828-830 King Egbert of " Wessex " was a sole monarch conquered Mercia and all that was south of the Humber he added Legancester as it was called by the Saxons to his dominion
874 St. Werburg
The Danes invaded, Mercia on reaching Repton only 5 miles from Hanbury, Burhred, the King of Mercia fled, the people
of Hanbury feared for the safety of St. Werburg who was the daughter of the Mercian King Wulfere, and Saint Ermengild
of Kent ( 658 - 675 ) her mother had desended from King Ethelbert whom Saint Augustine had converted, she had lived
as a nun and eventually became an abbess, who was renowned for her holy life . After her death many miracles were
reported at her tomb the remains of St. Werburgh were brought to Chester City to protect them .
893 / 894 the Danish Pirates wintered in Chester
907 - Ethelred Duke of Mercia, and his wife Ethelfleda rebuild and adorn with turrets the walls of the city, to protect
the area from the Noresemen who were settling in the Wirral, The purpose of the new fortress was to defend the
area from Noresmen who were settling in the Wirral . ( Mercian Register )
Ethelred Lady of the Mercians is also believed to have founded the churches of St. John outside the walls and that
of St. Peters and Paul the Saxon minster which is on the site of our present abbey .
973 Edgar received on the Dee the homage of various inferior Saxons sovereigns, and according
to some writers, was rowed from his place on the south bank of the river to the conventual church of St. John by
eight tributary kings .
Edgar, the Peaceful, as he was called, subdued with his fleet the Danish pirates in the West, and drew together
the rulers of 8 petty kingdoms. With these princes as rowers, he went on board his barge and was rowed from his
palace on the River Dee to S. John's Church, here he disembarked, and when he had entered the Church, here he disembarked,
and when he had entered the Church, he received their oaths of fealty, and afterwards returned to his Palace, followed
by other boats. The names of the Kings were : Kynath, King of the Scots ; Malcolm, King of Cumberland, Maccus,
King of the Isles; Dufnal, Siferth, Hywal, Jacob and Juchil . He had a fleet of ships, and they were so effective,
that " neither Danes, Norwaies nor Scottes dared to look out " It was the custom to visit every part
of his dominion yearly ;
This is the account of his visit to Chester is from the Holy life of S. Werburgh :-
| " Kynge Edgare approached the
Cite of Legions , Nowe called Chester specified afore ; Where VIII Kynges mette of divers nacions Redy to gyve Edgare reuerence and honour Legiance and fidelite depely sworne full sore At the same Cite ; after to be obediant Prompyt at his callying to come to his parliament . From the castle he went to the water of Dee By a prime posturne through walles of the towne The Kynge toke his barge withmych rialte Rowying upwards to the Churche of Saynt John The forsayd VIII Kynges with him went alone Kynge Edgare kept the stern as most principall Eche prince had an ore to labour with all When the Kynge had done his pylgrimage And to the Holy Roode made oblacion They entered agayne into the sayd barge Passynge to his place with great renowne Than Edgare spake in praysying of the crowne All my successours may glad and joyfull be To have such homage , honour and dignitie " |
( page 8/9 Lectures on the History of S. John Baptist Church & Parish - Scott - )
Edgar's Charter
of dedication
The grant of certain lands to a " familia " serving " Almighty God " in honour of the most
holy Werburgh ever virgin in Chester , the charter allows the Canons seventeen hides of land free from all secular
service and payment .
1016 Edmund Ironside and Canute divide the country with Chester as part of Mercia .
The renewal of Scandinavian raids led to a Danish king, Canute, becoming King of England. Although the West Saxon
line was restored temporarily with Edward the Confessor in 1042, it finally ended with the Norman Conquest.
1057 Leofric Earl of Mercia repaired the fabric of S. John's and its endowments and
privileges were increased
Legend
Preserved in the stone
of the building of the church In Kings Vale Royal is the following :-
| " Chester about the time of the Conquest was esteemed a great place of strength and refuge, in so much as Harold the King, having received many wounds, and lost his left eye, by the stroke of an arrow, in the battail with William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, he fled from the field and went to Chester, where some say he lived many years after, an holy life, as an anchorite, in the cell of St.. James, near to S. John's church, and there ended his days, though the history be indeed doubted by some writers ." |
( page 9 Lectures on the History of S. John Baptist Church & Parish - Scott - )
