Identifier: transactionsofbr8188bris (find matches)
Title: Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society. cn
Subjects: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society
Publisher: Bristol, Eng. : The Society
Contributing Library: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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would be the policyof marching into the Severn valley and leaving the fortresses ofthe Cotswolds untouched in the enemys hands between him andthe basis of his supplies. There would be the great fortress ofCirencester to the north, then the line of the Cotswold camps, andsouth of all, the camps and stronghold of Bath. Would he be likelyto leave a line of fortresses of this sort between himself and his com-munications 1 In the summary of events preceding Deorham wehave seen how gradually and slowly the West Saxons marched, or 1 Origines Celticce II., 182. For evidences of the military strength and importance of ancient Bath,see abstract of j^aper printed in the present volume, p. 20. Plate, IL The roads mserbedloela^v areTiotalL given as proved roads ofanfeicp-i tjy. TKe i o s s e ):L,aridp?oloa.bly-are on ornear aTicienk lines of ccimjminiGatiQLi.
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i/IWflJ.- BRISTOL . The Battle of Deorham. 69 rather felt their way, along the hills of the chalk, would they darethus to pass at a leap, as it were, the great oolitic range of theCotswolds ? Dr. Guest, in rejecting Camdens identification ofMount Badon with our Bannerdown, rests his argument on theimprobability of the Saxons marching so far from the basis oftheir supplies and leaving important cities like Salisbury on therear of their communications. But if Bath was the strongholdthat its position and the fortifications around it indicate, then withBath to their left, Cirencester to their right, and all the camps ofthe Cotswolds between, it may be submitted that the argument,from the base of communications, applies here with singular force,and that the passage over the Cotswolds into the Severn valley,before these strongholds were subdued, would be a passage tooperilous to commend itself to the military sagacity of Ceawlin.What then may we regard as the object of the great march byBratransactionsofbr8188bris

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