Sites and Places Associated With Arthurian Legend - Reputed Arthurian Battle Sites

Reputed Arthurian Battle Sites

Twelve of Arthur's battles were recorded by Nennius in Historia Brittonum.

• Battle at the mouth of the river Glein (1st battle), possibly River Glen, Northumberland or River Glen, Lincolnshire.
• Battles of the river Dubglas (2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th battles) in the region of Linnuis. Guesses for the river include the River Trent or the Ancholme. An alternative northern site is the Devil's Water at Linnels on Hadrian's Wall or the River Douglas, near Wigan. However, the strategic location of the River Douglas in Glen Douglas in Lennox, near the portage at Arrochar from Loch Long (the Loch of the Ships) to Loch Lomond, overlooked by Ben Arthur, make it the most likely location.
• Battle of the river of the Bassas (6th battle). Probably a reference to the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, although possibly also relates to the middle River Witham at Bassingham, the homestead of Bassa's people. An alternative northern location is at Bassington on the River Aln in Northumbria, not far from the River Glen.
• Battle of Cat Coit Celidon (7th battle), possibly Caledonian Woods in the Scottish Lowlands.
• Battle of Fort Guinnon (the White Fort) (8th battle). Possibly the Binchester Roman fort. Or Wedale in southern Scotland.
• Battle of the City of the Legion (9th battle) Hypothesized sites for this battle include:
  • Caerleon, also, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the site of Arthur's court and Guinevere's convent
  • Carlisle
  • Chester
  • York
• Battle of Tibruit (the 10th battle), possibly the mouth of the river Avon near Bo'ness, Scotland, or near Dumfries.
• Battle of Agned (the 11th battle), probably near Edinburgh as Mount Agned was another term for Edinburgh, although possibly at the Roman fort Bremenium, near Rochester, Northumberland
• Battle of Mons Badonicus c. AD 496 (12th battle) The date, location, and contestants of this battle are a matter of considerable debate. Hypothesized sites for Mons Badonicus include:
  • Bowden Hill in Linlithgow. http://www.armadale.org.uk/bowden.htm
  • Mynydd Baedan in South Wales.
  • Badbury Rings, an Iron Age hill fort
  • Bath or Solsbury Hill near Bath, suggested by Geoffrey of Monmouth
  • Buxton, a hilltop Spa town and the site of a Roman Bath
  • Liddington Castle
  • Bardon Hill
• Battle of Camlann (Arthur's last and fatal battle) possibly fought in South Somerset or at Camboglanna near the western section of Hadrian's Wall. Alternatively, it has been speculated that could have been fought at Camelon in Falkirkshire or Cwm Llan on Snowdon.