Burh
A burh (Old English pronunciation: .
Burhs also had a secondary role as commercial and sometimes administrative centres. Their fortifications were used to protect England's various
Name
Burh and burg were
Byrig
In addition to the English foundations described here, these names were sometimes used in
.Background
Burhs were originally built as military defences. According to
Some were based upon pre-existing
A tenth-century document, now known as the
Only eight of the burhs achieved municipal status in the
Construction
The burhs were made in a variety of different ways, depending on materials available locally, and the size of the settlement or area it was intended to defend.[13]
Frequently, a burh was built on the site of pre-existing fortifications. Sometimes, old Roman walls were simply repaired, as in towns such as Winchester, Exeter, York, Burgh Castle, Portchester and Dover. At other times, they would build on the site of old Iron Age forts, such as Dover, utilising the old ditches and ramparts.[13]
However, many of the burhs were entirely new fortified sites, built on strategic sites on the coast, near ports or overlooking roads and trade routes. Substantial new towns were built on flat land with a rectangular layout, at for example Oxford, Wallingford, Cricklade and Wareham.[13]
Traditionally, burhs were constructed first with a massive series of banks fronted by a ditch.[13] The bank was typically timber faced and timber revetted.[14] This was topped by a wooden palisade of stakes, up to 10 feet (3.0 m) high, with a walkway. At towns such as Tamworth, the ramparts would decay and push outwards over time, meaning that the ditch and bank would deteriorate. To solve this, the banks were faced with stone, thus further reinforcing the defences and improving their life span.[11]
Purpose
The purpose was primarily to provide defence for a port or town, and the surrounding farms, villages and hamlets. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Alfred constructed a series of burhs, listed in the Burghal Hidage numbering over 30. Apparently, it was Alfred's intention that no English farm or village be any more than 20 miles (32 km) away from a burh. He built a network of well maintained army roads, known as herepaths, that interconnected the burhs, allowing the population quick access to shelter (in their local burh). The herepaths enabled Alfred's troops to move swiftly to engage the enemy. It also meant that reinforcements could be called up easily, from other burhs if needed. Ryan Lavelle believes that each burh would have had a mounted force that would be ready for action against the Vikings.[15] It is probable that there was a system of beacons on the high hills of Wessex that gave advance warning of any invader.[15] Thus with this integrated network of fortifications and defence with the burhs at its centre, Alfred was able to make it difficult for the Vikings to seize strategically important towns and ports.[15]
Burhs also had secondary roles as economic centres, safe havens in which trade and production could take place. Armouries, blacksmiths, royal mints and trading posts were all located within the burh. They would be used as supply depot for the Anglo-Saxon army when it was in the field, thus ensuring that the Anglo-Saxon troops had a continual supply of weapons, fresh horses and food.[16]
During Alfred's reign there was a definite demarcation between the royal fyrd (royal army) and those of the local fyrd (local defence force). The local fyrd were responsible for the construction and defence of their burh, whereas members of the royal fyrd served under the king.[17]
See also
- Toponymy of England
- List of generic forms in place names in Ireland and the United Kingdom
- Borough and Ancient borough
- Burgh
Notes
- palatal approximant/j/, equivalent to the sound of modern English ⟨y⟩
- ^ In the nominative and accusative cases.
Citations
- ^ a b Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "borough, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1887.
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "† bergh | berȝe | berwe, v." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1887.
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "burg, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1888.
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "burgh, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1888.
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "† ˈbury, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1888.
- ^ Loyn, Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest, 2nd ed. 1991:138.
- ^ Loyn 1991:138.
- ^ Loyn 1991:137f.
- ^ Hill/ Rumble. The Defence of Wessex. p. 1
- ^ Loyn 1991:139f, noting Tait
- ^ a b Lavelle. Fortifications in Wessex c. 800-1066. pp. 33-38
- ^ Tait. The Medieval Borough. pp. 1-29
- ^ a b c d Welch. Anglo-Saxon England. pp. 125-131
- ^ Lapidge. Anglo-Saxon England. p. 191
- ^ a b c Lavelle. Fortifications in Wessex c. 800-1066. p. 26
- ^ Lavelle. Fortifications in Wessex c. 800-1066. pp. 39-46
- ^ Powicke. Military Obligation. pp. 8-9
References
- Hill, David; Rumble, Alexander R., eds. (1996). The Defence of Wessex: The Burghal Hidage and Anglo-Saxon Fortifications. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-719-03218-0.
- Lapidge, Michael Ed.; John Blair; Simon Keynes; Donald Scragg (2001). The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England. London: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-22492-0.
- Lavelle, Ryan (2003). Fortifications in Wessex c. 800-1066. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84176-639-3.
- Loyn, H.R (1991). Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest. Harlow, Essex: Longman Group. ISBN 0-582-07297-2.
- Powicke, Michael (1962). Military Obligation in Medieval England. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-820695-X.
- Tait, James (1936). The Medieval English Borough: Studies on Its Origins and Constitutional History. Manchester University.
- Welch, Martin (1992). Anglo-Saxon England. London: English Heritage. ISBN 0-7134-6566-2.
Further reading
- Reynolds, A. J. (1999), Later Anglo-Saxon England: Life and Landscape, Tempus, ISBN 978-0-7524-1432-4