Some of the leading Saxon chieftains were killed, and the whole country was thrown into great alarm at the danger which was impending, that the Danes would soon gain the complete and undisputed possession of the whole land.
The Saxons, however, were not yet prepared to give up the struggle.
They rallied their forces, gathered new recruits, reorganized their ranks, and made preparations for another struggle.

The Danes, too, feeling fresh strength and energy in consequence of their successes, formed themselves in battle array, and, leaving their strong-hold, they marched out into the open country in pursuit of their foe.

The two armies gradually approached each other and prepared for battle.
Every thing portended a terrible conflict, which was to be, in fact, the great final struggle.
The place where the armies met was called in those times AEscesdune, which means Ashdown.

It was, in fact, a hill-side covered with ash trees.

The name has become shortened and softened in the course of the ten centuries which have intervened since this celebrated battle, into Aston; if, indeed, as is generally supposed, the Aston of the present day is the locality of the ancient battle.
The armies came into the vicinity of each other toward the close of the day.