Saxon Oxford History - Oxford Travel Information |
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Oxford History - Saxon
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Oxford History - Saxon OxfordIt is in the Saxon period that Oxford begins to assume an importance missing from its Roman past. A Saxon abbey was established where Christ Church now stands, and the abbess was St. Frideswide, a Mercian princess. The story goes that St. Frideswide built the abbey as a means to preserve her virginity. When a persistant suitor tried to take the abbey (and the abbess) by force, he was struck blind. Only when the saintly Frideswide forgave him was the unfortunate man's sight restored. St. Frideswide is now the patron saint of the city of Oxford. St. Frideswide's abbey burnt to the ground in 1002. The Danish population of Oxford were blamed for the burning, and large numbers were massacred. The abbey was later rebuilt as an Augustinian priory. The cemetary of the priory has now been excavated in Christ Church Meadow. Oxford's growth during the late Saxon period owed much to its position on a major trade route between the powerful Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex. It owed more still, to one man - King Alfred. Alfred
the Great's Oxford Coins have been found from the reign of King Alfred which bear the mark "Ohsnafordia", which may indicate the presence of a royal mint at Oxford. Certainly Alfred was reasponsible for the Saxon system of "burhs", or fortified towns, built to keep the Danes at bay. Oxford became a burh in 911, under royal protection, and its growth and importance accellerated. The uncertain reign of Ethelred the Unready saw the city sacked by the Danes in 1009 in retribution for the massacre of 1002. Just 4 years later Oxford was forced to submit to a fresh Danish force under Swein Forkbeard. The growing importance of Oxford is indicated by the fact that Canute chose the city as the scene of his coronation in 1018. Oxford History Text © David Ross and Britain Express |
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