Anglo-Saxon

George T. Beech investigates whether a King of Wessex adopted a new name for his country in 828, but failed to implement the change.

In these extracts Arthur Bryant describes the glorious reign of King Alfred, 871-99

This extract is the first of a series in which Dr. Arthur Bryant describes the evolution of the English Kingdom, through the invasions of Saxons, Danes and Normans, to its consolidation in medieval times.

Arthur Bryant looks at how “The Bones of Shire and State” were formed before the Normans came.

Richard Cavendish remembers the royal favourite who died on June 19th, 1312.

Russ Foster asks whether the legend of the heroic king is simply too good to be true.

In a reign of just 15 years Æthelstan united the English for the first time. Yet many of the facts about him remain elusive. Sarah Foot describes the challenges of writing his biography.

Richard Cavendish describes Edward the Confessor's canonisation, on January 5th, 1161.

The Bamburgh sword, a unique pattern-welded weapon found in Northumbria, has helped shed new light on a critical period of Anglo-Saxon. 

Eadwig died on October 1st, 959, still in his teens, in circumstances which remain unknown.

Alan MacColl explores exactly what the word Britain meant, after the Romans had gone.

George T. Beech traces the origins of the word England to the period 1014 to 1035 and suggests how and why it came to be the recognized term for the country.

Richard Hodges says the rubbish tips of Anglo-Saxon London and Southampton contain intriguing evidence of England’s first businessmen.