Battle of Pinhoe facts for kids

The Battle of Pinhoe was a fierce fight that took place in the year 1001. It was fought between the Danish Vikings and the brave people from Devon and Somerset in a place called Pinhoe, which is in Devon, England. This battle was part of a larger period when Vikings often raided England.

The Viking Attack on Exeter

In 1001, a group of Vikings arrived and tried to capture the city of Exeter. Exeter had very strong walls and defenses. These had been built many years before by King Athelstan. Because of these strong walls, the Vikings could not break into the city.

Since they couldn't get into Exeter, the Vikings started attacking and robbing the villages nearby. They took food and valuables from these smaller towns. As they were doing this, an army from Devon and Somerset came to stop them. They met the Vikings at Pinhoe.

A Tough Fight at Pinhoe

The battle at Pinhoe was very hard. Both sides fought bravely. The local defenders, who were Saxons, almost ran out of arrows and other weapons. They needed more supplies to keep fighting against the Vikings.

The Brave Priest of Pinhoe

During the battle, a priest from Pinhoe showed amazing courage. He saw that the Saxon fighters were running out of ammunition. He decided to help them get more.

The priest secretly made his way through the Viking lines. He ran all the way to Exeter to get more arrows and weapons. He managed to get back to the Saxon army safely. He brought them the much-needed weapons.

Pinhoe is Burned Down

Even with the new weapons, the Saxons could not defeat the Vikings. The Vikings were too strong. They managed to get into Pinhoe village. As a warning to the people of Exeter, the Vikings burned Pinhoe completely to the ground. This showed how powerful and destructive the Vikings could be.

The Priest's Reward

The brave priest was honored for his courage. He was given a special payment of 16 shillings every year. This was a lot of money back then. People say that this payment was still given to the Vicar of Pinhoe even in Victorian times, many centuries later. It was a lasting tribute to his bravery.