Battalia Volume IV 2026
The Location of The Battle of the Holme
Mick Deakin
Abstract
Had it not been for the unforgiving nature of war, Æthelwold ‘ætheling’ of Wessex, might very well be enshrined as one of the most significant figures in the annals of English history. His challenge to King Edward the Elder’s authority was formidable and deeply rooted in the complex interplay of power among the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and the Danelaw. At the battle of the Holme in 902, where Æthelwold was killed, his coalition included not only his own loyal supporters from within Wessex, but significant contingents from Northumbria, East Anglia, and possibly Danish Mercia, thereby encompassing a substantial portion of the Danelaw. This broad support underscores the seriousness of Æthelwold’s rebellion and its potential to unify disparate factions against a common enemy. Had he triumphed at Holme, it is reasonable to assert that his vision for a united England could have been realised with considerably fewer conflicts than those that ultimately ensued. The location of the battle remains unresolved, with only Holme in Huntingdonshire, posited by Cyril Hart, as a plausible candidate. Hart, however, asserts that Holme is the only surviving site which corresponds to the name of the battle and which meets the historical criteria. This article will examine the primary available text relating to the battle location and will propose an alternative location, which is not only consistent with historical criteria, but is apposite when considered alongside key evidence presented from several other early sources.
Wellington's Left-Centre at Waterloo: Terrain Questions
Michael Rayner
Abstract
Waterloo is a popular battlefield to visit and its relative compactness makes it easy to view. Many visitors focus on the Lion Mound area, before wandering perhaps to Hougoumont and to the monuments close to what was the Allied centre. Fewer will visit the French positions opposite, Papelotte and the key village of Plancenoit. Even without visiting the battlefield a clear impression of it will be gleaned from reading the many accounts of the battle, guides to it, or viewing the many artworks and maps depicting the fighting. One of the key elements of the battlefield is thought to be the ridge behind which Wellington deployed the bulk of his army. However, this article will investigate and explain how part of his left-centre consisted of a relatively small but important area of terrain best described as a plateau rather than a ridge. This feature meant that Wellington’s centre was more vulnerable than perhaps is generally thought, as will be demonstrated by looking at eye-witness accounts, casualty returns and the terrain itself. By considering the micro-terrain of a battlefield, a better understanding of the action will result: hopefully this article will provide a slightly better comprehension of this much-studied battle and battlefield.
