TRADITIONS OF THE DANES IN CORNWALL.
The Danes are said to have landed in several places around the coast, and have made permanent settlements in some parts. We have already spoken of the battle of Vellan-druchar. In Sennen Cove there was for a long period a colony of red-haired people,—indeed, I am informed some of them still live on the spot,—with whom the other inhabitants of the district refused to marry. Up to a very recent period, in several of the outlying villages, a red-haired family was “looked down” upon. “Oh, he or she is a red-haired Daäne,” was a common expression of contempt.
There are several hills which bear the names of Danes’ castles—as Castle-an-Dinas, near Penzance, and another in St Columb.[32] Another very remarkable earthwork in Perran Zabula (Caer-Dane) is described by Hals.[33]
Eventually the Danes are said to have made permanent settlements in Cornwall, and to have lived on friendly terms with the Britons.
The Danes and the Cornish are reported to have concentrated their forces to oppose Egbert the Saxon. In 835 the combined body are reported to have met, and fought a pitched battle on Hengistendane, (now Hengistondown,) near Callington. The Cornish were so totally routed, that Egbert obliged the Danes to retire to their ships, and passed a law “that no Briton should in future cross the Tamar, or set foot on English ground, on pain of death.”[34]
In 997 the Danes, sailing about Penwrith-steort, landed in several places, foraged the country, burnt the towns, and destroyed the people.[35]
Many of the traditions which are given in different parts of these volumes have much of the Danish element in them.[36]