Battle of Bedcanford facts for kids

The Battle of Bedcanford was an important fight that happened in the year 571. It was between the West Saxons (an early English group) and the native British people. This battle was a big part of how the Anglo-Saxons came to live in Britain.

What We Know from Old Books

We know about this battle from an old history book called the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This book was written about 250 years after the battle took place.

The Chronicle tells us:

ASC 571. "This year Cuthwulf fought with the Britons at Bedford and took four towns, Limbury, Aylesbury, Benson and Eynsham. And this same year he died."

Cuthwulf was the son of Cynric, who was the king of Wessex. After the battle, Cuthwulf captured four important towns: Limbury, Aylesbury, Benson, and Eynsham. These towns were important because they controlled the land north of the Thames river, from the Chiltern Hills to the Cotswolds. This area is roughly where the counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire are today.

Where Did the Battle Happen?

Historians have debated the exact location of the Battle of Bedcanford. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says the battle was at "Bedford." However, the town of Bedford is on the River Ouse, which is quite far east from the four towns that Cuthwulf captured.

There is a lot of archaeological evidence showing that early Saxon and Anglian people lived in the Midlands area. Many historians believe that the Britons had already lost control of this area by the mid-500s.

One idea is that this battle was a way for the West Saxons to win back land they might have lost in earlier fights, like the Battle of Badon.