Minor Queries Answered.
Athelney Castle, Somersetshire.
—Can any of your readers inform me, whether Athelney Castle, built by King Alfred, as a monastery, in token of his gratitude to God for his preservation, when compelled to fly from his throne, is in existence; or if any remains of it can be traced, as I do not find it mentioned either in several maps, gazetteers, or topographical dictionaries? It was situated about four miles from Bridgewater, near the conflux of the rivers Parrot and Tone?
J. S.
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."
J. R. W.
Bristol.
Legend of St. Molaisse (Vol. ii., p. 79.).
—Can you tell me anything more about this MS., and in whose possession it now is?
R. H.
["The Legend of St. Molaisse" was sold in a sale at Puttick and Simpson's, July 3, 1850, for the sum of £8. 15s.]
Bogatzky.
—Who was Bogatzky, the author of the well-known Golden Treasury? Any particulars of his life will be acceptable.
E. V.
[Bogatzky was a Polish nobleman, the pupil of the great Professor Francke, and of a kindred spirit. He died at an advanced age in 1768. It is not generally known that Bogatzky published a Second Volume of his Golden Treasury, which Dr. Steinkopff revised and edited in 1812, to which he prefixed a short but interesting account of the author. See also Allgemeine Enyclopädie von Ersch und Gruber, s.v.]