during the anglo-saxon period there are believed to have been two battles fought in wednesbury, in 592 and 715. according to the "anglo-saxon chronicle" there was "a great slaughter" in 592 and "ceawlin was driven out". ceawlin was a king of wessex and the second bretwalda, or overlord of all britain. the 715 battle was between mercia (of which wednesbury was part) and the kingdom of wessex. both sides allegedly claimed to have won the battle, although it is believed that the victory inclined to wessex.