Anglo Saxon England Podcast

David Crowther

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  • 27 minutes 35 seconds
    3.4 Cerdic the Founder of England by Paul Harper

    Alfred the Great believed that the House of Wessex stretched back to the earliest days of Anglo Saxon England, to the early 6th century, and that the founder was a warrior - Cerdic. But Alfred was a master of propaganda, and was concerned to position Wessex as the most prestigous of all the kingdoms. So did Cerdic actually exist, or just another foundation story? Paul Harper set out to discover the truth.


    Find out more from Paul's book "Cerdic Mysterious Dark Age King Who Founded England"




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    25 September 2024, 7:00 am
  • 43 minutes 34 seconds
    3.3 Seasons
    How people in Anglo Saxon England viewed the seasons that meant so much to their health, happiness and survival. From the iron-bound Winter, to the freedom and bounty of summer

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    14 August 2024, 2:38 pm
  • 27 minutes 3 seconds
    3.2 The Fens - Home to Monsters and Hermits
    Marie Hilder talks about the 'English Holy Land' during the time of the Anglo Saxons - the landscape, monasteries and hermits -and the tale of Hereward the Wake.

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    3 July 2024, 7:38 am
  • 23 minutes 51 seconds
    3.1 The Sutton Hoo King
    In May 1939, in the shadow of impeding war, Edith Pretty comissioned local archaeologist basil Brown to investigate the largest of a series of mounds on her land - at Sutton Hoo. What they found has become part of England's foundation story. Marie Hilder talks about the 7th century King they found buried there.  

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    12 June 2024, 7:00 am
  • 47 minutes 24 seconds
    2.9 Norman Transformation?
    1066 and the Norman conquest undoubtedly came with dramatic change in personel and architecture. But did it extend much below the elites, did it change the depths and fundamentals of English society - or just ripple the surface? After all many have argued that feudalism by another name was already well advanmced by 1066.

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    15 May 2024, 7:00 am
  • 43 minutes 33 seconds
    2.8 A New Landscape

    From 9th century, the increasing intensfication of agriculture and population growth led to a transformation of agriculture and settlement in the 'champion' lands of lowland England changes which still define the basic stucture of the rural landscape around us today - and the classic English village.

     


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    1 May 2024, 7:00 am
  • 50 minutes 51 seconds
    2.7 Rise of the Thegns
    The Danish wars from the 9th century had a enormous impact on the Anglo Saxon state. The national struggle to repel and survive meant the creation of a centralised bureaucratic state - to raise geld, armies, build burghs. The economy was stimulated, towns and markets grew, and a new class of Thegns was endowed to administer this new bureaucracy. These Thegns created and invested in their 'manors' and villages. They intensified the exploitation of their estates, built churches and endowed priests. Thus the lives of English people became inceasingly focussed on their local village

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    17 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 49 minutes 23 seconds
    2.6 Life in Warland
    Warland was held by all free Anglo Saxon families, and so called because the resources of the land were to be used for the waru, defence of the land. That might mean military defence - but it was a much more general concept that tha - it was to be used in defence of the health and well being of the community. The responsibilities of the holder of warland were extensive, public, participatory and based on the cconcept of custom and reciprocity

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    3 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 52 minutes 22 seconds
    2.5 Life on the Inland
    As 7th century turns into 8th, society becomes a little more hierarchical; tribute centres like Rendlesham begin to disappear for more permanent royal sites. But more significant for the life of many Ceorlisc families, was the arrival of Christianity. Because the new religion brought with it new institutions - priests, minsters, monasteries. These institutions required permanent establishments and households. And to support them, more is required from the land. Technology will help, and new, more intensively farmed Inland estates. But to work them, and new breed of peasant farmer will be needed.

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    20 March 2024, 8:00 am
  • 47 minutes 33 seconds
    2.4 Extensive Lordship and the Scir
    The 7th and 8th centuries saw the gradual development of territorial grouping, with tribal and political identities, focussed on the lord or king. Despite more well defined hierarchies, lordship remained relatively light, based on lords who travelled from place to place. At tribute centres, they would to meet with their people and receive their tribute, and in return offer their largesse, counsel and listen to local concerns. Relationships remained customary and personal, not formal based on tenancy, legal or contractual ties.

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    6 March 2024, 8:00 am
  • 48 minutes 49 seconds
    2.3 The Early Settlers
    The culture of the early Free farmers of the Germanic settlers valued family, kinship and lordship. Oxfordshire may have been one of the earliest areas of settlement, fitting initially into the Romano British states they find as they arrive - such as at the old Roman town of Dorchester. From there they begin to settle the places that offer the best chance of prosterity; and leave their mark in place names on the landscape.

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    21 February 2024, 8:00 am
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