Wessex regionalists
Just to let you know I have started a Wessex Regionalist socail group for all those that believe in devolved power to Wessex and the other historic regions of England.
If you believe in this come and join the group.
LONG LIVE WESSEX
Join the WESSEX REGIONALIST PARTY http://www.regionalist.net/
No Saxon Man's Land?
Do you know the boundaries of Wessex any better than I know the boundaries of Mercia? We could have a border dispute and start a battle! I see Wessex is growing a bit. By some accounts it adjoins Middlesex. Wessex is surely just Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Dorset and Somerset. By my reckoning we do not meet anywhere as Mercia is well to the north of you.
The difficult question is what do we do with the blighters in the middle?
A lot of sources do place the Mercia and Wessex borders meeting inside Gloucestershire. Gloucester itself was certainly in Mercia, though.
Anything I post on this web forum is my personal opinion only.
As I am a man of Wessex, and you are trying to get paying members, I have a few questions that seem not to be answered by your website.
What do you consider to be the cultural and economic identity of Wessex?
ABOUT OURSELVES
The Wessex Regionalist Party has researched and developed a distinctive political philosophy, based around:
ü Identity
To promote the cultural and economic identity of Wessex.
Who is going to run this devolved DD? I presume that the seat of power will be in Winchester - if not, why not?ü Democracy
To bring into existence devolved, direct democracy in order to give the people of Wessex maximum control over their own lives.
How?ü Quality
To optimise the quality of life for everyone residing, working in or visiting the region.
The other 3 aren't importnat to me at this stage. Having Lord Bath as patron is a little concerning.
Last edited by angelman; 21-07-2009 at 08:40 PM.
Sorry to bump this thread, but i feel it prudent to reproduce a rant of mine from over on another forum (when the Wessex Regionalists stood in Witney at the last General election)...Originally Posted by arden forester
Yes, you make a fair point - there is an ongoing border dispute! However the Wessex claim to Oxfordshire has a logic to it. Oxfordshire saw the birth of Wessex with the tribe of the Gewisse (sometimes spelt 'Gewissae') settling in the Upper Thames Valley/Cotswolds in the mid to late fifth century and early sixth century. The Gewisse were later re-named the West Saxons (from where Wessex derives it's name) by Bede.
Oxfordshire was home to Wessex's first capital/ecclesiastical home - Dorchester-on-Thames. It was here that the West Saxon King Cynigils was baptised by St Birinus in 635. In return Cynigils granted Birinus some of his royal land around Banbury (North Oxon).
Cynigils also defeated the Britons probably at Bampton (West Oxfordshire) earlier in his reign.
From their Oxfordshire base the Gewisse moved South & West. The capital was moved to Winchester and the north become vulnerable to Mercian expansion. Oxfordshire fell under Mercian control for about 200 years. West Oxfordshire was briefly won back for Wessex in 752 at the Battle of Burford (up the road from Witney, as I'm sure you know!) where the West Saxons defeated the Mercians.
Witney owes it prosperity due to its links to the Winchester diocese.
Another possible Oxfordshire link to Wessex is a battle between the West Saxons Cynric and Ceawlin at Banbury in 556 (although in fairness Barbury Hill in Wilts also lays claim to the battle site)
Wessex was back in control of the Oxfordshire region from 912 up until the conquest. West Oxfordshire especially has more historical links with the South West than the Mercian heartlands of the Trent Valley. Besides , today Witney itself boasts the Wessex Industrial Estate!!!
Similar claims can be made for Gloucester being originall Wessex territory too.
Actually it would've been great if a Mercian candidate had stood and the voters could've chosen!
So there my twopenneth.
If we could expel Portsmouth from Wessex, I think I'd be interested.
VI, It's possible that Beandun is Bindon near Axmouth and not Bampton.
The Gewisse and the Wicca are possibly the same. The ancient Wychwood would have included Witney and Burford, but not much of it remains.
Even I beat the Wessex Regionalists at the General Election and I did disastrously.
Yes, this is all speculation at the end of the day, I agree. I think you're refering to the Hwicce? Yes, they may have been interbred with the Gewisse or in league with them for military/strategic purposes. for the record I'm not a hardcore Wessex regionalist- I take the border issue in a laid back way - but you'ld be amazed at some historical regionalist types who don't!
Bevois - of course I would have to agree with you!
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