Breedon on the Hill

When visiting Breedon on the Hill today the site is an impressive.   It is a large out crop of rock which protrudes out of the surrounding rolling Leicestershire countryside.   It provides magnificent views over the Trent valley to the north west and the Charnwood forest to the south east.

• Pre English Occupation

• Establishment of Monastery

• Mercian Religious Sculpture

• Tatwine

• Danish Settlement

• Post Conquest Breedon

Click here to see a map of the site

Pre English Occupation

The earliest known occupation is an iron age fort on the top of the hill.   During the Roman period there is evidence of occupation with coins and other archaeological evidence having been found with the fort.   The name also suggests a pre English ancestry.   ‘Bre’ is similar to the Welsh for  hill and so the name Breedon is a marriage of the old British and English as ‘Don’ is old English for settlement.  The is also place name evidence in the area to suggest that there was British survivors after the English settlement.

The first known religious connection with the site is in the 6^th century when St. Hardulph is said to have lived on the hill as a hermit.   This may suggest that the old iron age fort had been abandoned by this time and a new settlement established where the modern village of Breedon is on the flat lands around the foot of the hill.   There is some suggestion that Hardulph might be connected with St. Modwenna who had a religious establishment at Burton on Trent. It might be that Hardulph was not the only hermit living on the top of Breedon hill as the site would provide perfect isolation for such endeavours.

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Establishment of Monastery

The first recognisable religious establishment at Breedon dates from around 675 when a monastery was established as an off shoot of the great monastery at Peterborough.   The role of this monastery was probably one of  missionary work as the Mercian kingdom was the last of the great English kingdoms to convert to Christianity thus the work of the monks from Breedon would have been considerable.   There also seems to be connections between Breedon and Repton - only a few miles to the west.    

However, it might be that Breedon was also on the boundary of the Tomasetian homelands as it was within the diocese of Leicester and not Lichfield.   Thus it might be seen as a Middle Anglian religious establishment rather than a true Mercian establishment.   Whatever the true picture Breedon was an important out post of early Christian development within the Mercian core lands.   To reinforce this point one of the first abbots of Breedon, Hedda, became the bishop of Lichfield in 691 and dedicated St. Guthlac’s monastery at Crowland.  This would indicate a person of some importance of both the religious and political worlds of 7^th century Mercia.

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Mercian Religious Sculpture

Today, Breedon church has some of the few remaining examples Mercian religious sculptures to be freely on display.   The sculptures have been incorporated into the fabric of the later post Norman priory.

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Tatwine

Perhaps the greatest example of the power of Breedon during the 7^th and 8^th century is the fact that Tatwine, it’s abbot, was made Archbishop of Canterbury in 731.   This undoubtedly was with the support of Aethelbald who by this period was the most powerful king south of the Humber.   So again we have examples of Breedon’s connection with the powerful forces which ruled the country at this time.   Apart from this Tatwine is famous for his books of riddles.

The importance of Breedon can also be seen in the surviving stone work and sculptures.   The most famous is the Virgin Mary which can be seen in a side chapel of church still at the site.   However, a number of other pieces of carved stone can also be seen scattered amongst the stone work of the latter church.   They all display considerable workmen ship and indicate a wealthy establishment able to buy the best work available at that time.  This importance can also be seen in the establishment of sister religious centres at Bermondsey and Woking.

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Danish Settlement

In 873 the Danish army over wintered at Repton.   This lead to much destruction at Repton but the church seems to have continued to function albeit in reduced circumstances.  This probably was the same at Breedon.      It is inconceivable that such a geographically prominent  and wealthy establishment would have been overlooked.   However, there is little archaeological evidence to suggest that the buildings were raised to ground and so what raiding that took place may have been with the acquiescence of the monks at Breedon.   Whatever the true picture Breedon seems to have survived and by the mid 10^th century was be granted land in the area.   The charter for this gives no suggestion that the monastery was being reformed.   Again, this suggests that the Danish army and the subsequent settlers were not quite as barbaric was once thought.

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Post Conquest Breedon

The fate of the monastery after the Norman conquest was to be given to a Priory in Yorkshire.   However, as a footnote of history the monks who were within the establishment around the first real revolt of 1068 would have seen the steel of Norman conquest.    There is little doubt that William and his army marched passed Breedon on their march from Warwick to Nottingham in the spring of that year.   During this time they laid waste to much of the Mercian heartland which was spread all around Breedon.    The view from the top of hill as the army passed would have been one of fire and pillage as village after village was wasted.

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