Athelney, Isle of

Athelney, Isle of (ăth'ulnē) [key], small area formerly surrounded by marshland, Somerset, SW England. King Alfred took refuge from the Danes there in 878 and founded a Benedictine abbey in 888. Relics have been found, including the Alfred Jewel, now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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