Islington, May 15. 1851.
_Athelney._--In a visit which I recently paid to the field of
_Sedgemoor_ and the Isle of _Athelney_ in Somersetshire, I found on the
latter a stone pillar, inclosed by an iron railing, designed to point
the traveller's eye to the spot, so closely associated with his earliest
historical studies, with the burnt cakes, the angry housewife, and the
castigated king. The pillar bears the following inscription, which you
may think perhaps worthy of preservation in your useful pages:--
"King Alfred the Great, in the year of our Lord 879, having been
defeated by the Danes, fled for refuge to the forest of Athelney,
where he lay concealed from his enemies for the space of a whole
year. He soon after regained possession of his throne, and in
grateful remembrance of the protection he had received, under the
favour of Heaven, he erected a monastery on this spot and endowed
it with all the lands contained in the Isle of Athelney. To
perpetuate the memorial of so remarkable an incident in the life
of that illustrious prince, this edifice was founded by John
Slade, Esq., of Mansell, the proprietor of Athelney and Lord of
the Manor of North Petherton, A. D. 1801."