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DISCOVER
ENGLAND'S FOUNDERS 
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Welcome to Birth of England Tours!
I am a tour guide based in the south west of England with a passion for the history of England's birth. I run three tours that tell the amazing story of England's founders (see tabs above). The Danish attack on Alfred the Great's palace at Chippenham in 878AD appeared to mark fall of Wessex, the last Christian Kingdom in Britain, to the Vikings. However Alfred, who survived in exile on the tiny Island of Athelney for three months, received a divine vision of the reconquest and unification of all of Britain under the rule of his dynasty. Amazingly, in just three generations, this vision came to pass! Alfred rallied the loyal Christians of Wessex and reconquered Chippenham later that year. He then began the biggest building project in Anglo-saxon history, a network of burhs (fortified towns) throughout Wessex. Alfred also charged his children Edward and Ethelfled, and his grandson Athelstan, with the task of continuing this project northwards into Mercia and Northumbria. In a stunning series of victories that utilised this vast network of burhs, Alfred, Edward, Ethelfled, and Athelstan, succeded in driving out the Vikings, first from Wessex, then Mercia, and finally from Northumbria. On the 12th of July 927AD all the rulers of Britain, including the princes of Wales and Contantine II, King of the Scots, gave their allegiance to King Athelstan at a great meeting in Eamont Bridge. On that day England, the oldest country in Western Europe, was born. I am part of the Birth of England Project (birthofengland.co.uk), which seeks to raise awareness about England's founding, and is planning to celebrate England's 1100th birthday on July 12th 2027 at Eamont Bridge. The aim of these tours is to enable all who are interested in England's history to discover England's founders and its founding story. Please click on the tabs above for details of all three tours. Groups can be a maximum of 8 people. Contact: birthofenglandtours@gmail.com |
Below are a series of videos from HistoryMarche that tell the story of Englands birth, much of which is covered on the tours. This first video covers Alfred's early battles against the 'Great Heathen Army' that sought to conquer Wessex, the last remaining Christian kingdom in Britain.
This second video covers Alfred's exile from Chippenham in 878AD, followed by his exile on the Island of Athelney, the rallying of his loyal men at Egbert's Stone, his great vistory at the Battle of Edington/Ethandun, and his glorious return to Chippenham.
This third video covers the gradual reconquest of Britian by Alfred the Great, his son Edward and his daughter Ethelfled. It also includes the accesion of Alfred's grandson Athelstan to the throne, his conquest of York, and the birth of England, which took place at Eamont Bridge in 927AD. It also covers the Battle of Brunanburh, where the agreement at Eamont Bridge was tested on the battlefield.
This final video compiles the three previous videos into one hour-long documentary.