Published by Harper Collins Publishers 2005
77 – 85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith
London W6 8JB
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2005 by Bernard Cornwell
A NOVEL OF
KING ALFRED THE GREAT
Book
2
Bernard Cornwell
THE PALE
HORSEMAN
is for
George MacDonald Fraser
In admiration
MAP OF WESSEX DURING
ALFRED’S REIGN
PLACE-NAMES
The spelling of place-names in Anglo-Saxon England was an uncertain business, with no consistency and no agreement even about the name itself. Thus London was variously rendered as Lundonia, Lundenberg, Lundenne, Lundene, Lundenwic, Lundenceaster and Lundres. Doubtless some readers will prefer other versions of the names listed below, but I have usually employed whichever spelling is cited in the Oxford Dictionary of English Place- Names for the years nearest or contained within Alfred's reign, 871-899 AD, but even that solution is not foolproof. Hayling Island, in 956, was written as both Heilincigae and Haeglingaiggae. Nor have I been consistent myself; I use England instead of Englaland, and have preferred the modern form Northumbria to Norohymbralond to avoid the suggestion that the boundaries of the ancient kingdom coincide with those of the modern county.
So this list, like the spellings themselves, is far from accurate.
?sc's Hill
Ashdown, Berkshire
?thlingaeg
Athelney, Somerset
Afen
River Avon, Wiltshire
Andefera
Andover, Wiltshire
Babum (pronounced Bathum)
Bath, Avon
Bebbanburg
Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland
Brant
Brent Knoll, Somerset
Bru
River Brue, Somerset
Cippanhamm
Chippenham, Wiltshire
Contwaraburg
Canterbury, Kent
Cornwalum
Cornwall
Cracgelad
Cricklade, Wiltshire
Cridianton
Crediton, Devon
Cynuit
Cannington, Somerset
Daerentmora
Dartmoor, Devon
Defereal
Kingston Deverill, Wiltshire
Defnascir
