Editing Greenwich (section)

===Viking===
During the reign of [[Ethelred the Unready]], the [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danish]] fleet anchored in the River Thames off Greenwich for over three years, and the army encamped on the hill above. From here they attacked [[Kent]] and, in the year 1012, took the city of Canterbury, making Archbishop [[Alphege]] their prisoner for seven months in their camp at Greenwich, at that time within the county of Kent. They stoned him to death for his refusal to allow his ransom (3,000 pieces of silver) to be paid; and kept his body, until the blossoming of a stick that had been immersed in his blood. For this miracle his body was released to his followers, he achieved sainthood for his martyrdom and, in the 12th century, the parish church was dedicated to him. The present church on the site west of the town centre is [[St Alfege Church, Greenwich|St Alfege's Church]], designed by [[Nicholas Hawksmoor]] in 1714 and completed in 1718.