A historian wants to see Oxford burnt to the ground — as part of a medieval re-enactment.

Retired history teacher Roger Jenking is asking for help to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of Oxford being torched by hoardes of vengeful Vikings.

In 1009, Danish invaders sacked the city of Oxford as revenge for a national slaughter of Vikings ordered by the Anglo-Saxon King of England, Ethelred.

After discovering the city council had no plans to commemorate the event, Mr Jenking wants to find backers to pay for a £5,000 millennial re-enactment of the day, which he believes is the most dramatic in Oxford’s 1,300-year history.

Mr Jenking, a part-time attendant at the Museum of Oxford, said: “I’ve tried to think what the most dramatic thing that happened to Oxford is and this was more traumatic than Oxford’s Civil War siege or the Town versus Gown riots.

“Almost certainly the whole of Oxford would have been burnt down by the Danes and with this being the millennial anniversary I think we should mark that.

“I’m disappointed there are no plans to commemorate it already.

“I’d very much like the city council to back it because it’s not going to cost very much in terms of what a local authority would spend.”

Mr Jenking, 60, of Joan Lawrence Place, Headington, said he planned to address a full council meeting in April to appeal for money for the scheme.

He added: “We’re good at exploiting Oxford’s history for tourism and, although this might not bring tourists to the city, it is a date which shouldn’t be forgotten.”

An Anglo-Saxon re-enactment organisation contacted by the Oxford Mail said for £5,000 it could deliver three days of staged “battles”, with between 60 and 120 authentically dressed vikings rampaging through the city’s South Park.

Regia Anglorum also said it could safely burn a few specially constructed huts to replicate the historic events.

In the 1980s South Park was used to host a re-enactment of the city’s Civil War siege.

Dane Anders Sejr Hansen, 22, a third-year chemistry student at St Johns College, Oxford, said: “This shouldn’t be forgotten because it would have had a large impact on Oxford.

“A re-creation sounds a lot of fun and I would definitely go to watch.”

Although the council has no plans to celebrate the event yet, Mary Clarkson, member for culture and heritage, said: “This sounds like a great idea and a worthy event to comemmorate.

“No-one really knew much about this event but I’m more than happy to look at the plans for a re-enactment and £5,000 is a manageable amount which could be available from our small grants budget.”

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk