Page 19 - Alfred the Great And His Legacy

Reason Three – His Vision: Building Burhs

• It was estimated about 5% of the entire Wessex population was

working on the construction of these massive burhs at any one

time.

• So that’s about 30 burhs, like Oxford, Exeter, Shaftesbury, Wilton,

Wallingford, Buckingham & Warwick. Network of strongholds.

• Not a time when you can stop raiding parties with a border wall;

but this is one of Alfred’s geniuses that he says if they come they

come but everyone can just pile into the fortified border town &

the sources of wealth & trade are protected.