AT the April meeting of the Andover History and Archaeology Society, introducing the Dacre 2015 lecture, ‘Law, Death and Peace-making in the Tenth Century’, Dr Ryan Lavelle, Reader in Medieval History at the University of Winchester, spoke of the moment when he was visiting Andover Museum as a young student and realised that national and international history could have a local relevance.

He then developed that insight by placing the international event of the peace-making Confirmation of the Viking Olaf Tryggvason in Andover in 993/4 into its local frame. Focussing on the individuals involved, he argued that it is possible to understand the relations between the West Saxons and Vikings better.

Although the King, Æthelred II (Ethelred ‘the Unready’, reigned 978-1016), sponsored the Viking’s confirmation, Dr Lavelle concentrated on the role in the event of Æthelweard, Ealdorman (nobleman ruling a large area, subject to the king) of South Wessex. Æthelweard encouraged the renaissance of learning, and as an historian himself wrote the Latin version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.

The Treaty of Andover followed Viking attacks on London and the south coast. A preliminary peace agreement was negotiated and then the Vikings wintered at Southampton. Olaf was brought from there to Andover ‘with much ceremony’ by Bishop Ælfheah (Alphege) of Winchester and Æthelweard. From his research, Dr Lavelle suggested that Æthelweard had a fine ear for the Norse language, was already experienced in peace-making and recognised the political value of Confirmation. After the recent deaths of the other ealdormen, Æthelweard was now the senior in the south. Olaf had previously been baptized (in Scandinavia?) and the Confirmation conducted by Bishop Ælfheah created a binding relationship between Olaf and Æthelweard as his spiritual sponsor/god-parent. Authority was delegated by the King to ealdormen to buy peace at a local level. Olaf came to England as a subordinate chief, and for an ambitious man such as he was, his Confirmation might mark a significant step towards the Viking throne, using the Anglo-Saxon style of kingship.

Why Andover? Probably the town, which already had royal connections, was chosen rather than Winchester, because of the risks of showing off the wealthy city to a heavyweight Viking chief. Since the preparation for Confirmation would also offer ample time for the noble pursuits of hunting and feasting, the royal lodge at Andover would be a suitable venue for social bonding between confirmand and spiritual kinsman. The route from Southampton up to Andover would be a pleasant excursion.

Dr Lavelle then proposed a link between the 54 executed bodies discovered on the path of the new Weymouth relief road in 2009 on Ridgeway Hill, Dorset and the peace-making of Æthelred. It was possible, he argued, that they were the crew of a ship which contravened the peace agreement, the site being in view of the sea. It was ealdorman Æthelweard who had responsibility in case of such breaches of the peace.

The very full audience at the Weyhill Fairground Hall greatly appreciated the scholarly knowledge shared by Dr Lavelle about this local event of over 1000 years ago, which had both national and international importance. The lecture was a fitting tribute to the memory of Max Dacre (1910-1990) who had undertaken many rescue excavations at the time of Andover’s redevelopment to help gain an understanding of the town’s early history.