204:, consisting mainly of Saxon jewellery and silver ingots, with two remarkable silver pennies, previously-unknown "two emperor" coins showing the heads of both Alfred and Ceowulf and dating to around 879. The find hints at an alliance between the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia. Gareth Williams, curator of early medieval coins at the British Museum, commented in 2019 "These coins enable us to re-interpret our history at a key moment in the creation of England as a single kingdom". The treasure was found by two metal detectors operating outside the law, and they were convicted.
22:
335:- often known as "The Acts of Union" - tidied up many of the administrative anomalies within Wales and the Marcher borderlands. However, no consideration was given at the time to ethnic or linguistic realities, and so various territories were grouped together in a rough and ready manner to form the new shires. Archenfield was thus bundled into Herefordshire as the
217:
IRCHINGFIELD, or ARCHENFIELD, a quondam liberty and a rural deanery in the S of
Hereford. The liberty was known to the ancient Welsh as Urging, to the Saxons as Ircingafeld, and at Domesday as Arcenfelde; was ravaged in 905 by the Danes, and given afterwards, by the Crown, to the Earls of Shrewsbury;
306:
privileges in return for forming an advance and rear guard when the King's army entered or left Wales. The local priests were required to "undertake the king's embassies into Wales", presumably providing a translation service. The exemption from services was mentioned again in 1250 and 1326, when it
254:
refers to "Bishop
Cyfeilliog, who was probably bishop of Ergyng, or at least captured in Ergyng". He sees the payment of a ransom by the West Saxon king as evidence that the far south-east of Wales then lay in the sphere of power of Wessex rather than Mercia. The Vikings were defeated in battle by
397:, the only part of Archenfield east of the Wye, Domesday lists the inhabitants as one Frenchman and five Welshmen. Six local men paid the dues which had been owed at this time, and before, for centuries. Payment was still being made by one of these 'King's Men of Archenfield' in the 1960s.
350:-speaking region until at least the 17th century, and the language was still spoken to a significant extent in the Kentchurch area as late as 1750. It almost certainly persisted longer than this and Welsh continued to be spoken in Archenfield well into the modern period:
270:". It stated that the English should only cross into the Welsh side, and vice versa, in the presence of an appointed man who had the responsibility of making sure that the foreigner was safely escorted back to the crossing point.
413:
lie within the bounds of the
Archenfield region and areas of or close to both towns today bear the name Archenfield. Additionally, one of Ross-on-Wye's most recognisable symbols, seen on numerous coats-of-arms, is the
636:"These coins enable us to re-interpret our history at a key moment in the creation of England as a single kingdom," according to Gareth Williams, curator of early medieval coins at the British Museum.
393:
Many of the rights and customs of the people of
Archenfield were maintained until comparatively recently. Men born in Archenfield had the right to take salmon from the River Wye until 1911. In
370:
into Welsh. Welsh was still commonly spoken here in the first half of the nineteenth century, and we are told that churchwardens' notices were put up in both Welsh and
English until about 1860.
320:
The Welsh inhabitants of
Archenfield thereafter retained their privileged position, living in a shadowy border land that was not really part of England nor Wales. Around 1404,
161:
and a stream then known as the
Taratur, annexing northern Ergyng. The sites of old British churches fell to Mercia, and the Britons became regarded as foreigners – or, in the
304:
laid this land waste before 1066; therefore what it was like at that time is not known". It also stated the Welsh of
Archenfield were allowed to retain their old rights and
125:(known in Welsh as Dyfrig), a prince and bishop, was important in the sub-Roman establishment of the Christian church in the area. Ergyng eventually became a mere
165:
language, "Welsh" – in what had been their own land. The rump of Ergyng then became known to the
English as Arcenefelde or Archenfield. There is no evidence that
188:
was involved in almost constant battles with the
Vikings. By 877 the Vikings were in the position of being able to establish one of their own client leaders,
585:
328:, within Archenfield, an area which he considered to be part of Wales. The evidence of its Welsh history remains in many placenames and field names.
311:, rendering 19 pounds 7 shillings and 6 pence. And they ought to find 49-foot-soldiers for our lord the King in Wales for 15 days at their own cost."
109:. After the withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain in 410 AD, new smaller political entities took the place of the centralised structure. King
756:
113:
and his descendants were rulers of the area attested from about 555 AD until, in the middle of the 7th century, Onbraust of Ergyng married
95:
The name Archenfield is derived from the older and larger Welsh kingdom of Ergyng (or Ercic), which in turn is believed to derive from the
598:
262:
records procedures for dealing with disputes between the English and the Welsh of Archenfield, who were known to the English as the
145:
led to conflict with the Welsh and by the beginning of the 9th century the western Mercians, who became known as the sub-kingdom of
896:
184:
were able to make incursions into the south of Herefordshire by sailing up the Severn and Wye rivers. Between AD 866 and 874 King
209:
505:
794:
741:
713:
682:
611:
An example of a rare two emperor coin, hinting at a previously-unknown alliance between the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia.
940:
935:
885:
831:
574:
540:
332:
307:
was stated: "The Frenchmen and Welshmen of Urchenesfeld hold their tenements in chief of our lord the King by
387:
363:
336:
274:
130:
383:
599:"MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF VIKING TREASURE THAT COULD REWRITE HISTORY STOLEN, METAL DETECTORISTS CONVICTED"
445:
One author has even speculated that the names "Archenfield" and "Ergyng" may ultimately derive from the
176:
Herefordshire Archaeology Record provides some context for the 9th century in the south of the county:
173:
across the area, probably because it had already been assimilated into Mercia by the late 8th century.
379:
623:
423:
483:
457:
is clearly the origin of the Welsh name and later the English name (probably via early Welsh).
355:
251:
200:
and Mercia by Ceolwulf II. In 2015, a large hoard of buried treasure was found in a field near
453:, from which "urchin" is also derived. However, the name of the Romano-British settlement of
367:
189:
297:
106:
8:
359:
153:. During the rest of the century they moved its frontier southward to the banks of the
881:
827:
737:
709:
701:
678:
570:
301:
247:
185:
114:
736:(in Latin and English). Vol. 2. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press. pp. 370–371.
843:
729:
513:
239:
197:
118:
798:
321:
52:: "Irchenfield") is the historic English name for an area of southern and western
434:
is used to refer to the hedgehog. Thus the heraldic use can be seen as a partial
394:
648:
419:
347:
282:
170:
166:
110:
49:
929:
911:
898:
340:
324:
and his troops raided the area. Glyndŵr himself may have died around 1416 at
293:
96:
53:
21:
231:
69:
61:
57:
544:
196:
In the 870s Viking raids continued in the area, while Wessex was ruled by
146:
406:
267:
246:
describes Cyfeilliog as Bishop of Archenfield (Ergyng in Welsh), whereas
207:
A ravaging of Archenfield by the Danes in 905 is reported in the 1870-72
162:
41:
26:
439:
410:
325:
235:
201:
158:
154:
16:
Historic English name for an area of southern and western Herefordshire
878:
The Archaeology and Ancient History of Ancient Dean and the Wye Valley
362:
to be made responsible, together with the four Welsh bishops, for the
60:
took over the region in the 8th century, it has stretched between the
454:
219:
122:
101:
65:
769:
473:
Map of Britain in the Dark Ages 2nd Edition (Ordnance Survey, 1966)
427:
415:
150:
30:
651:. Vision of Britain - University of Portsmouth et al. 11 July 2017
438:(or visual pun) on Archenfield. A hedgehog is the family crest of
768:
Herefordshire Archaeology, Herefordshire Council (2 March 2015).
289:
278:
181:
126:
757:
D. A. Whitehead – The historical background to the city defences
588:, Herefordshire Council, 13 July 2014, accessed 24 November 2019
292:
Castle. Its customs were described in a separate section of the
308:
142:
90:
73:
867:
Transactions Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, 1887, page 173
446:
435:
378:, the other Welsh-speaking area of Herefordshire, was in the
375:
227:
33:, showing part of the area traditionally known as Archenfield
288:), with its own customs. Its administrative centre was at
767:
624:"Detectorists stole Viking hoard that 'rewrites history'"
296:
account of Herefordshire. Domesday recorded that "King
708:(2nd ed.). London, UK: Routledge. p. 212.
677:. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. p. 506.
277:
system, became a semi-autonomous Welsh district, or
706:
English Historical Documents, Volume 1, c. 500–1042
250:says that Cyfeilliog was captured in Archenfield..
354:Archenfield was still Welsh enough in the time of
121:and the two neighbouring kingdoms were combined.
927:
728:
331:Uncertainty over the border persisted until the
255:the combined forces of Gloucester and Hereford.
672:
258:In the early 10th century, a document known as
226:In 914, the area was invaded by Vikings led by
149:, had gained control over the area and nearby
535:
533:
531:
382:until late in the 19th century.) A plaque in
761:
273:Archenfield, which lay outside the English
141:By the 8th century, the expanding power of
68:, but it derives from the once much larger
528:
700:
649:"History of Archenfield in Herefordshire"
818:
816:
787:
696:
694:
668:
666:
20:
870:
498:
494:– via The National Archives (UK).
210:Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
136:
928:
770:"Herefordshire Through Time - Welcome"
541:"Archenfield Archaeology - Who we are"
813:
691:
663:
565:David Hill and Margaret Worthington,
346:Archenfield remained a predominantly
260:The Ordinance Concerning the Dunsaete
824:Herefordshire, the Welsh Connection
13:
734:The Chronicle of John of Worcester
222:, and some other peculiar customs.
14:
952:
732:; McGurk, Patrick, eds. (1995).
333:Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542
315:
861:
844:"Archenfield - Everything2.com"
836:
750:
722:
673:Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2013).
567:Offa's Dyke – history and guide
543:. 13 March 2008. Archived from
390:is in Welsh and is dated 1574.
675:Wales and the Britons 350–1064
641:
616:
591:
579:
559:
476:
467:
1:
460:
626:. BBC News. 21 November 2019
601:. Newsweek. 22 November 2019
586:The Vikings in Herefordshire
230:and Hroald, coming from the
129:, the Welsh equivalent of a
7:
569:, Tempus Publishing, 2003,
180:During the 9th century the
10:
957:
941:Geography of Herefordshire
242:ransomed him for £40. The
88:
79:
400:
84:
936:History of Herefordshire
774:htt.herefordshire.gov.uk
484:"Deanery of Irchenfield"
364:translation of the Bible
506:"Herefordshire History"
234:. They captured Bishop
422:, and locally, as an "
372:
252:Thomas Charles-Edwards
224:
218:and had the custom of
194:
56:in England. Since the
34:
442:, the "Man of Ross".
380:diocese of St David's
368:Book of Common Prayer
352:
244:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
215:
178:
24:
730:Darlington, Reginald
137:English overlordship
107:Weston under Penyard
25:View westwards from
908: /
449:word for hedgehog,
702:Whitelock, Dorothy
516:on 17 January 2008
360:Bishop of Hereford
35:
801:on 8 October 2008
743:978-0-19-822261-3
715:978-0-415-14366-0
684:978-0-19-821731-2
248:John of Worcester
186:Burgred of Mercia
169:built his famous
948:
923:
922:
920:
919:
918:
913:
909:
906:
905:
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888:
874:
868:
865:
859:
858:
856:
854:
840:
834:
820:
811:
810:
808:
806:
797:. Archived from
791:
785:
784:
782:
780:
765:
759:
754:
748:
747:
726:
720:
719:
698:
689:
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631:
620:
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583:
577:
563:
557:
556:
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552:
547:on 13 March 2008
537:
526:
525:
523:
521:
512:. Archived from
502:
496:
495:
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491:
480:
474:
471:
240:Edward the Elder
198:Alfred the Great
956:
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951:
950:
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876:Bryan Walters,
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848:everything2.com
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837:
821:
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510:Hereford.uk.com
504:
503:
499:
489:
487:
486:. 26 March 1696
482:
481:
477:
472:
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403:
318:
139:
123:Saint Dubricius
93:
87:
82:
17:
12:
11:
5:
954:
944:
943:
938:
890:
889:
869:
860:
835:
812:
786:
760:
749:
742:
721:
714:
704:, ed. (1979).
690:
683:
662:
640:
615:
590:
578:
558:
527:
497:
475:
465:
464:
462:
459:
420:Middle English
402:
399:
386:Church in the
317:
314:
138:
135:
89:Main article:
86:
83:
81:
78:
50:Middle English
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
953:
942:
939:
937:
934:
933:
931:
924:
921:
887:
886:0-946328-42-0
883:
879:
873:
864:
849:
845:
839:
833:
832:0-86381-958-3
829:
825:
822:Colin Lewis,
819:
817:
800:
796:
795:"Archenfield"
790:
775:
771:
764:
758:
753:
745:
739:
735:
731:
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680:
676:
669:
667:
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575:0-7524-1958-7
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546:
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507:
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479:
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458:
456:
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437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
412:
408:
405:The towns of
398:
396:
391:
389:
388:Golden Valley
385:
384:St Margaret's
381:
377:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
351:
349:
344:
342:
338:
334:
329:
327:
323:
322:Owain Glyndŵr
316:Later history
313:
312:
310:
303:
299:
295:
294:Domesday Book
291:
287:
284:
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276:
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54:Herefordshire
51:
47:
43:
39:
32:
28:
23:
19:
912:51.9°N 2.8°W
893:
877:
872:
863:
851:. Retrieved
847:
838:
823:
803:. Retrieved
799:the original
789:
777:. Retrieved
773:
763:
752:
733:
724:
705:
674:
653:. Retrieved
643:
635:
628:. Retrieved
618:
610:
603:. Retrieved
593:
581:
566:
561:
549:. Retrieved
545:the original
518:. Retrieved
514:the original
509:
500:
488:. Retrieved
478:
469:
450:
444:
431:
404:
395:King's Caple
392:
373:
353:
345:
330:
319:
305:
285:
272:
263:
259:
257:
243:
232:River Severn
225:
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208:
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179:
175:
140:
100:
94:
62:River Monnow
58:Anglo-Saxons
45:
37:
36:
18:
915: /
655:24 November
630:24 November
605:24 November
418:, known in
407:Ross-on-Wye
268:hill people
238:, and King
163:Old English
72:kingdom of
46:Ircingafeld
42:Old English
38:Archenfield
27:Ross-on-Wye
930:Categories
917:51.9; -2.8
461:References
440:John Kyrle
426:" and, in
411:Hay-on-Wye
326:Kentchurch
236:Cyfeilliog
202:Leominster
192:, as king.
159:Worm Brook
455:Ariconium
430:the word
356:Elizabeth
220:gavelkind
147:Magonsæte
102:Ariconium
66:River Wye
880:, 1992,
853:26 March
826:, 2006,
805:26 March
779:26 March
551:26 March
520:26 March
490:26 March
451:hericius
428:heraldry
416:hedgehog
366:and the
358:for the
341:Wormelow
298:Gruffydd
264:Dunsaete
190:Ceolwulf
151:Hereford
99:town of
31:Bridstow
29:towards
900:51°54′N
432:urcheon
337:Hundred
302:Bleddyn
290:Kilpeck
279:commote
275:hundred
182:Vikings
131:hundred
127:cantref
80:History
903:2°48′W
884:
830:
740:
712:
681:
573:
424:urchin
401:Legacy
309:socage
157:, the
143:Mercia
115:Meurig
111:Peibio
91:Ergyng
85:Ergyng
74:Ergyng
447:Latin
436:rebus
376:Ewyas
348:Welsh
286:cwmwd
283:Welsh
228:Ohter
119:Gwent
97:Roman
70:Welsh
882:ISBN
855:2023
828:ISBN
807:2023
781:2023
738:ISBN
710:ISBN
679:ISBN
657:2019
632:2019
607:2019
571:ISBN
553:2023
522:2023
492:2023
409:and
300:and
266:or "
171:Dyke
167:Offa
155:Dore
64:and
343:.
339:of
117:of
105:at
76:.
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