On 22 July 2004, we visited the site of the Battle of Heavenfield, where in AD 635 the army of Prince Oswald defeated the forces of pagan king Cadwalla of Gwynedd (north Wales). Oswald was a Christian and nephew of King Edwin, the man Cadwalla had defeated a few years earlier to conquer the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria. Heavenfield proved to be a key battle in English history for it marked the end of paganism as a religious and political force in England.
Knowing that the fate of his kingdom would be decided on the following day, Oswald had a wooden cross erected beside which he and his men knelt and prayed to the Lord for victory. The badly outnumbered Christian soldiers defeated their apparently over-confident adversaries, and Oswald became King of Northumbria.
Before the end of the century, a church was built at the site of the cross, 100 yards from the battle. The present St Oswald’s Church was built in the early 18th century where the original cross was located. St Oswald's cross has long since disappeared, but during the 1930s local people placed a large wooden cross at the battlesite next to an interpretive panel.
The battle was fought next to Hadrian's Wall. Although the Romans had left Britain centuries before, it is believed that the wall was still standing in 635 and could have been as high as 20 feet. Today the wall no longer exists here.
The site of Heavenfield is on the north side of the B6318 about four miles north of Hexham, between the A6079 and the A68. Here’s a map.
The photo at the top shows the StatWife and StatDaughter standing by the roadside cross.
(As always, click on photos for larger views.)
The photo at right was taken from the roadside looking toward St Oswald’s Church, built at the site of St Oswald’s cross. On the day of the battle, Hadrian’s Wall would have completely blocked the view, but now it is long gone. (Large portions of the wall survive a short distance to the west.)
Here is a portion of the text on the roadside information panel:
In the early 7th century the kingdom of Northumbria, which at its greatest extent spread from the River Humber to Edinburgh, was ruled by Edwin. He was an English King, a descendant from the Angles who had gained control of various areas of the country after the Romans departed. He was thus a traditional enemy of the Celts and Britons who had been displaced by the Angles. Worried by the rapidly expanding kingdom, an alliance was formed between Cadwallon of Gwynedd (North Wales) and Penda of Mercia. This led to a major attack being launched against Edwin who was killed with his son in a battle near Doncaster in 633.
There followed 2 years of slaughter and destruction by the Celtic Cadwallon during which Northumbria was divided again into its two former kingdoms, Bernicia and Deira. During this period both of Edwin's direct heirs, his cousins Osric and his nephew Eanfrid were also killed. Finally, the future of the kingdom became dependent upon the 29 year old Prince Oswald, Eanfrid's youngest brother. From the age of 12 Oswald had been raised by the Christian monks of Iona in Scotland.
It is thought that Oswald returned to Bamburgh Castle, the ancient capital of the Kingdom, and from there marched south for a general rendezvous of his troops in the North Tyne Valley. Meanwhile Cadwallon set out from York along the old Roman road, Dere Street, to challenge his latest rival. The two forces met here, at a place which ever since has been known as Hefenfeith or Heavenfield.
The compete text is posted here.
This photo was taken in the churchyard looking northwest over the English countryside.
After Oswald’s victory, he invited monks to come from Iona and establish a monastery at Lindisfarne, the Holy Island. This was to become one of England’s most important centres of Christian scholarship and evangelism.
Several more information panels are found inside the church. This is the text found thereon:
Welcome to St Oswald’s!
Oswald was a warrior king, a man who knew he had to fight to keep his kingdom, fight and win to convince his people to accept the Christian faith which he had adopted in his years in exile on the island of Iona.
There are churches dedicated to St Oswald in many parts of the world. The stories and miracles linked with this Northumbrian king have inspired Christians across the ages and around the world.
Here, in this part of Northumbria, the tales of Oswald began. The stories and events associated with this site started the widespread acceptance of Christianity in Northumbria and beyond. Some of the stories may not be true. What cannot be doubted is their importance as a source of inspiration and faith both in those who told the tales and those who heard them. As Bede wrote,
“If history relates good things of good men, the attentive listener is excited to emulate that which is good”.
St Oswald’s Church
St Oswald’s is the parish church of St Oswald in Lee with Bingfield. There are two other churches in the parish, St Mary’s in Bingfield and St George’s in Wall.
The first church on this site was built in the late 7th century. The monks of Morganfield [Hexham] made a pilgrimage here on the morn of St Oswald’s Day, 5th August, every year.
The present church contains some stones from the earlier churches, and also a Roman altar which may have been used as a base for a cross in the Middle Ages.
St Oswald’s is now used for occasional services during the year, including a candlelit midnight service on Christmas Eve. The churchyard is closed to burials.
There is a leaflet available giving more information about this church.
Anglo-Saxon Northumbria
Northumbria was at the height of its power in the 7th century. It extended south into Lincolnshire and north to the Firth of Forth. Kings in other parts of England paid tribute to several Northumbrian Kings, acknowledging them as their Bretwalda. Oswald was the sixth Bretwalda [overlord].
Northumbria developed from two kingdoms, Deira with a capital at York and Bernicia with a capital at Edinburgh. Oswald used Bamburgh as his capital as it was close to the monks at Lindisfarne.
Background
Oswald’s father, Ethelfrith, was succeeded as King of Northumbria by Edwin, his brother-in-law. When Edwin became King, Oswald and his brothers went into exile with Picts. Some of their time in exile was spent at the monastery on Iona, where they were converted to Christianity.
Edwin was killed in battle with Cadwalla of Gwynedd and Penda of Mercia in 633AD. Eanfrid as the eldest son of Ethelfrith became King of Bernicia. He turned his back on the Christian faith, returning to the pagan beliefs of most of his people.
Eanfrid and the King of Deira, Osric, were killed by Cadwalla. Cadwalla’s troops then ravaged Northumbria. Oswald returned south with a small army to regain the kingdom and rescue his people from Cadwalla.
Oswald’s Vision on the Eve of the Battle
On the eve of the battle, St Columba appeared to Oswald and addressed him in the words of the Lord to Joshua before the crossing of Jordan.
“Be strong and of good courage, I will be with thee”.
Columba added that Oswald would be victorious in the coming fight, and that Cadwalla would be delivered into his hands.
The Battle of Heavenfield
Before the battle, Oswald enjoined his men to make a wooden cross. He held the cross upright in a hole while his soldiers heaped soil around it. Then they all knelt down and prayed for God’s help to defeat Cadwalla.
The cross stood near this site, the place chosen by Oswald to gather his troops before attacking Cadwalla.
The battle was fought across a wide area and despite having many more soldiers, Cadwalla was defeated. He himself was slain at Denisesburn, to the south of here.
Oswald and his men had set up the cross as their standard and defeated a Celtic army made up of both pagans and Christians. Oswald went on to spread Christianity throughout his kingdom.
Oswald’s Cross
The cross raised by Oswald and his men before the battle was, according to Bede the first sign of the Christian faith raised in Bernicia. Before that, there had been no churches or altars for Christian worship.
The cross survived for many years. Bede recorded nearly 100 years later that:
“Even to this day, many cut off small chips from the wood of the Holy Cross, which being put into water, men or cattle drinking therefrom, or sprinkled with that water, are immediately returned to health.”
The Silver Dish
One Easter Day a large silver dish filled with bread was brought to the King’s table. Oswald was told that many beggars were gathered outside , asking for bread Oswald ordered that the bread was to be shared amongst them and the dish was to be broken up and also distributed amongst them.
Aidan was touched by the King’s charity and took hold of Oswald’s right hand saying, “May this hand never decay”.
For a long time after his death, the hand of Oswald was kept “uncorrupted” in a silver chalice at Bamburgh.
The above photos show: the altar and east window, and the StatDaughter and me sitting in the pews. As you can see, St Oswald’s is a very simple country church.
Yesterday was St Oswald’s Day. My friend Todd Granger, the Confessing Reader, posted a biography and prayers in his honour. Other informative biographies of St Oswald are posted here and here.
It occurs to me that, although I have dozens of posts on churches and other Christian sites that we visited during our summer 2004 vacation in Britain, I haven’t mentioned any of the bed and breakfasts where we stayed. So, let me rectify that oversight now.
We stayed two nights in Hexham at Kitty Frisk House, one of the most comfortable and attractive B&Bs on our whole trip. This is a very spacious and well-kept country estate house. Our gracious host Alan Humphreys went out of his way to make sure everything was to our liking, and he cooks a great breakfast, too. We recommend it highly. Here’s a photo of our room.
The Kitty Frisk House website is here; some exterior photos are posted here.
Links to all my blog posts about British churches and Christian sites can be accessed through the box located at the top of the page.
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