It’s happy release day to The Last Deceit, book 10 in The Last King series, so I’m sharing some photos of Old Sarum and Stonehenge

Here’s the blurb

Deceit and ambition threaten to undo the most fragile alliance.

King Coelwulf of Mercia has unwillingly accepted the need to ally with the kingdom of Wessex under the command of King Alfred. But King Alfred of Wessex must still prove himself, and Coelwulf can’t remain absent from Mercia indefinitely.

Returning to London, a place holding more fascination for the West Saxons and the Viking raiders than Coelwulf and his fellow Mercians, Coelwulf sets about reinforcing the walled settlement so long abandoned by all but the most determined traders. But Coelwulf knows Jarl Guthrum has set his eyes on Canterbury, and he must protect the archbishop in Kent, nominally under the control of the West Saxon king, even if King Alfred is no warrior.

But deceit and lies run rife through the West Saxon camp and when Coelwulf believes he’s held to his oaths and alliances, an unexpected enemy might just sneak their way into Mercia. The future of Mercia remains at stake.

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Deceit-England-action-packed-historical-ebook/dp/B0DK3J8JVK

Available in ebook, paperback, hardback and the Clean(er) Editions, with much of the swearing removed.

The Last Deceit also includes a new short story.

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If you’ve not yet started The Mercian Ninth Century Series, then check out the series page on the blog.

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A trip to Old Sarum

Earlier this year, I attended a virtual talk about Old Sarum which really inspired me. As such, I immediately decided I needed to take Coelwulf and his warriors there. I was really pleased to be able to visit the location on my way home from Devon earlier in the year, and it was even better than I’d imagined it. I hope the photos below will reveal it’s fabulous location and the height and width of the encircling embankments, as well as just how close it is to Salisbury, which was built to replace it.

Old Sarum is an old Iron age hillfort, but it was repeatedly used until it was abandoned, and most people know of it because under the early Norman rulers a castle and a church were built there. But my interest is in the earlier period. Under the Romans it was called Sorviodonum, and was in use at points during the Saxon era. It did have one fatal flaw however, it relied on a single water source inside the two embankments.

As I can’t fly, and therefore couldn’t take a photo of the extent of Old Sarum, do check out the English Heritage website to see it in all its glory. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/old-sarum

You can also find the talk I attended on YouTube here.

A trip to Stonehenge

I’ve also taken Coelwulf to Stonehenge in The Last Alliance and The Last Deceit, and so I went to visit as well. I’ve had some fun deciding what my warriors think of the strange arrangement of stones. Personally, I much prefer the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness on Mainland Orkney but that might be because you can get much closer to the stones there.