Saxon military costume

Saxon Military Costume

Saxon military costume

Saxon military costume

Saxon Military Costume

Saxon military costume

Saxon military costume

Saxon Military Costume

Saxon military costume

Anglo-saxon peasant

Anglo-Saxon Peasant

Anglo-saxon peasant

A primitive candle lantern originally made by the Anglo-Saxons during the time of Alfred the Great. The lanthorn is made of horn and wood.

Anglo-Saxon Candle Lantern Called a Lanthorn

A primitive candle lantern originally made by the Anglo-Saxons during the time of Alfred the Great.…

Saxon ship from Bayeux Tapestry

Saxon ship from Bayeux Tapestry

Saxon ship from Bayeux Tapestry

Anglo-Saxon Feudal castle

Anglo-Saxon Feudal castle

Anglo-Saxon Feudal castle

An Anglo-Saxon harp.

Harp, Anglo-Saxon

An Anglo-Saxon harp.

The nightingale is renowned for its song. Its name is derrived from the Saxon meaning <em>night-singer</em>.

Nightingale

The nightingale is renowned for its song. Its name is derrived from the Saxon meaning night-singer.

"William the Conqueror (1066-1087), as represented on his seal. Although William really ruled 'as king by the edge of the sword,' he preferred to base his title on the promise of Edward the Confessor rather than on force of arms; and he adhered to far as possible to Anglo-Saxon usages, causing himself to be crowned at Westminster and binding himself to frame good laws and observe justice, as his predecessors had done. In fact he professed to regard himself as the lawful successor of the Anglo-Saxon kings, and not merely as a feudal conqueror. He had great difficulty in making the people recognize him as such, but when this was once done, he was a far more powerful ruler as king of England than he was as Norman duke."&mdash;Colby, 1899

William the Conqueror

"William the Conqueror (1066-1087), as represented on his seal. Although William really ruled 'as king…

"Saxon Architecture was the style of architecture in use in England from the time of its conversion till the Conquest. It is easily recognized by its massive columns and semicircular arches, which usually spring from capitals without the intervention of the entablature."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Tower in Northamptonshire, England

"Saxon Architecture was the style of architecture in use in England from the time of its conversion…

McCarthy was an Irish politician, historian and novelist.

Justin McCarthy

McCarthy was an Irish politician, historian and novelist.

"All histories of England commence with the invasion of Julius Caesar, the earliest event in that quarter of which we have any authentic account. The Island of Britain was an unknown region to the Romans, and nearly so to the rest of mankind, at the period when Caesar's conquests had reduced the greater part of Gaul to the Roman government. Britain, lying within sight of the northern shores of Gaul, attracted his notice, and he began to meditate schemes of conquest." &mdash; Goodrich, 1844

Caesar in England

"All histories of England commence with the invasion of Julius Caesar, the earliest event in that quarter…

"They had some rude notions of sculpture, and made images out of clay, which they hardened in the fire. They excelled at wicker-work, and their baskets were sent to Rome, where they were very much admired." &mdash; Goodrich, 1844

Old Britons

"They had some rude notions of sculpture, and made images out of clay, which they hardened in the fire.…

"In the eleventh century, the Anglo-Saxons, originally the fiercest nation of the North of Europe, had become changed into a submissive and unwarlike people by the combine influences of luxury, a great landed aristocracy, and a richly endowed hierarchy." &mdash; Goodrich, 1844

Saxons

"In the eleventh century, the Anglo-Saxons, originally the fiercest nation of the North of Europe, had…

An ancient British coin.

British coin

An ancient British coin.

An ancient British coin.

British coin

An ancient British coin.

Scene from <em>The Tale of Ivanhoe</em>. "In the time of Richard I., the Saxons had not quite forgiven the Normans for conquering them. But Cedric the Saxon was very hospitable, and even Norman knights were welcome to his table, at which the beautiful figure of his ward, the Lady Rowena, was always to be seen in the place of honour. Cedric is here leading Rowena into the banqueting-hall." &mdash;Arthur Mee and Holland Thompson, 1912

Tale of Ivanhoe

Scene from The Tale of Ivanhoe. "In the time of Richard I., the Saxons had not quite forgiven…

A scene from the story, <em>The Story of Alfred, The Saxon</em>.

The Saxon

A scene from the story, The Story of Alfred, The Saxon.

A scene from the story, <em>The Story of Alfred, The Saxon</em>.

The Saxon

A scene from the story, The Story of Alfred, The Saxon.

A scene from the story, <em>The Story of Alfred, The Saxon</em>.

The Saxon

A scene from the story, The Story of Alfred, The Saxon.

A scene from the story, <em>The Story of Alfred, The Saxon</em>.

The Saxon

A scene from the story, The Story of Alfred, The Saxon.

The king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is famous for his defence of the kingdom against the Vikings.

Alfred the Great

The king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is famous for his defence…

A brooch popular during Saxon times.

Stone Quoit

A brooch popular during Saxon times.

"The pennies of the Saxon and Danish sole monarches of England had a portrait on them. Alfred's earlier coins have a grotesque-looking portrait, and on the reverse a monogram of London; in his later coins the head disappears, and a cross and circle take its place." &mdash; Chambers, 1881

English Coin

"The pennies of the Saxon and Danish sole monarches of England had a portrait on them. Alfred's earlier…

"A semicircular recess usually placed at the east end of the choir or chancel of a romanesque, or what is commonly called in England an Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Norman church." &mdash; Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

Apse

"A semicircular recess usually placed at the east end of the choir or chancel of a romanesque, or what…

An Anglo-Saxon spearhead, made of iron.

Anglo-Saxon spearhead

An Anglo-Saxon spearhead, made of iron.

Tower of Sompting church, Essex. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture, its period being from the conversion of England to Christianity till the conquest or near it, when Norman architecture began to prevail.

Church Saxon Architecture

Tower of Sompting church, Essex. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture,…

Tower of Barton-on-Humber church, Lincolnshire. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture, its period being from the conversion of England to Christianity till the conquest or near it, when Norman architecture began to prevail.

Barton-on-Humber Church

Tower of Barton-on-Humber church, Lincolnshire. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English…

Long and short work. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture, its period being from the conversion of England to Christianity till the conquest or near it, when Norman architecture began to prevail.

Long and Short Saxon Architecture

Long and short work. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture, its period…

Window with a baluster. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture, its period being from the conversion of England to Christianity till the conquest or near it, when Norman architecture began to prevail.

Saxon Architecture Window

Window with a baluster. Saxon Architecture is the earliest stage of native English architecture, its…

Whitby Abbey is a ruined Benedictine abbey sited on Whitby's East Cliff in North Yorkshire on the northeast coast of England. It was founded in 657 AD by the Anglo-Saxon King of Northumbria, Oswy as Streoneshalh.

The Ruins of Whitby Abbey

Whitby Abbey is a ruined Benedictine abbey sited on Whitby's East Cliff in North Yorkshire on the northeast…

Irish and Scottish missionaries were instrumental in the spread of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England and the Frankish Empire during the 6th and 7th centuries.

Celtic Missionaries Starting on a Voyage

Irish and Scottish missionaries were instrumental in the spread of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England…

The site of Bangor Cathedral was originally occupied by St. Deiniol's monastery, established in the 6th century around c.525 on land given by the king of Gwynedd, Maelgwn Gwynedd. Deiniol is said to have been consecrated as a bishop by Saint David, making him the first Bishop of Bangor. This monastery was sacked in 634 and again in 1073. Nothing of the original building survives.

Bangor Cathedral, Caernarvonshire

The site of Bangor Cathedral was originally occupied by St. Deiniol's monastery, established in the…

Llandaff Cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Llandaff (of the Church in Wales), situated in the suburb of Llandaff in the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

Llandaff Cathedral

Llandaff Cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Llandaff (of the Church in Wales), situated…

All Saints' Church, Brixworth, is an outstanding example of early Anglo-Saxon architecture located in central England, and has been called "perhaps the most imposing architectural memorial of the seventh century yet surviving north of the Alps"

All Saints' Church, Brixworth

All Saints' Church, Brixworth, is an outstanding example of early Anglo-Saxon architecture located in…

The Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Sherborne in the English county of Dorset, is usually called Sherborne Abbey. It has been an Saxon cathedral (705&ndash;1075), a Benedictine abbey (998&ndash;1539) and is now a parish church.

Sherborne Minster

The Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Sherborne in the English county of Dorset, is usually called…

Dating back to Saxon times, the village of Hatfield was first known as "Hetfelle" and then became known as "Haethfeld" when around 970 King Edgar gave 5,000 acres to the monastery of Ely. No records remain from this time until 1226 when Henry III granted the Bishops of Ely rights to an annual four-day fair and a weekly market.

Hatfield, Herts

Dating back to Saxon times, the village of Hatfield was first known as "Hetfelle" and then became known…

There has been a church on the site for over 1300 years since Etheldreda, Queen of Northumbria made a grant of lands to Wilfrid, Bishop of York c.674. Of Wilfrid's Benedictine abbey, which was constructed almost entirely of material salvaged from nearby Roman ruins, the Saxon crypt and apse still remain.

Hexham Abbey

There has been a church on the site for over 1300 years since Etheldreda, Queen of Northumbria made…

It is generally regarded as the most impressive (architecturally speaking) church in England that is not a cathedral. Originally a collegiate church, it was not selected as a bishop's seat during the Dissolution of the Monasteries; nevertheless it survived as a parish church, and the chapter house was the only major part of the building to be lost.

Beverly Minster

It is generally regarded as the most impressive (architecturally speaking) church in England that is…

The present parish church of St. Peter's at Wearmouth, on the north bank of the River Wear, occupies the ancient priory church building and is one of the oldest churches in Great Britain. The tower dates from Norman times, and doubtless formed part of the building as restored after the Conquest.

Monkwearmouth Church

The present parish church of St. Peter's at Wearmouth, on the north bank of the River Wear, occupies…

Eyam churchyard contains a Saxon cross dated to the 7th or 8th centuries. Initially, it was located at the side of a cart track near to Eyam. After the plague it was moved to its present location.

Eyam Churchyard Cross

Eyam churchyard contains a Saxon cross dated to the 7th or 8th centuries. Initially, it was located…

Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. In 1544, as English armies raged across Scotland and badly damaged the Abbey which was never fully repaired.

Melrose Abbey Ruins

Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks,…

The present parish church of St. Peter's at Wearmouth, on the north bank of the River Wear, occupies the ancient priory church building and is one of the oldest churches in Great Britain. The tower dates from Norman times, and doubtless formed part of the building as restored after the Conquest.

Jarrow Church Tower

The present parish church of St. Peter's at Wearmouth, on the north bank of the River Wear, occupies…

He is well known as an author and scholar, and his most famous work, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People) gained him the title "The father of English history". Bede is regarded as a Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church, a position of theological significance; he is the only man from Great Britain to achieve this designation.

Bede's Tomb, Durham Cathedral

He is well known as an author and scholar, and his most famous work, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum…

The church was originally built by the Saxons around 960, then was adapted by the Normans when William de Braose granted it to the Knights Templar in the 12<sup><small>th</small></sup> century. The church later passed to the Knights Hospitaller in the 15<sup><small>th</small></sup> century.

Sompting Church Tower

The church was originally built by the Saxons around 960, then was adapted by the Normans when William…

This is the only building to survive. It was built c.1365 after its predecessor had been destroyed in the great storm of 1362. Originally the roof was of lower pitch than that of today and covered in lead.

St. Alban's Monastery Gate

This is the only building to survive. It was built c.1365 after its predecessor had been destroyed in…

A doodad with scepters, a shield, and a crown.

Royal Doodad

A doodad with scepters, a shield, and a crown.

Alfred the Great (c. 849 &ndash; 26 October 899) was king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is noted for his defense of the kingdom against the Danish Vikings, becoming the only English King to be awarded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons".

Alfred the Great

Alfred the Great (c. 849 – 26 October 899) was king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex…

In the center of Bury St. Edmunds lies the remains of an abbey, surrounded by the Abbey Gardens, a park. The abbey is a shrine to Saint Edmund, the Saxon King of the East Angles, who was killed by the Danes in AD 869. The town grew around Bury St. Edmunds Abbey, a site of pilgrimage, and developed into a flourishing cloth-making town by the 14th century.

Abbey Gate, Bury St. Edmunds

In the center of Bury St. Edmunds lies the remains of an abbey, surrounded by the Abbey Gardens, a park.…

The influence is very much Roman, and this can be seen by looking at the doors and windows of the tower. The tower has a number of functions. At Earls Barton, the ground floor probably served as the main body of the church and would have been annexed by a chancel to the east.

Earls-Barton Saxon Tower

The influence is very much Roman, and this can be seen by looking at the doors and windows of the tower.…

Notable is the Saxon church (dedicated to St. Laurence), which may have been founded by St. Aldhelm around 700, and could have been a temporary burial site for King Edward the Martyr. It was re-discovered by Canon Jones in the 19th century, having been used for secular purposes (apparently becoming a house, a school and part of a factory).

St. Aldhelm's Church, Bradford-on-Avon

Notable is the Saxon church (dedicated to St. Laurence), which may have been founded by St. Aldhelm…

King Edward the Confessor (c. 1003 – 5 January 1066), son of Ethelred the Unready, was the penultimate Anglo-Saxon King of England and the last of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 until his death. His reign marked the continuing disintegration of royal power in England and the aggrandizement of the great territorial earls, and it foreshadowed the country's later connection with Normandy.

The Tomb of Edward the Confessor

King Edward the Confessor (c. 1003 – 5 January 1066), son of Ethelred the Unready, was the penultimate…

The stone Abbey was built around 1045&ndash;1050 by King Edward the Confessor and was later rebuilt again by Henry III in 1245, who had selected the site for his burial: it was consecrated on December 28, 1065, only a week before the Confessor's death and subsequent funeral. It was the site of the last coronation prior to the Norman Invasion, that of his successor King Harold.

Westminster Abbey

The stone Abbey was built around 1045–1050 by King Edward the Confessor and was later rebuilt…

Waltham Abbey was founded in 1030 and a building was constructed on the site by Harold Godwinson (aka King Harold II). In 1177 the abbey was refounded as an Augustinian foundation. The Augustinian abbey was a popular place for overnight stays with kings and other notables who were hunting in Waltham Forest. It was the last abbey in England to be dissolved, in 1540.

Harold's Church at Waltham

Waltham Abbey was founded in 1030 and a building was constructed on the site by Harold Godwinson (aka…

In 1070 Pope Alexander II ordered the Normans to do penance for killing so many people during their conquest of England. So William the Conqueror vowed to build an abbey where the Battle of Hastings had taken place, with the high altar of its church on the very spot where King Harold fell in that battle on Saturday, 14 October 1066. He did start building it and named it Battle Abbey, though he died before it was completed. Its church was finished in about 1094 and consecrated during the reign of his son William Rufus. It was remodelled in the late 13th century but virtually destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII.

Battle Abbey Gateway

In 1070 Pope Alexander II ordered the Normans to do penance for killing so many people during their…

The founding of the cathedral at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton because of a fear of sea-raids. In 1107, William Warelwast, a nephew of William the Conqueror, was appointed to the see, and this was the catalyst for the building of a new cathedral in the Norman style. Its official foundation was in 1133.

Exeter Cathedral

The founding of the cathedral at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter, dates from 1050, when the seat of…

The Cathedral was founded in 680 with Bishop Bosel as its head. The first cathedral was built in this period but nothing now remains of it. The existing crypt of the cathedral dates from the 10th century and the time of St Oswald, bishop of Worcester. The current cathedral dates from the 12th and 13th centuries.

Worcester Cathedral

The Cathedral was founded in 680 with Bishop Bosel as its head. The first cathedral was built in this…

William II (c. 1056 &ndash; 2 August 1100), the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror), was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers also over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales. William is commonly known as 'William Rufus', perhaps because of his red-faced appearance. Although William was an effective soldier, he was a ruthless ruler and, it seems, was little liked by those he governed: according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, he was 'hated by almost all his people.'

William Rufus

William II (c. 1056 – 2 August 1100), the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror),…

The original Saxon church on the site was dedicated to St. Edmund the King and Martyr. During the Crusades in the 12th century the church was renamed St. Edmund and the Holy Sepulchre, in reference to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The name eventually became contracted to St Sepulchre.

St. Sepulchre's, Cambridge

The original Saxon church on the site was dedicated to St. Edmund the King and Martyr. During the Crusades…