One of the big fallacies is that the first Viking raid, in England, was at the monastery of Lindisfarne. It doesn't help when the leading daily finance and consumer programme, on the BBC, helps to maintain such myths. I personally love 'Working Lunch', and is one of the few programmes on the BBC (Bloated Broadcasting Corporation) worth watching. Still, the subject of the BBC and 'stealth taxes' should be left for another day. However, 'Working Lunch' got it wrong yesterday.
Lindisfarne was attacked, and destroyed, in 793AD. This would make it the second known raid, as my home island of Portland was attacked some five years previous to this. The actual year is not known, although a span of four years is widely accepted, but what is known is that the King of Wessex's Reeve was killed in the attack at Church Ope.
The Reeve was a particularly important man in Saxon society, and was the King's representative in the community. In particular, the Reeve performed the function of judge in court cases, as well as over-seeing parish council meetings, etc.
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2 comments:
Uncle Ben said it;
Wasn't the Shire Reeve the ancestor of the sheriff?
Ben, I don't really know. It sounds more than likely. If anybody should know, or find out, please advise.
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