Battle of Pinhoe

The Battle of Pinhoe was a battle between the Danes and the Devons of Pinhoe.

The battle
In 1001 Vikings laid a siege to Exeter. But due to the strong fortification of Athelstan they started pillaging nearby villages. Men from Devon and Somerset fought the Danes to stop their invasion. The battle was hard and the defenders nearly used up all their ammunition.

The priest of Pinhoe
A priest of Pinhoe wanted to supply his troops with ammunition. He sneaked through the Danish lines and ran to Exeter to get arrows and arms. He successfully returned to the defending Saxons and supplied them with the weapons.

The burning of Pinhoe
The weapons were not sufficient for the Saxons to defeat the Vikings. The Vikings infiltrated Pinhoe and burned it to the ground. This was as a warning for the citizens of Exeter.

The legacy of the priest
The priest was awarded for his outstanding bravery an annual payment of 16 shillings which was as high as the Vicar of Pinhoe earned.