A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
ATHELNEY, a railway station and quondam island in Lyng parish, Somerset. The station is on the Durston and Yeovil branch of the Bristol and Exeter railway, 4½ miles WNW of Langport. The quondam island is a rising-ground, or small hill, of about 100 acres, surrounded by marshes, at the confluence of the rivers Tone and Parret. King Alfred took refuge here, in 879, after his defeat by the Danes; made frequent incursions hence against them till he became able to take the field for their complete overthrow; and founded here, in 888, a Benedictine abbey, in expression of gratitude for his victories. The abbot did not sit in parliament; yet enjoyed great privileges, and was regarded as a spiritual lord. The edifice is extinct; but recent traces of it show it to have been large. A stone pillar, with an appropriate inscription, was erected on the spot, in 1801, by John Slade, Esq., the then proprietor. An amulet of enamel and gold, inscribed with words signifying "Alfred cansed me to be made," was found on Athelney in the 17th century, and is now in the Ashmolean museum.
(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))
| Linked entities: | |
|---|---|
| Feature Description: | "a railway station and quondam island" (ADL Feature Type: "railroad features") |
| Administrative units: | Lyng CP/AP Somerset AncC |
| Place: | Athelney |
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