In the seventh century, the area was an Anglo-Saxon major settlement Lundenwic (the last syllable pronounced as today) ('London port') centred one mile to the west of "Londinium" (known to the Saxons as "Lundenburh" 'London fort'). "Lundenwic" later became the old wich (old port, that is Aldwych). It is not known if it had a church, and the town either took advantage of the scouring action of the Fleet or used the mouth itself as a harbour for trading ships and fishing boats. After Alfred the Great re-built the London fortifications in the late 9th century, Londinium became known as "Lundenburh" or simply Lunden, and "Lundenwic" so became ealdwic or aldwich. (The word "" evolved from ald, the Old English being eald and the German cognate being alt.) The name was recorded as "Aldewich" in 1211.