The Domesday extract reads as follows:- “Manor in Cotenoure (Codnor).

8 Thegns and 7 carucates of land assessed to the Geld. There is land for so many ploughs. There are now 3 ploughs in the Demesne and there are 11 villeins, 2 bordars, and 3 sochman who have 5 ½ ploughs. There is a Church and 1 Mill rendering 12 pence and 35 acres of meadow. Woodland for pannage 2 leagues in length and 3 furlongs in breadth. In King Edwards time (the Confessor) it was worth 4 pounds. Now it is worth 41 shillings and 4 pence. Warner holds it” 

This clearly indicates that the estates and Manor were well established and that some sort of records existed that dated back to at least Edward the Confessors time. 

I believe there is a case to be made that the site dates back to the early 10^th Century, in fact to the year circa 920 A.D. when Anglo Saxon England was involved in a tremendous strife with the Norsemen of Denmark and Norway. I believe the Castle site was originally a moated Anglo-Saxon longhouse of some description, with a primary design built for defensive purposes. I believe there is circumstantial evidence in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles that point to this. Also, the Castle site clearly indicates that there was something or someone across the Erewash Valley in Nottinghamshire that they were very concerned about and that behind the site in Derbyshire there was something or someone they wanted to protect. 

Background. 

By the 9^th Century Anglo Saxon England had been invaded by various waves of Danes, Vikings and other Norsemen. The indigenous peoples referred to them as the ‘Force’. At first they had come merely to plunder, but in quick time had soon come to realise that here was a land far richer in all things than their homeland and so they came in waves to conquer and settle large areas of England and beyond.

They had unlocked the door to England by using their unique sailing ships, capable of vast sea voyages and yet versatile enough to sail up the main rivers of England deep into the interior. Their warrior code and united purpose took the English Saxons by surprise, not least because they (the English) were disunited and completely unprepared to work together to defeat the invaders.

So desperate became the situation that the light of Anglo Saxon rule almost went out, until Alfred the Great managed to unite the peoples of England using a combination of religious fervour and good old fashioned soldiering. 

Although the ‘Force’ had captured much territory they still had one big weakness and that was that they were always fewer in numbers than the indigenous people. Gradually, first under Alfred and then under his son Edmund, the Saxons fought back using the invaders own tactics against them. They used the ‘bite and hold’ tactic of warfare, building strongholds or ‘Burgh’s’ as the Saxon’s called them, manned and heavily defended by soldiers.

King Edmund had ascended the Wessex throne in 900 after his father’s death. He also had a sister called Aethelflaed who had been married off to the Mercian (Midlands) King Aethelred. This marriage had united a huge swathe of Saxon territory and people.

Aethelflaed’s husband died in the year 911 after a long illness, during which time she had ruled in his stead. Such was her Royal standing and strength of personality she was able to continue ruling the Mercians after his death, something almost unprecedented in those times. In fact she became almost as bright a star as Boudicca (of the Iceni Tribe in Roman times) during her short reign. Certainly she was no shrinking violet and often personally led her troops into battle.

During the period 912 to 916 the Saxon’s grabbed back more and more territory from the invaders until the year 917 which saw the beginning of their greatest successes, particularly in our area.

In that year of 917, King Edmund and his Wessex troops gained Towcester and Colchester and after several battles the ‘Force’ at Northampton, Huntingdon, Cambridge and all of East Anglia surrendered to his rule.

His sister was also very busy and after a ferocious battle, in which four of her personal bodyguard where killed inside the gates, she captured Derby. Then early in the year 918 Leicester surrendered to her and York was just about to when Aethelflaed died, possibly from wounds she received in capturing Derby.

Her brother had just occupied Stamford when news reached him of his sister’s death. He immediately went to Tamworth and received the ‘Oath’s’ of all the Mercian’s and Welsh (whom his sister had conquered), thus absorbing them all under his direct rule.

In 919 he sent an Army to occupy and defend Manchester and Thelwall and took Nottingham on the bank north of the river Trent, rebuilding its defenses.

King Edmund was an extremely able and natural leader of men, shown by his ready acceptance of Danes into his army.

In the following year of 920 he again went to Nottingham and this time ordered the building of a fortification on the south bank of the river Trent and a bridge to join the two together. This was the first recorded Trent Bridge. As soon as work had been completed he marched into the Peak District and built a fortification at Bakewell. 

It was at this juncture that I believe Codnor became a site of strategic importance, being an equal distance for marching troops coming from Nottingham and Derby and a branching off point for those going to Nottingham or Derby.

Why this site? 

Edmund’s defensive strategy stretched from Nottingham and Derby up through Derbyshire (not Nottinghamshire) along the Roman road of Ryknild Street and the ancient trackway know as the Greenway that ran from Derby up to Alfreton and beyond. Given there were only four or five roads in the whole of Derbyshire at that time, they were worth protecting as vital lines of communication for Edmund’s troops.

Derbyshire was strategically important economically because of its minerals, metals and wool. Nottinghamshire was mainly forest and acted as a natural barrier from the heathen’s who occupied the eastern counties, as did the Erewash Valley.

This is why the Castle site is so strategically important. It dominated the Erewash Valley and protected the roads mentioned, allowing the safe passage of troops and wagons and trade to flourish in Saxon held territory. Codnor was quite literally the ‘Frontline’ for the Saxon’s of Derbyshire.

The site was chosen because it was the highest point on Ridding’s Ridge that had natural springs that fed the moat and provide a water source.

There was an ancient saying that went – “when Codnor’s pond runs dry, the Lord’s may say goodbye”. 

Of course, there may not be a shred of evidence to support this theory (even with the recent Time Team dig), but it makes for a good story all the same! 

Martyn Taylor-Cockayne.