Introduction
The location of ‘Nechtansmere’, the Old English name for a crucial battle in 685 between Northumbria and the Picts of Scotland, is uncertain, though it appears to have taken place in mountainous country north of the Tay. Its result, however, could not be more clear: Northumbria would now begin its slow decline.
WHEN Ecgfrith became King of Northumbria in 670, his realm had never been stronger. The ambitious pagan King Penda of Mercia had fallen at the Battle of the Winwaed in 655, and though Penda’s Christian heir Ethelred rebuffed Ecgfrith’s advance southwards in 679, lands to the north looked promising.
The Picts in eastern Scotland were soon subdued, and Ecgfrith heralded the coming of Northumbrian civilisation with a cathedral at Abercorn on the Firth of Forth in 681. But the Church’s blessing was not so cheaply bought. After Ecgfrith scorned advice and went ahead with an unprovoked raid on the Irish kingdom of Brega in 684, Cuthbert, appointed Bishop of Lindisfarne early the following year, warned that the next such campaign would be Ecgfrith’s last.
Ecgfrith laughed off Cuthbert’s forebodings, determined to add to his Scottish possessions. But the Picts rebelled, and on May 20th, 685, their warrior-king Bridei mac Bili, Ecgfrith’s cousin, slew him and routed his army at Nechtansmere, somewhere north of the Tay.
Précis
On taking the crown of Northumbria in 670, Ecgfrith immediately set about enlarging his kingdom at the expense of kingdoms in both Scotland and Ireland. These greedy campaigns drew criticism from the Church, but Ecgfrith would not heed the warnings, and on May 20th, 685, he fell in battle against the Picts, just as Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, had foretold. (60 / 60 words)
On taking the crown of Northumbria in 670, Ecgfrith immediately set about enlarging his kingdom at the expense of kingdoms in both Scotland and Ireland. These greedy campaigns drew criticism from the Church, but Ecgfrith would not heed the warnings, and on May 20th, 685, he fell in battle against the Picts, just as Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, had foretold.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, must, or, ought, since, until, whereas, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Ahead. Become. But.
2 King. Land. So.
3 After. Campaign. Possession.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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