CEAWLIN (d. S93), king of the West Saxons, included, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, among the "Bretwaldas" or specially powerful kings, succeeded his father Cynric in 56o. He took Sil chester, and moving eastwards Ceawlin and his brother Cutha defeated the forces of Aethelberht, king of Kent, at the battle of Wibbandun in 568. In 577 he led the West Saxons from Win chester towards the Severn valley ; gained a victory over three British kings, Conmail, Condidan and Farinmail, at Deorham, and added the district round Gloucester, Bath and Cirencester to his kingdom, thus isolating the Britons of Cornwall from those of Wales. A further advance was begun in 583. Uriconium, a town near the Wrekin, and Pengwyrn, the modern Shrewsbury, were destroyed, but Ceawlin was defeated by the Britons at Fethanleag or Faddiley, near Nantwich, and his progress was effectually checked. Internal strife among the West Saxons followed. In Ceawlin lost the western part of his kingdom ; in 592 he was defeated by his nephew, Ceolric, at Wanborough, driven from Wessex, and was killed in 593.
See Two of the Saxon Chronicles, ed. by C. Plummer (Oxford, 1892) ; E. Guest, Origines Celticae vol. ii. (1883) .