Dear Bernard,

I have the entire Sharpe series, due to my huge interest in The Duke, and enjoy the big story and little story element of all your books I have read. Or as I explain to people, ‘he writes excellent fiction on a bedrock of fact’.

So I tried the Saxon books and was amazed to discover the battle at Farnham. I live up the road from where three Saxon dwellings were discovered in Farnham, and have researched it as far as I can. So little documentation exists however. The museum at Farnham has been as helpful as they can, but no references are there. The web has been helpful to discover the little that does exist [ The Anglo Saxon Chronicle for instance].

As I see this as an important engagement for the period, I am trying to research it thoroughly. I dream of locating the site and getting it dug. Probably a pipe dream, but if you don’t try and all that. My question is did you come across any other references in your own research for the book? My plan is to gather as much information as I can and see if Surrey Archaeological Society will take it further. Or there is always Time Team!

Kind regards

Alun.