A Prince of Cornwall: A Story of Glastonbury and the West in the Days of Ina of Wessex

In Short

Set during the eighth-century expansion of Wessex under King Ina, A Prince of Cornwall follows young Oswald, a orphaned Saxon thane raised by the exiled British prince Owen. When blood feuds, political intrigue, and mountain outlaws threaten to tear the fragile peace between the Saxons and the West Welsh apart, Oswald must navigate captive voyages, ancient Druidic secrets on Dartmoor, and border warfare. Whistler’s novel endures as an evocative portrait of early English history, blending historical detail with a narrative of cross-cultural reconciliation, honor, and the gradual merging of Saxon, Briton, and Norse identities.

The Story

The narrative opens in the dense forest of Andredsweald, where Aldred, an old Saxon thane who remains faithful to his ancestral gods, takes in Owen, a noble British refugee from Cornwall. Owen becomes forester and foster father to Aldred’s young son, Oswald. Following Aldred's death, Owen and Oswald seek refuge at the Christian court of King Ina of Wessex in Glastonbury. Oswald grows up serving Ina, treating the exiled British prince as his own father and the king as his wise guardian.

As tension mounts along the frontier between Wessex and the West Welsh kingdom of Devon and Cornwall, King Ina seeks to use Owen’s royal lineage to secure a lasting peace with Gerent, the West Welsh king. However, a faction of Welsh rebels led by Morgan seeks to reignite war. Oswald is ambushed, bound, and spirited away on a Norse trading vessel by outlaws. After enduring a harrowing voyage, he escapes onto the snow-bound cliffs of Dyfed, finding sanctuary in the isolated hermitage of an elderly priest.

Rejoining his allies, Oswald journeys to the British court, where he earns the friendship of King Gerent and the Norse chieftain Thorgils. Yet danger persists: Owen is secretly abducted and hidden deep within the treacherous wilds of Dartmoor by Morfed, the last of the ancient Druids, and the outlaw Tregoz. Guided by strange, shared visions of a hidden valley, Oswald and Prince Howel set off into the moorland. Near an ancient menhir and a dark, mirror-like pool, they confront the remnants of the Druidic order and rescue Owen from captivity.

With Owen restored, the final test arrives as King Gerent’s forces launch an assault against the Saxon frontier. Oswald, Thorgils, and a small band of warriors hold a crucial flank near Watchet until King Ina’s main army arrives to secure victory at the Battle of Norton. In the aftermath of war, Ina establishes peace through just laws that grant equal rights to both conquered Britons and Saxon settlers. Recognizing Oswald’s proven valor and judgment, Ina appoints him governor of the new frontier fortress at Taunton. Oswald marries Nona, a British princess, bringing together the lines of Briton and Saxon, while Owen returns to his rightful place of honor among his people.

How It Unfolds

A sanctuary in the forest Owen the Briton enters the service of Aldred, a heathen Saxon thane in Sussex, choosing the life of a forester and taking charge of young Oswald. Their peaceful woodland life forms a deep foster bond that survives the loss of Aldred's manor.

The court at Glastonbury Years later, Oswald grows to manhood in King Ina’s court among the green hills and meres of Avalon. As political tides shift, Ina prepares to send Owen back to his homeland to serve as a bridge of peace with King Gerent.

Trapped on the western sea Ambushed on the Quantock hills by outlaws allied with Welsh rebels, Oswald is gagged and bound aboard a Norse vessel. He survives a perilous voyage across the Severn Channel before making a desperate escape onto the snowy cliffs of Dyfed.

The secret of the menhir Determined to find his abducted foster father, Oswald ventures into the uncharted valleys of Dartmoor alongside Prince Howel. Near an ancient standing stone, they discover a hidden sanctuary guarded by the last surviving Druids.

Holding the ridge When war breaks out along the border, Oswald and his Norse companion Thorgils hold a vital mountain pass near Watchet. They watch the skies for birds of prey to gauge the distant battle until King Ina's army arrives to secure the valley.

A new frontier With victory achieved and peace established, King Ina grants Oswald the governance of the newly built fortress at Taunton. Oswald takes Princess Nona as his bride, cementing a future where Saxons, Britons, and Norsemen unite under shared laws.

The People

• Oswald: The young Saxon protagonist and loyal Thane of Glastonbury. Raised by Owen after his own father's death, he seeks only to serve King Ina and protect his foster father, eventually growing into a battle-tested leader and governor of Taunton.
• Owen: A deposed British prince of Cornwall living in exile. Wise, humble, and skilled in woodcraft, he acts as Oswald’s foster father, serving as the essential diplomatic link between the Saxon king and the West Welsh.
• King Ina: The prudent ruler of Wessex who builds Glastonbury Church and seeks to unite the land through even-handed laws rather than mere conquest. He acts as Oswald's guardian and sovereign.
• Erpwald: A square-built Saxon thane whose cool-headed, almost oblivious fearlessness makes him a formidable warrior, despite his simple nature.
• Princess Nona: A noble British princess whose grace wins the devotion of both the Norsemen and Oswald, whom she eventually marries.
• Thorgils: A brave, axe-wielding Norse shipmaster who turns from a neutral trader into Oswald’s loyal companion in battle.

In Its Own Voice

"First comes care of the afflicted, my son, and after that may be prayer."

An elderly hermit offers refuge and immediate aid to a freezing, exhausted Oswald after his perilous escape onto the Dyfed cliffs.

"The birds of prey had gone, and in the cover their little quarry cowered in fear of the shadow of the broad wings which had crossed them so often."

Oswald marks the eerie silence of the Somerset countryside, recognizing that distant eagles and kites signal a battlefield assembling nearby.

"And the men of that Devon and Somerset that shall be, will have the doggedness of the Saxon and the fire of the Welsh and the boldness of the Norse..."

Oswald reflects on the future of the western frontier, where former enemies gradually coalesce into a single, unified people under King Ina's governance.

What It's Really About

Beneath its cloak of shield-wall battles and woodland tracking, the novel examines the reconciliation of deeply divided cultures. Set in an era when Britons, Saxons, and Norsemen view each other with suspicion, the plot centers on how personal loyalty can transcend tribal hatred. The story argues that lasting peace is built not on total subjugation, but on mutual respect, shared faith, and justice. King Ina’s rule represents a transition from vendetta-driven paganism to a unified Christian society governed by equal rights.

Why Read It Today

A Prince of Cornwall offers a detailed glimpse into early English history, set in the often-overlooked eighth century before the unified kingdom existed. Readers who enjoy classic historical adventures like those of H. Rider Haggard or G. A. Henty will appreciate Whistler’s rich atmospheric detail, from the misty orchards of Glastonbury to the granite tors of Dartmoor.

The prose reflects its era, carrying a deliberate, slightly archaic rhythm filled with period terminology such as byrnie, thane, and weregild. Modern readers must navigate a leisurely early pace as the narrative slowly builds its political backdrop. However, those who stick with it are rewarded with authentic woodcraft, vivid sea voyages, and dramatic mountain skirmishes. What lingers longest is the book's generous spirit—a historical narrative that values construction over destruction, celebrating the quiet diplomacy and personal honor required to weld disparate peoples into a single community.