A monument erected by Mr. John Slade marks the
spot.
A mile to the north is Boroughbridge with its solitary hill, on which
many believe that Alfred built his chief fort. The hill is now crowned
by the ruins of St. Michael's Church, St. Michael being the saint whose
name is associated with most of our hill-top shrines. Ling, the next
village, is thought to be a corruption of Atheling.
Athelney is on the edge of the flat valley of Sedgemoor, the scene of
Monmouth's defeat in 1685. The royal troops were quartered in the
villages of Weston Zoyland, Middlezoy, and Chedzoy, their headquarters
being Weston Zoyland, round which the battle raged most fiercely.
Knowing the carelessness that prevailed in the royal camp, Monmouth
attempted a night attack. On Sunday night, July 5, therefore, his troops
stole out. But they were foiled and trapped by the broad ditches called
"rhines," in which they lost their way in a helpless fashion, and a
pistol that went off in the confusion roused the Royalists, with the
result that Monmouth's followers were hopelessly routed, a thousand
being slain.
[Illustration: THE "ISLAND" OF ATHELNEY.
The Alfred memorial is in the foreground, and in the distance is the
"Mump," the lonely hill surmounted by the ruined church of
Boroughbridge.]
RAGLAN CASTLE
=How to get there.=--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.=--Raglan.
=Distance from London.=--151-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=--Varies between 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours.
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