Hello Mr Cornwell,

My partner Louise is very smug with the fact that she hails from Amble, on the coastline opposite Coquet Island (Cocuedes), and therefore is a proud Northumbrian sworn to Uhtred of Bebbanburg himself (or Alexander Dreymon most likely).

I myself come from the village of Whiston near Rotherham, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book, but not as yet in any of Uhtred’s tales! If Uhtred was to swing by, what would he make of the place? Are the lands of South Yorkshire historically Northumbrian and therefore his kinsmen, or would he find Mercians or even a place overrun with Norsemen?

That said, a much more interesting place in the area for a potential cameo in your next book is a place called Dore in the posh part of Sheffield. It was here that just before Alfred’s time, a King Egbert of Wessex took the submission of a King Eanred of Northumbria and was declared overlord of Britain. Seems the kind of place Uhtred would detest, and the Wessexians in his life would love.

Kindest regards,

Alex