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Burghal Hidage - where

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Stoggler (U1647829) on Tuesday, 12th June 2007

  There is one place listed in the Burghal Hidage that has not been 100% identified, namely Eorpeburnan. Does anyone know what modern places are the contenders for this place?
  
  Considering that the documents starts listing the burghs from Sussex and Hastings is the next one after Eorpeburnan, I'm assuming that the place would be in the general area of the East Sussex/Kent border. Would Rye be a possibility? And as the river Rother could be navigated further up than today is there anywhere inland that could also fit the bill (Bodiam Castle, although I'm not suggested it as a candidate, was picked for its location partially because the French could have sailed up the river that far in the 14th century).

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Thursday, 14th June 2007

  Rye is the favourite, but by no means the only 'logical' conclusion. Bodiam is a candidate that merits attention, and there is also a strong possibility that the reference was to an earthwork that was populated or strategically placed enough to warrant a mention in the hideage annal but quickly returned to townland or agricultural status and was absorbed into the identity of a neighbouring community.
  
  Googling sent me to BK Davison's essay on the subject in an old copy of Medieval Archaeology from 1972 that I have, so I read it. He settled on Rye as well, adding for good measure that two other Eorpeburnans in Surrey and West Sussex ended up as Burphams, and that there was an outside possibility that the 'mysterious' one referred to a 'Burpham' that equally mysteriously 'appeared' and then 'disappeared' again in the Bodiam area just prior to the Domesday Book. I see from Googling that a guy called Kitchen has also arrived at Rye as the answer, but haven't read his reasoning.
  
  Anyhoots, I'll keep an eye out for any stray Burphams in future when I'm there. Maybe we've just hit on the Sussex version of Brigadoon!!!!

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• Message 3

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  Posted by Stoggler (U1647829) on Friday, 15th June 2007

  Morning Nordman
  
  Cheers for the reply. Interesting that you should mention Burpham in Sussex, as I grew up in the area and know exactly where Burpham is. It is on the River Arun on the opposite bank to Arundel, and Arundel superceded Burpham as the main defensible location in the area at a later date. I've added a link to an OS map of the place, which as you can see the Anglo-Saxon burh is still visible (having visited the place, there are still remnant of the defences:
  
  
  
  By the way, if you ever do go there, there's a good pub (the George and Dragon) in Burpham which does good food and more importantly good beer!
  
  Was wondering about the Burpham near Guildford and how that got its name (assuming it is from burh and ham, in which case, when was the burh being used) - from what I've read since posting the original enquiry it does not seem to be identified as a burh from the Burghal Hidage document.
  
  Anyway, I did post this query on another site and the responses I got there suggested a location in Kent, called Newenden (NGR TQ.851.283), with the works "The Burghal Hidage Fort of Eorpeburnan: A suggested identification" in MEDIÆVAL ARCHÆOLOGY 16 (1972) pp123-7 and Andrew Saunders & Victor Smith Kent's Defence Heritage December 2001 being cited.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Friday, 15th June 2007

  "The Burghal Hidage Fort of Eorpeburnan: A suggested identification" in MEDIÆVAL ARCHÆOLOGY 16 (1972)"
  
  That's the one I read yesterday Stoggler. He said Rye.
  
  I had half a notion of talking the brother into lending me wheels this summer to tour round that neck of the woods - he's based near Aldershot (sounds like he's military, but he's an accountant). I'll have a poke around if I do and see what I can dig up (not literally) - it's just the kind of holiday mystery I like to get stuck into and I've one or two mates in the area who might even do some advance research for me too (aren't we a sad lot). So thanks very much for the pub tip too! Archaeology is thirsty work, I've always found.
  
  Any excuse

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Stoggler (U1647829) on Friday, 15th June 2007

  That's the one I read yesterday Stoggler. He said Rye. 
  
  Then I shall chastise those who said it referred to Newenden!
  
  Although I have seen elsewhere that Newenden is a strong contender.
  
  If you are heading that way, Arundel in general is a lovely town to spend an afternoon, with its picturesque castle, gothic Catholic cathedral, and hilly streets with Georgian buildings with fine tea shops, pubs, antique shops, and a good Chinese restaurant/takeaway! And the village of Amberley (a few miles to the north) is a lovely village too with a castle and another good pub...
  
  Another pub in the area - the Black Rabbit is a lovely spot on the river bank with views of Arundel Castle and the countryside.
  
  And after the hussle-and-bussle of London, all this talk of fine country pubs and the peace and quiet of the Sussex countryside is making me somewhat homesick!

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• Message 6

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  Posted by Tim of Acleah (U1736633) on Monday, 18th June 2007

  John Peddie 'Alfred, Warrior King' suggests Castle Toll. This is an earthwork about 1 1/2 miles from the village of Newenden. He also refers to the paper by B.K.Davison.
  
  

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Monday, 18th June 2007

  To be fair to Davison his essay didn't totally discount any of the options he considered, Tim. His preference for Rye was purely on the basis that this assumption itself has the longest record. He cites tithe accounts that give both names as apparently interchangeable as evidence. But you're right. He liked Newenden too. Just not as much.

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