▁and ▁there ▁is ▁evidence ▁of ▁a ▁Roman ▁posting ▁station ▁at ▁Ne ath am ▁near ▁Al ton , ▁probably ▁called ▁V ind om is , ▁and ▁a ▁ford ▁across ▁the ▁River ▁W ey . ▁Cent uries ▁later , ▁an ▁Ang lo - S ax on ▁settlement ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁a ▁large ▁ 7 th - century ▁c emetery ▁has ▁been ▁discovered ▁during ▁building ▁exc av ations . ▁It ▁contained ▁a ▁selection ▁of ▁grave ▁goods ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁Al ton ▁Buck le ▁which ▁is ▁on ▁display ▁in ▁the ▁Curt is ▁Museum , ▁and ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁fin est ▁piece ▁of ▁Ang lo ▁Sax on ▁craft sm ans hip ▁found ▁in ▁Ham pshire . ▁The ▁bu ck le ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁grave ▁of ▁a ▁war rior , ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁silver - g ilt ▁body , ▁set ▁with ▁gar net s ▁and ▁glass . ▁ ▁The ▁River ▁W ey ▁has ▁a ▁source ▁in ▁the ▁town , ▁and ▁the ▁name ▁Al ton ▁comes ▁from ▁an ▁Ang lo - S ax on ▁word ▁" a ew i ellt un " ▁meaning ▁" f arm st ead ▁at ▁the ▁source ▁of ▁the ▁river ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 0 0 1 ▁Dan ish ▁forces ▁inv aded ▁England ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁Battle ▁of ▁Al ton . ▁When ▁they ▁reached ▁Al ton , ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁W esse x ▁came ▁together ▁and ▁fought ▁against ▁them . ▁About ▁ 8 1 ▁English man ▁were ▁killed , ▁including ▁Eth el wer d ▁the ▁King ' s ▁high