The origins of England and the English: Anglo-Saxon England, c.400–1100

Aims

This course aims to: 

• offer an interdisciplinary exploration of some of the key concepts, debates and themes relating to the origins of England and the English in the period between the end of Roman Britain and the Norman Conquest
• encourage you to think critically about the archaeological and historical evidence relating 
  to the emergence of England and the English and the interpretations that have been offered 
  of this material
• introduce you to the impact of trade and the Vikings on the culture, identity and character 
  of Anglo-Saxon England

Content

The five sessions of this course will offer an overview of recent research and perspectives on the origins of the English and the emergence of England, utilising a variety of sources including archaeology, documents and place-names. You will consider this evidence and start to think critically about how it can be used and what it might show. 

As part of this, you will explore how a concept of there being a people known as the English emerged over the course of the Anglo-Saxon period, considering not only the question of what the relationship was between the Romano-British and post-Roman inhabitants of Britain, but also how a common Anglo-Saxon and English identity developed and spread over the centuries.

This course will furthermore introduce you to debates over the political makeup of Anglo-Saxon England, including questions over how the recorded Anglo-Saxon kingdoms came into being, whether there was ever a ‘Heptarchy’, and how the eventual Kingdom of the English was created in the Late Saxon/Anglo-Scandinavian period. Likewise, it will consider the impact of trading and the origins of towns on the identity of the English and how the familiar English landscape of towns and villages started to develop in this period. 

Finally, it will discuss the archaeological and cultural impact of the Vikings on Anglo-Saxon England, including how this altered the political structure of England, the character of the English landscape, and the identity of the people living in England, before asking how the Anglo-Saxon era and its people were remembered in the medieval period and after.

Presentation of the course 

The course will be taught by illustrated in-class talks, followed by questions and discussion.

Course sessions

1. Who were the English? Identity and community c.400–1100 
2. Kings and kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England: the origins of the kingdom of the English
3. Trade, towns and the origins of the English landscape
4. The impact of the Vikings on England and the English
5. The Anglo-Saxon achievement? Medieval and later perspectives on the origins of England and the English

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course. 

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• to be able to understand how new evidence, research and perspectives have modified traditional views about the origins of England and the English
• to be able to start to evaluate this evidence critically and identify how it can be used, along with some of the potential problems with aspects of it 
• to be able to show an awareness of how different factors impacted on the development of an English identity and England, including the Romano-British background, migration, trading, and the Vikings

Required Reading

Higham, N and Ryan, M J, The Anglo-Saxon World (New Haven and London 2013) 
ISBN: 9780300216134

Oosthuizen, S, The Emergence of the English (Leiden 2019) 
ISBN: 9781641891271

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.