the kingdom of England uniting the country and is ruled by King Edward the Confessor.
The Chronicles set out the story of Hengist, from where Henstridge in Somerset is said to take its name.??Take note! It is a story, peppered with more than a sprinkling of myth, folklore and legend, beginning at the end of Roman occupation in 410 AD and the Anglo-Saxon ‘invasion’ of Britain.??After 400 years of rule, most of the Roman Army and its Government pack up, turn off the lights and head home, leaving Britannia in the dubious hands of various rival tribes and clans. The ensuing period between 410CE - 600CE was traditionally known as the real ‘Dark Ages’ when some things will never be known.?Evidence can point in certain directions, then it’s down to interpretation.?
During this early period, littered with power struggles for supremacy of a new Britannia, King Vortigern emerges as a man not to be trifled with!??Vortigern needs a strong, fierce army to contain the troublesome Picts (the Scots) and begins recruiting the best men he can find.?In 449 AD the Chronicles tell of longships from Germany, landing at Ebbesfleet, Kent, bringing with them the first Anglo-Saxons to land in Britain.?Amongst the seafarers are twin brothers Hengist and Horsa, fierce, brave warriors, renowned for their outstanding fighting skills; the perfect C.V. Vortigern recruits them. The price is the Isle of Thanet in Kent; a new home for the twins.??
Hengist and Horsa, seeing the country as weak and under defended, seize the opportunity to bring over warriors from the three greatest Germanic tribes, Old Saxons from Saxony, Angles from Angelin and Jutes from Jutland; Rowena, Hengist’s sister comes too. Vortigern immediately falls in love with her. The marriage settlement gives the lands of Kent to Hengist.??Jealousy erupts amongst the Kings’ other siblings, led by Vortimer, who rise up against their father and Hengists’ Army.?Horsa is killed. Hengists’ defeated army flee out of the country, only returning after hearing Vortimer is dead; poisoned by Rowena.?In 455AD Kent transpires as an Anglo-Saxon kingdom just like Wessex with Hengist’s reign as King characterised by years of fighting.??
The Chronicles do not record when or where Hengist dies, but do record in 488 AD a new leader Aesc who reigns as king of the Kentish people for 34 years.?Hengist’s son, Oeric, surnamed Oisc (or Aesc), said to have reigned alone from 488 to 512.?The burning question, embellished with myth and legend, fortified by founding fathers of ancient Britain, and cemented into fact, is where exactly is Hengist buried??Claims of ‘He is here!’ ‘We have found him’ ring out across the country, but wait, where is here? Contentions for Hengists burial place are numerous, coming from Lincoln, Yorkshire, and Maidstone in Kent at Kit Coty House, to Stonehenge and Hengistbury Head in Dorset.?‘Here’ now becomes unclear!?Hengist is no longer a mythical figure.?Now real enough to pass this way leaving two small Somerset villages, 400 miles away from Kent, named in honour; Henstridge (Hengist) and Horsington (Horsa)? QED!?Henstridge is founded on the stuff of legends!?
Next!?
Line up the challengers!
Let’s add, into the mythical melting pot, a real contender to the claim! ‘Anglo-Saxon Henstridge’;??one with a familiar origin.?‘Hengstesrig’ (Henstridge) first appears in records in 956AD and translates from Anglo-Saxon as ‘ridge where stallions are kept.’ A widely accepted name for Henstridge [Wakeford] where ‘Hengst’ means stallion. Reference to ‘Hengst’ can be found in the ‘Lex Salica, the oldest European law code’, dating from the Middle Ages, reinforcing European/Anglo-Saxon origins. The geology of the ridge constitutes grey, blue and white stone, squashed limestone and shale, dating from the Jurassic period.
The challenger is ‘Celtic Henstridge’ worthy of consideration in the light of newer emerging evidence, and defined as ‘ridge of a man called Hengest.’ [The Oxford Names Companion.] The Celts were here before the Anglo-Saxons and it is known ‘Hengst’ was most ‘probably a Welsh name, but obscure in origin and meaning.’ [The Oxford Names Companion] Hengest signifies a name of tribal and personal origin.
So three potential claims for the origins of the name of ‘Henstridge,’ all based on the derivative of ‘Hengst.’
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Before we dismiss, Hengist, the legendary Anglo-Saxon invader. Consider this. The Anglo-Saxons did not penetrate this part of Somerset until the battle of Dyrham in 597, and later, following the battle of Penselwood in 658AD [Hunt & Sellman.]?However, in 500AD the battle of Badon Hill took place in Somerset, during the life of Hengist’s son Oeric, and even Hengist’s??An important, decisive battle stopping the Saxon invasion for 50 years.?The site of this battle has never been confirmed. West Country locations cited include Solsbury Hill, Bath, South Cadbury, and even, Badbury Rings in Dorset.?Iron Age sites like these were re-used during the Anglo-Saxon conquest. For example Athelney in Somerset, where King Alfred camped out, in his fight against the Danes. Henstridge and the Somerset village of Milborne Wick are Iron Age sites [Hunt & Sellman.] More intriguingly the tiny hamlet of Bowden, slap in the middle of the area, translates as ‘curved hill.’ Lacking a thorough archaeological investigation, theoretically perhaps a candidate for the battle site?
Delve deeper into mists of time and follow the goose!?Did Oeric and/or Hengist fight in the battle of Badon Hill??Oeric, young and fit with Hengist, a very, old man, making one last stab at fighting before he dies in battle,?here at Bowden. A place can be named in memorial of a person, legendary or real. Did Oeric name ‘Henstridge’ in honour of his father???Even more breath-taking, is ‘Hengstesrig,’ actually referring to the Saxon burial mound of Hengist and, is the true place where Hengist is buried.?He is here! So is the goose!
Bring on the third contender! ‘Celtic Hengest’ step up to the mark!?The name of our settlement, part of our cultural heritage, is at least one thousand years old.?Yet the name can easily pre-date this, existing in a purer form, in pre-Roman times. Early words are adulterated/adapted as language develops with the latest occupiers, modifying from Celtic ‘Brittonic,’ to Roman ‘Latin,’ to Anglo-Saxon ‘Old English.’ ‘Hengest’ of Celtic origin, potentially pre-dates the Anglo-Saxon invasion, giving credence to the existence of a pre-Roman Celtic tribe. In this part of South Somerset, such a tribe existed, known as The Durotriges, traditionally hill-top dwellers. [Hunt & Sellman]?It is not unreasonable, with the help of archaeology, to establish a clan lived here; Celtic Hengests’ tribe, or Hengst (stallion), a tribe of horsemen? Were they part of a Durotrigan federation like the Hengistbury Head clan? It is known the Durotriges traded, setting sail at Hengistbury Head, near Christchurch. [Barry Cunliffe] The source of The Stour runs through our settlement, originating from Stourhead, and runs through to Christchurch. Is Henstridge named in honour of Hengest, Celtic tribesman of the Durotriges?
Survival of the Durotrigans into Roman Britannia is unclear. With the advance of the Roman Army penetrating this area, our settlement comes approximately mid-way between the Civitas, Roman administration centres, of Dorchester and Ilchester. How did our tribe of Durotriges fare? Did they co-exist, cosy-up and copulate or did clan chiefs challenge and confront??The might of the Roman Legion, slaying all in their path, may mean our tribe of Celtic warriors did not live to fight another day against later Anglo-Saxon invaders.?
If the Durotriges were not wiped out by the Roman Army, notionally they died here in Henstridge.?It is known death was by inhumation; usually a trench covered by rocks and dirt. [Cunliffe] Once again, and with more creditability this time, it places ‘Celtic Hengist’ right on our doorstep.?Giving authority to the theory that ‘Hengstesrig’ is actually referring to the home and burial place of the Celtic tribe of Hengist.
Conceivably, the answer is right under our nose!?Salute the diggers! For the blade of the spade can cut through the mists of time, revealing what is actually beneath our feet.
What do you think?
Is it
‘Anglo-Saxon Hengist’
‘Celtic Hengest’
Or just that ridge of blue lias running along the settlement boundary – Long live the horse!
Caroline Rowland July 2015
PS: The goose is dead for he was a fickle and treacherous leader!??