Battle of Englefield battles followed, including the Battle of Ashdown, when Alfred led the Saxon forces to victory, and the Battle of Basing, when the Danes prevailed. In April 871, Ethelred died, to be succeeded by Alfred. Much of King Alfred's 28-year reign was taken up with the Danish conflict. Battle of Englefield The Battle of Englefield was a battle on 31 December 870 at Englefield, near Reading in what is now the English county of Berkshire. It was one of a series of battles, with honours to both sides, that took place following an invasion of the then kingdom of Wessex by
Battle of Ashdown on Ordnance Survey maps of the area. Some years after the Boer War, manoeuvres were held at Ashdown Park. On the final day one year, in full view of a grandstand full of dignitaries and the general public, two large bodies of cavalry, including the Household Cavalry, came too close for comfort. The ensuing melee caused many injuries and was referred to as 'The Battle of Ashdown'. There is a comprehensive account of the battle in "The King of Atheleny" by the prolific historical novelist Alfred Duggan. There is a detailed account of the battle in "The Namesake", a juvenile