Battle of Aclea

The Battle of Aclea occurred in 851 between the West Saxons and Danish Vikings, possibly near Oakley, Bedfordshire or Water Oakley, Berkshire. The West Saxons, led by Aethelwulf, King of Wessex were already responding to another wave of Viking incursions. Precious little is known about the battle and the most important source of information comes from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle which recorded that: "350 (Viking) ships came into the Thames and stormed Canterbury and London and put to flight Beorhtwulf, King of Mercia with his army, and then went south over the Thames to Surrey and King Aethelwulf and his son Aethelbald with the West Saxon army fought against them at Oak Field (Aclea), and there made the greatest slaughter of a heathen raiding-army that we have heard tell of up to the present day, and there took the victory. The Battle of Aclea was a rare victory for Wessex, but stopped any major assault for another 15 years.