Atlas of Battles

battle, major, medieval

Battle of Edington

Battle of Edington was a battle fought in April AD 878 at Edington, in what is now United Kingdom. It was part of human history. The recorded result: Saxon victory; Treaty of Wedmore. Recorded strength: 2,000–6,000 against ~4,000.

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The Memorial to the Battle of Ethandun is a sarsen stone standing in a corner of the public recreation area adjacent to Bratton Castle
The Memorial to the Battle of Ethandun is a sarsen stone standing in a corner of the public recreation area adjacent to Bratton Castle. Trish Steel, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtApril AD 878
WhereEdington, United Kingdom51.440N, 2.242W
OutcomeSaxon victory; Treaty of Wedmore
BelligerentsWessexagainstGreat Heathen Army
Casualties and lossesUnknownandUnknown, presumed heavy
Part ofhuman historyViking activity in the British Isles

Where it sits in human history

First Viking attack on England, AD 780Battle of York, AD 867Battle of Englefield, AD 870Battle of Reading, AD 871Battle of Ashdown, AD 871Battle of Basing, AD 871Battle of Marton, AD 871Battle of Chippenham, AD 877Battle of Cynwit, AD 878Battle of Edington, AD 878Battle of Buttington, AD 893Battle of Stamford (894), AD 894Battle of Tettenhall, AD 910Battle of Tempsford, AD 917Battle of Derby, AD 917Battle of Corbridge, AD 918Battle of Stamford, AD 918Battle of Brunanburh, AD 937Battle of Stainmore, AD 954Battle of Maldon, AD 991Cnut the Great's invasion of England, 1016Battle of Brentford, 1016Battle of Sherston, 1016Battle of Assandun, 1016Battle of Fulford, 1066Battle of Stamford Bridge, 1066Battle of Danes Moor, 1469November 1932 Geneva shooting, 1932Battle of Geel, 19441983 Invasion of Grenada, 19831983 Grenada mental hospital bombing, 1983AD 7801983Battle of Edington, AD 878
31 placed engagements of human history in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateApril AD 878 (month precision)
PlaceEdington, United Kingdom
51.440N, 2.242W
KindBattle, medieval
Strength2,000–6,000~4,000
Casualties and lossesUnknownUnknown, presumed heavy
Commanders
  • Guthrum
Battle of EdingtonBattle of EdingtonBattle of ChippenhamBattle of DeorhamBattle of BadonBattle of LansdowneBattle of Roundway DownBattle of DeorhamBattle of BadonBattle of LansdowneBirminghamBrightonPortsmouthPlymouthLutonOxfordPeterboroughCambridge100 km51.440N, 2.242W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Edington
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Edington today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-06-19. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 79 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 18 to 207 m, 189 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 47% grassland, 30% tree cover, 18% cropland.

grassland: 47%tree cover: 30%cropland: 18%built-up: 5%grassland 47%tree cover 30%cropland 18%built-up 5%
west to east, 10.0 km40 to 189 mnorth to south, 10.0 km37 to 154 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 878

Battle of Edington is one of 193 engagements of the 9th century in the atlas and one of 753 in present-day United Kingdom.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2305651, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Edington, revision 1370109999, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.