Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/28

Rh over-ran the land and themselves in turn over-mastered the Britons, driving them into Wales and Cornwall. The only matter of interest in connection with Horncastle, in this struggle between Saxon and Briton, is that about the end of the 5th century the Saxon King Horsa, with his brother Hengist, who had greatly improved the fort at Horncastle, were defeated in a fight at Tetford by the Britons under their leader Raengeires, and the British King caused the walls to be nearly demolished and the place rendered defenceless. (Leland's Collectanea, vol i, pt. ii, p. 509),. [sic]



North-east corner of the Castle Wall, in Dog-kennel Yard.

The Saxons in their turn, towards the close of the 8th century, were harrassed by marauding incursions of the Danes, which continued, though temporarily checked by Kings Egbert and Alfred, through many years, both