About 1150 years ago, on a ridge on the edge of Salisbury Plain, the Saxons defeated the Vikings in a battle that had a profound impact on the history of the English people and their language. And yet, the battle is surprisingly little known.

Discover what happened and why with writer and cultural historian Rupert Gavin. Rupert joins Plodcast host Fergus to explore the battlefield and discover how the English language, character and nation was formed.

Rupert's book Amorous or Loving? The Highly Peculiar Tale of English and the English is published by Unicorn and is out now.

And now you can get in touch with the Plodcast team via:

The BBC Countryfile Magazine Plodcast group on Facebook & BBC Countryfile Magazine's Instagram page.

The BBC Countryfile Magazine Plodcast is the Publishers Podcast Awards Special Interest Podcast of the Year 2024 & 2025 and the PPA Podcast of the Year 2022.

If you've enjoyed the plodcast, don't forget to leave likes and positive reviews. Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: [email protected].

If your letter, email or message is read out on the show, you could WIN a Plodcast Postbag prize of a wildlife- or countryside-themed book chosen by the team.

The Plodcast is produced by Jack Bateman and Lewis Dobbs. The theme tune was written and performed by Blair Dunlop

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