The exact spot where Wessex and West Wales met in the battle
between Ina and Gerent is not certain, though it is known to have
been on the line of the hills to the west of the Parrett, and
possibly, according to an identification deduced from the Welsh
"Llywarch Hen," in the neighbourhood of Langport. Local tradition
and legend place a battle also at the ancient Roman fortress of
Norton Fitzwarren, which Ina certainly superseded by his own
stronghold at Taunton after the victory. As Nunna is named as
leader of the Saxons, together with the king himself, it seems most
likely that there were two columns acting against the Welsh advance
on the north and south of the Tone River, and that therefore there
were battles at each place. On the Blackdown Hills beyond Langport
a barrow was known until quite lately as "Noon's barrow," and it
would mark at least the line of flight of the Welsh; and if not the
burial place of the Saxon leader, who is supposed to have fallen,
must have been raised by him over his comrades.
The line taken by the story will not be far wrong, therefore, as in
any case the Blackdown and Quantock strongholds must have been
taken by the Saxons to guard against flank attacks, from whichever
side of the Tone the British advance was made.
The course of the story hangs to some extent on the influence of
the old feud between the British and Saxon Churches, which dated
from the days of Augustine and his attempt to compel the adoption
of Western customs by the followers of the Church which had its
rise from the East.
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