Brunanburh was where the greatest and bloodiest battle in England before the Norman Conquest was fought. Athelstan, king of the English, won a resounding victory over a coalition of Scotsmen, Norsemen from Ireland, men from the kingdom of Strathclyde and probably Northumbrians. The story of the battle was told again and again, and well over fifty medieval writers recorded it in various forms.

But where specifically did the battle take place? Many writers over the last hundred years or so have tried to answer that question, often working from inadequate and incomplete sources or outdated assumptions. This book offers the insights of two scholars, specialists in very different disciplines, to give the most comprehensive analysis of the evidence currently available. The sources, literary, linguistic, historical, scientific and archaeological are examined in detail. Combined with specialist knowledge of place-names and ongoing chemical analysis and provenance of archaeological finds, this book builds a strong case for having found the location of Brunanburh.

Ordering information

Paul Cavill and Stephen E. Harding, Finding the Battle of Brunanburh, 2025, ISBN 978-1-910481-15-8, £19.99.

This book will be published on 24 November and any pre-ordered copies will be despatched then.

Copies can be purchased directly from the publisher using this ordering system and through booksellers and distributors. This ordering system is for print books only and these are despatched through the postal system. Other means of payment for the print version are institutional purchase orders and cheques made payable to the University of Chester. Please email any ordering queries or call +44(0)1244 513305. There is no charge for postage and packing in the UK for paperback books, but postal charges are applicable for overseas orders. Please note that for books sent overseas, there may be local taxes applied in the country of destination and customs delays. 

For more information on all University of Chester Press books, please visit: www.chester.ac.uk/university-press