Gafulford facts for kids
Gafulford (also called Gafulforda, Gafolforda, or Gavelford) is the name of a place where an important battle happened in South West England a long time ago. We know about this battle from a very old book called the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The book says that in 823 AD (which historians usually correct to 825 AD), "there was a fight between the Weala and the Defna at Gafulford." This means there was a battle between the people of Cornwall and the people of Devon.
Today, no one knows exactly where Gafulford was. Most people think it was somewhere in the west of Devon or the east of Cornwall. Two places are most often suggested: Camelford in Cornwall and Galford near Lew Trenchard in West Devon.
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A Look Back: The Battle's Time Period
The battle at Gafulford was one of many fights between the Cornish people (called Wealas in old texts) and the Saxons. The Saxons here are called Defnas, which means the people of Devon. These battles happened as the Saxons, led by King Egbert, were expanding their kingdom of Wessex towards the west. King Egbert ruled from 802 to 839 AD.
We know that King Egbert was in Crediton on August 19, 825, and in Southampton by December 26, 825. Not long after the Gafulford battle, he went on to win a big victory against the Mercians at the Battle of Ellandun. This shows that the battle at Gafulford was part of a busy time for King Egbert and his kingdom.
Where Was Gafulford? Ideas and Theories
Historians and writers have suggested several places for the battle of Gafulford. Let's look at the most popular ideas.
Camelford: An Early Idea
Many early historians and writers believed that Gafulford was the same place as the town of Camelford in East Cornwall. The famous poet John Milton supported this idea in his book History of Britain, written in 1670.
In 1848, a writer named John Allen Giles wrote in his book The Life and Times of Alfred the Great that the Cornish people fought the West Saxons around the same time as the Battle of Ellandun. He said that the people of Devon met the enemy at Camelford. He described it as a "furious conflict" where many thousands were killed on both sides.
More recently, Ralph Whitlock wrote in The Warrior Kings of Saxon England (1991) that the "Wala" are the Britons (Welsh/Cornish) and the "Defna" are the people of Devon. He also said that "Gafulford" might be Camelford. Interestingly, Camelford is also one of the places where people believe the final battle between the legendary King Arthur and Mordred took place.
Galford: A More Recent Theory
Most modern historians now think that Gafulford was actually at Galford. This place is on the River Lew near Lew Trenchard in West Devon. Sabine Baring-Gould was the first person to suggest this idea.
Robert Higham, in his book Making Anglo-Saxon Devon (2008), explains that the name Gafol-ford means "tax/tribute ford." A "ford" is a shallow place in a river where you can cross. Based on this meaning, he suggests that this location might have been a meeting point. Perhaps the West Saxons collected taxes from the Cornish kings there, or maybe tolls were charged on goods traded between the two lands. It makes sense that a dispute leading to a fight could happen at such a place. Higham also thinks the battle might have influenced the early growth of the nearby town of Lydford. Lydford was the westernmost "burh" (a fortified town) in Wessex. This suggests that the West Saxons didn't see Cornwall as a part of their kingdom that they could easily defend.
Other Possible Locations
A few other places have been suggested for Gafulford:
- In 1877, a writer named Kerslake thought it was Fulford, near Dunsford in Devon. However, this idea was later rejected because the names don't seem to have changed in the right way over time.
- In 1897, J. May. Martin believed Gafulford was at Keymelford near Copplestone in Mid Devon. He used a tall granite pillar with Celtic designs in the village as part of his evidence. This idea was also rejected for similar reasons as the Fulford theory.
- Richard Nicholls Worth, a historian, suggested in 1886 that the location was probably an old crossing point on the River Tamar.
- Some people have claimed the battle happened at Slaughterbridge near Camelford. But the name "Slaughter" probably comes from an old English word meaning "marsh," not from a battle. So, this connection is unlikely.
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