The Synod of Whitby: Turning Point for Christian Britain
The Christianization of Saxon lands was rolling right along in the early 7th century. Kent was the first to convert; then came Essex and...
Archaeology: Key to Understanding Ancient Britain
Germanic invaders were commonly lumped together as Saxons in early accounts of the invasions-migrations, but the Angles and Jutes were well represented. They were,...
The Sword in the Stone: An Error in Translation?
Where have we heard this before? One word changed by a translator down through the years has made a legend out of what quite...
The Arthurian saga: fairy tale, folktale, mystery, morality play
I think the Arthurian story still fascinates so many people because it has all the good elements of a fairy tale, a folktale, a...
Religion in Ancient Britain: Cauldron Beneath the Surface
Ancient Britain was a melting pot of peoples and ways of life. The natives were mostly Celts who had migrated across the Channel from...
Aethelwulf: Worthy Successor?
Following in the difficult footsteps of Egbert, first-ever king of all England, was Aethelwulf, Egbert’s son, who took the throne of Wessex in 839....
Ceorl: What’s in a Word?
When we hear the word churl today, we think of an oaf or a loathsome person, one who has little education or manners. The...
Offa a Muslim? What Does This Question Really Tell Us?
It has been suggested that King Offa of Mercia, he who held sway for 40 years and had built the huge Offa’s Dyke to keep...
Cadbury: Was It Camelot?
It has been put forward that Camelot as the romance authors would have us fancy it did not exist, at least not for Arthur....
Christmas: Resonances in Ancient Britain
Christmas in Britain is taken for granted these days, but it wasn’t so in ancient days. For one thing, the date of the birth...