DD - Episode 51 - Benson

Benson, Oxfordshire, was once the richest royal manor in the county – and its story reaches from ancient settlements to the halls of kings. In this episode of Domesday Delving, we trace Benson’s journey from the days of Offa of Mercia and the Battle of Bensington, through its role as a prized royal holding in 1086. Along the way, we uncover Anglo-Saxon politics, curious coinage, and what one king’s ruthless ambition can teach us about power – then and now.