Page "Alfred the Great" Paragraph 31

Alfred had been on his way to relieve his son at Thorney when he heard that the Northumbrian and East Anglian Danes were besieging Exeter and an unnamed stronghold on the North Devon shore.

Alfred at once hurried westward and raised the Siege of Exeter.

The fate of the other place is not recorded.

Meanwhile, the force under Hastein set out to march up the Thames Valley, possibly with the idea of assisting their friends in the west.

But they were met by a large force under the three great ealdormen of Mercia, Wiltshire and Somerset, and forced to head off to the northwest, being finally overtaken and blockaded at Buttington.

Some identify this with Buttington Tump at the mouth of the River Wye, others with Buttington near Welshpool.

An attempt to break through the English lines was defeated.

Those who escaped retreated to Shoebury.

Then, after collecting reinforcements, they made a sudden dash across England and occupied the ruined Roman walls of Chester.

The English did not attempt a winter blockade, but contented themselves with destroying all the supplies in the neighbourhood.

Early in 894 ( or 895 ), want of food obliged the Danes to retire once more to Essex.

At the end of this year and early in 895 ( or 896 ), the Danes drew their ships up the River Thames and River Lea and fortified themselves twenty miles ( 32 km ) north of London.

A direct attack on the Danish lines failed but, later in the year, Alfred saw a means of obstructing the river so as to prevent the egress of the Danish ships.

The Danes realised that they were outmanoeuvred.

They struck off north-westwards and wintered at Cwatbridge near Bridgnorth.

The next year, 896 ( or 897 ), they gave up the struggle.

Some retired to Northumbria, some to East Anglia.

Those who had no connections in England withdrew back to the continent.