Falling Down the Thames Blog 27, 17th September 2014
The Good and the Great
As Krista and I paddle from one end of the River Thames to the other next year, we will be accompanied by a plush kingfisher named Alfred. We will be sure to make Alfred feel as secure as possible; we wouldn’t want to lose him in the swirling waters of a weir.
Alfred (at the back) and friends.
When Krista first suggested the name “Alfred” for our kingfisher, I thought that it might have been a tribute to Alfred Russel Wallace, the great English naturalist whose work Krista and I both admire. Instead she explained that the name is a tribute to King Alfred the Great, considered by some to be the first king of England. Also known by the name Ælfred of Wessex, Alfred was born at the Royal Palace at Wantage approximately 1,165 years ago. He is the 32nd great-grandfather of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Not that Alfred took a direct route to the throne. When his father, King Aethelwulf, died in 856, next in line was Alfred’s older brother Aethelbald who reigned for just four years. When Aethelbald died, brother Aethelbert took over, and was on the throne for six years. Then brother Aethelred I got to be king for four years. By the time his third brother died in short order, I have to wonder if Alfred even wanted the job. Luckily for him, Alfred lived for an additional twenty-eight years before shuffling off, leaving the job to his son Edward.
King Alfred the Great
In his time as king, Alfred accomplished some rather amazing things. He learned to read and write Latin in his late 30s, and assisted in the translation of scholarly books from Latin to Anglo-Saxon. Alfred’s forces defeated the Danish army in 878 at Edington, in 884 in Rochester, and again in 886 in London. At this point the Danes were probably getting a little tired of Alfred. He is credited with establishing a permanent army and naval force, and built a series of fortifications to help defend the kingdom. Alfred also initiated the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, a record of British history, which begins with the words: “The island Britain is 800 miles long, and 200 miles broad.” In 893, the Bishop of Sherborne wrote a biography entitled The Life of Alfred the Great, and the title stuck. As travel companions go, Krista and I will be in good company.
When we paddle into Oxford, Krista and I might walk Alfred to a street just a couple of hundred metres from the River Thames known as Alfred Street. We will be about ninety kilometres into our journey at that point. Perhaps Alfred would like to join Krista and I for a pint of beer at a thirteen-century pub on Alfred Street called The Bear Inn.
- Glen
Photo credits: King Alfred the Great – www.news.com.au; The Bear Inn – www.lovetravelengland.com