The Pagan Lord

PLACE NAMES

The spelling of place names in Anglo-Saxon England was an uncertain business, with no consistency and no agreement even about the name itself. Thus London was variously rendered as Lundonia, Lundenberg, Lundenne, Lundene, Lundenwic, Lundenceaster and Lundres. Doubtless some readers will prefer other versions of the names listed below, but I have usually employed whichever spelling is cited in either the Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names or the Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names for the years nearest or contained within Alfred’s reign, AD 871–899, but even that solution is not foolproof. Hayling Island, in 956, was written as both Heilincigae and Hæglingaiggæ. Nor have I been consistent myself; I should spell England as Englaland, and have preferred the modern form Northumbria to Norðhymbralond to avoid the suggestion that the boundaries of the ancient kingdom coincide with those of the modern county. So this list, like the spellings themselves, is capricious.

Æsc’s Hill

Ashdown, Berkshire

Afen

River Avon, Wiltshire

Beamfleot

Benfleet, Essex

Bearddan Igge

Bardney, Lincolnshire

Bebbanburg

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

Bedehal

Beadnell, Northumberland

Beorgford

Burford, Oxfordshire

Botulfstan

Boston, Lincolnshire

Buchestanes

Buxton, Derbyshire

Ceaster

Chester, Cheshire

Ceodre

Cheddar, Somerset

Cesterfelda

Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Cirrenceastre

Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Coddeswold Hills

The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire

Cornwalum

Cornwall

Cumbraland

Cumbria

Dunholm

Durham, County Durham

Dyflin

Dublin, Eire

Eoferwic

York, Yorkshire

Ethandun

Edington, Wiltshire

Exanceaster

Exeter, Devon

Fagranforda

Fairford, Gloucestershire

Farnea Islands

Farne Islands, Northumberland

Flaneburg

Flamborough, Yorkshire

Foirthe

River Forth, Scotland

The Gewæsc

The Wash

Gleawecestre

Gloucester, Gloucestershire

Grimesbi

Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Haithabu

Hedeby, Denmark

Humbre

River Humber

Liccelfeld

Lichfield, Staffordshire

Lindcolne

Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Lindisfarena

Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Northumberland

Lundene

London

Mærse

River Mersey

Pencric

Penkridge, Staffordshire

Sæfern

River Severn

Sceapig

Isle of Sheppey, Kent

Snotengaham

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Tameworþig

Tamworth, Staffordshire

Temes

River Thames

Teotanheale

Tettenhall, West Midlands

Tofeceaster

Towcester, Northamptonshire

Uisc

River Exe

Wiltunscir

Wiltshire

Wodnesfeld

Wednesbury, West Midlands

Wintanceaster

Winchester, Hampshire

Wodnesfeld

Wednesbury, West Midlands