During the 800s, the Danes had made a series of attacks on the Eastern coast of England and gradually progressed inland. In 878, after a series of skirmishes and battles, Alfred the Great, the Saxon King, signed the Peace of Wedmore, by which the Danes were allowed to settle in that part of England to the North East of Watling Street. They settled in large numbers and many of their village names are characterised by the ending 'by' (farm or village) or 'thorpe' (daughter settlement). Local examples include Long Buckby, Holdenby, Castle Ashby, Kingsthorpe, Rothersthorpe, and Abthorpe. Saxon names are often characterised by 'ton' (house or farm), or 'cot' (hut). Examples are Brington, Gayton, Eastcote, and Dalscote.