The Anglo-Saxons

by James Campbell, Eric John, Patrick Wormald

This survey, an introduction to the history of Anglo-Saxon England looks at political history, and religious, cultural, social, legal and economic themes are woven in. Throughout the book the authors make use of original sources such as chronicles, charters, manuscripts and coins, works of art, archaelogical remains and surviving buildings.The nature of power and kingship, role of wealth, rewards, conquest and blood-feud in the perennial struggle for power, structure of society, the development of Christianity and the relations between church and secular authority are discussed at length, while particular topics are explored in 19 "picture essays".

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Anglo Saxon, Medieval History, British Literature, Research

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1982

About the author

Prof. James Campbell MA, Hon DLitt, FBA, FSA was Tutorial Fellow and Professor of Medieval History at Worcester College, Oxford. He has published extensively on the medieval period and on Anglo-Saxon studies.

He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2015.

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of some sort of stupid snobbery (it's a coffee table book and full of glossy pictures, must be rubbish, I'll stick with Stenton) I've avoided this book like the plague. On finding a cheap hardcover edition in a secondhand bookshop, I decided that I'd give it a try.

The main text of the book is written by James Campbell, Patrick Wormald and Eric John, each supplying chapters on their particular field of expertise. These chapters trace the history of the English from the collapse of the Roman Empire to 1066. What first impressed me about the book was the healthy skepticism and restraint shown by all three contributors, meaning the book doesn't suffer from fanciful historical speculations and reconstructions that can sometimes be off putting and misleading in history books. Scattered throughout the book are short two page subsections that the authors call picture essays. These essays cover subjects such as Sutton Hoo and the monasteries at Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, giving the reader a chance to take in some of the more crucial aspects of Anglo Saxon history separate from the main text.

By using a balance of written source material and archaeological remains the authors manage to produce a highly readable and enjoyable reconstruction of events from one of the most intriguing periods of English history. The book combines a delicate balance of text combined with photographic plates that really help the reader to catch a glimpse of the Anglo Saxon world in full colour that is suitable for both the general curious reader and those with a more advanced knowledge of the period. The bibliography is helpful for readers who want to pursue the subject further and acquire more reading material.

After reading this book, I must eat humble pie and can honestly say that this is the best introductory book on Anglo Saxon history that I've ever read.

[Jan-Maat]

Excellent introduction to the Anglo-Saxons. Well illustrated with essays from a variety of scholars. A book you can dip in and out of or read from cover to cover.

Although this was a large format book somehow I managed to loose it. One day it was a sitting there, apparently happily, on the shelf. Next thing I know, it was gone.

Absence truly makes the heart grow fonder, and so it may well be that this book has grown better in my imagination since loosing it than it actually was when I was reading it.

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Anglo-Saxons is truly a good read. Leaning towards the dry side, this excellent survey of the Anglo-Saxons is actually quite dense in information. The book has the look of a tabletop book and is filled with pictures and essays about important topics. Yet, the main articles are filled with information. This is a book that will weel serve anyone looking for a great overview or for those who wish to do additional research, this is a great stepping stone to going in-depth.

This history, obviously, starts with the decline of Roman Britain. Drawing together historical scholarship along with archaeological records, Campbell shows the start of the Anglo-Saxon migration to England.

There is an interesting section about the "Lost Years" (400-600 AD), thus called due to the dearth of historical record during this time for this area. This is the time of the mythical Arthur. Then it goes into the first Christian Kings (Bretwaldas) of the 600's and 700's and moves on to the Age of Bede and Aethelbald. I enjoyed the interesting maps and the side essays on archaeological finds in relation to burials, jewelry, and so on. Very interesting.

The mid-700's is the time of Offa (the one who built the massive Dyke bearing his name) and Alcuin. As the Anglo-Saxons develop their own system in England it leads us into the late 700's and the coming of other invaders-the Vikings.

This is the time of Alfred the Great. As the story develops into the Vikings and Danelaw, we near the end of this historical record with the power struggle between the Godwin family and the ruling houses, which will eventually lead to the coming of William of Normandy in 1066. That is the end of the Anglo-Saxon hegemony and the start of the Norman conquest.

While this book may not cause a stir with non-history fans, the writing is very similar to grad school articles I've read. Thus, I find this book to be quite interesting, though perhaps not entertaining. It is only to be considered "dry" due to the writing style which is meant to convey a vast amount of information assuming a great deal of interest by the reader.

However, most laypeople may find the text to be so dry that it inhibits their reading pleasure. I admit this can be the case, but if it is reading pleasure you seek-there are plenty of excellent historical fiction books on this time frame. If you seek serious scholarship that will introduce some new information, as well as reinforce some ideas already held-then you will enjoy this book immensely.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very mildly amusing, probably only to me: I read this book with a different cover, but also at least two distinct books with this cover image. I suppose there are only so many dramatic early medieval artifacts to choose from...

[Brackman1066 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was studying for prelims (a while back, shall we say). I switched to Anglo-Saxon studies from Middle English studies shortly before I finished coursework, so I had quite a bit of catch-up to do. This book accomplished that and gave me a solid framework to take to the more detailed works like Stenton's Anglo-Saxon England. It also has beautiful plates that I've used nearly every semester since I've started teaching.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
Three historians have compiled an in-depth chronicle of the Anglo-Saxon era. James Campbell, Patrick Wormald, and Eric John began with the Roman rule in Britain, and ended with the Battle of Hastings. Specific studies of Christianity, German settlers, reigns of kings, manuscripts, Vikings, warfare, and key battles are all explored.
The Anglo-Saxons is a large glossy paperback. A must-have for all readers of British history, especially those keen on the Anglo-Saxon era.

My Thoughts:
I love this book. I repeat, I love this book! I'm giddy, and this is an unusual response from a gal who is reserved in nature.
I read the book cover to cover and zeroed in on the photographs and illustrations. Most of the photographs and illustrations are in black and white, some are in color. But all of them are fascinating.
An added gem to the The Anglo-Saxons, is the large amount of information gleaned on ecclesiastical history in Britain. I did not expect to read-in several areas of the book-a study on Christianity. A sub-chapter titled "The Making of the Early English Church," examines "culture" and "values" the Christian church provided. One of my favorite chapters was "The Age of Bede and Aethelbald." A synopsis of Bede's book is included in this chapter.
A personal goal of mine is to read and study ecclesiastical history. I have the book written by Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People. I hope to read this book later this year or in the new year.
The Anglo-Saxons vacillates between academic reading and narrative history reading.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in the Anglo-Saxons but don't know where to start, pick up this book. Written by the top Anglo-Saxonists working today, this well-illustrated volume will give a great overview of the culture and point you toward additional resources, if you just can't get enough.

[Austin Lynch · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has good and bad elements. As other reviewers say, the text is exceedingly dry in parts. I'm able and more than willing to read hours of boring academic text, so I don't make this judgement lightly. Beyond just being dry, much of the book is actually poorly written for the purposes of communicating information. I've left a representative one-paragraph quote at the bottom of this review. The endless name-dropping and inclusion of inconsequential anecdotes results in a clumsy word-salad that often discouraged me from even turning the next page. I would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone unless they were especially interested in its large format and figures. I ignored the 'recommended reading' suggestions in my OE grammar book in favor of this one and regret the choice.

The chapters are ordered chronologically, but within each chapter (or even paragraph) you'll often find confusing flashbacks and flash-forwards of a century or more. If you're not taking notes and keeping track of the chronology of various archbishops and ealdormen, these passages are more confounding than illuminating. The authors expect intense attention from their readers. The book is ostensibly a survey, yet the authors seem to dwell on certain topics for ages.

I appreciate the format of the book and the excellent selection and presentation of visuals. The authors make no claims that aren't well-supported and I have faith in the quality of the information presented—the difficulty comes in parsing the text for that information.

I bought this for $8 and am happy to have it on my shelf for the figures and a few highlights I made, but won't be reading through it again. Frankly I'm a little baffled at the great reviews this one has gotten, but it can be hard to give a bad review to a non-fiction book containing good information.

—

"...Odo, second abbot of Cluny and the founder of its true greatness, had, through his family connections, got the major abbey of Fleury, on the Loire, to reform. Fleury and St. Peter's, Ghent, another great reformed house, at various times housed important English churchmen. Dunstan, a future archbishop of Canterbury and at the time abbot of Glastonbury and leader of the reform party, went into exile at Ghent during the brief reign of Eadwig, the elder son of King Edmund, who succeeded his uncle Eadred in 955. In Aethelstan's reign Bishop Oda of Ramsbury was ordered to escort Aethelstan's nephew, Louis d'Outremer, back to France (see above, p. 165). He took the opportunity to visit Fleury and publicly declare for the monastic party by having himself tonsured there. He later became archbishop of Canterbury and sent his nephew Oswald to be a monk at Fleury for some years. Oswald returned to become bishop of Worcester and later archbishop of York as well. He, like the other great reformer of the day, Aethelwold, bishop of Winchester, sent a number of his disciples to Fleury for training, some of whom became abbots and bishops in their turn."

Just dreadful.

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading lots of books on Anglo Saxon history as part of some research I’m doing, and so far this is definitely the best. It’s a very accessible and comprehensive book, written by numerous authors, that covers pretty much everything you need to know about Britain circa 449 AD to 1066. It tells of the battles, of the kings, the tribes and the alliances, right from the early days when our post-Roman country was subject to Germanic invaders, through warring kings, the coming of the Vikings and finally the catastrophic Norman invasion.

Bear in mind, though, that this WAS the Dark Ages after all, so little is known of the people ‘on the ground’ so to speak: this is the story of kings and bishops, those who wrote down history in forms of charters, scriptures and annals. I found the sources very thorough and there’s a good mix of archaeology, case studies, supposition and primary sources. The writing is the best yet: the text is detailed with plenty of depth, yet flows nicely and there’s nothing here that’s difficult to understand. This is the perfect starting point before getting into the deeper stuff about the period.

One final mention for the illustrations: fantastic. Colour plates of exquisite artwork, plenty of maps, pictures of archaeological finds (inevitably, the Sutton Hoo burial figures predominantly), plus plenty more besides. I loved this book and will treasure it always.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid introduction. I read this book mostly to find out about Anglo-Saxon (as opposed to Norse) paganism, and found a little info. I discovered a lot more about other aspects of late-Roman and Anglo-Saxon Britain, which I found very valuable. Next time I'm in England/ South East Scotland I'll try to discover some of the sites myself.

[Deane Foster Schulze III · Rating 5 out of 5]

A required read for my Anglo-Saxon course at University. This text is prepared almost perfectly and has become my companion on many quiet evenings. A great addition to anyone with an interest in ancient British history.

[Adam Collis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has sometimes been called a good introduction into Anglo-Saxon history, and whilst this is true, I would absolutely not recommend reading this if you have no prior knowledge of at least some parts of Anglo-Saxon history. The book is pretty dry and very text dense, meaning that it’s low page count does not at all make the book quick and easy reading.
Whilst it definitely succeeded in capturing my interest, the earlier parts of the book (written by the first two authors) have a tendency to focus on seemingly random archeological discoveries and documents that really slow down the narrative pace and style of the book. One reason for this is the overall lack of evidence available, making any bit of evidence that has been discovered important by scarcity, although as this was my introduction to the subject the deep dives on specific artefacts and documents were not always interesting to me.
This said, as the amount of available evidence grows, do does the pace and fluidity of the narrative. I found the last four chapters, spanning from Alfred the Great to William’s conquest in 1066, much easier to read and far more interesting. Despite this, the text (especially around the political crises leading up to 1066) can often be confusing and poorly worded, requiring you to repeatedly re-read sections (or take notes) to understand the many relationships at play.
Despite all of this, the book still provides a comprehensive overlook on Anglo-Saxon England, and even if it is not ideal for a total novice in the subject, it still largely works as a good introductory book. The book is undoubtedly academic in nature and so does not make for easy reading, although the narrative is still clearly present if you were simply looking for an account of events 400-1066.

[Katie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew nothing of this time, and was surprised to find out a lot of things I thought true, were in fact false. The reading was dense, but gripping. There was so much information, however. Since I didn’t have a background in this era, I had to look up a lot, which did slow me down. While I was confused in several chapters, it was not because of the writing, but because I just didn’t know enough. I would highly recommend this, though I would not call it an introduction.

[Vincent Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book on the Anglo-Saxons, from the withdrawal of Roman power all the way to the Norman Conquest. I learned a lot about Anglo-Saxon history.

A quick sketch is that the Romans withdrew from Britain, but the local elites likely maintained Roman culture and identity for quite sometime. Then, waves of Germanic invaders overtook the island (Angles and Saxony are two of the regions that left their name). This age is somewhat mysterious, since there aren't many written records. Archeological evidence, along with guesses based on names seem to hint at many cultural contacts and origins, from Scandinavian, to German, to Frankish. The Briton holdovers from Roman times were already Christian but most of these new invaders were pagan but not for long, since they were converted by missionaries (Augustine being the greatest) sent by the pope. Around this time, we see evidence of many kings, ruling over small areas of England. Those kings eventually converted but based on burial goods they seemed to have hedged their bets by sometimes worshiping both. These petty kings essentially led raiding bands, and relied on distributing rewards to their followers for loyalty. Early church leaders likely came out of this warrior class, maintaining some of their warrior traditions. The tendency for some families to alienate their lands to the church but maintain a firm hand in running the property by filling its leaders with family members stayed an issue for sometime, creating tensions because it reduced the resources of the kings (since such property was not taxable). The land eventually started to consolidate into around half a dozen kingdoms. Occasionally, the most powerful king would be recognized as a sort of an overlord (mostly evidenced by the use of names in charters, alienations granted to churches by kings). Often this was a king who benefited the powerful churches in the south. A little into the age we finally have written sources such as the histories complied by Bede, a famous churchman. Power seemed to oscillate between the southern Merican kings and the northern Northumbrian kings. Succession was never very stable, often at the death of a king (which was often violent), uncles would challenge nephews to the crown, and even relatives with very dubious connections could show up and claim the throne (family trees often harkened to some ancient ancestor who was mythological or even a pagan deity). Some kings, like Offa seemed quite powerful, having the ability to command large earthenworks (his dyke), and issuing high quality coinage. The infighting however in the north and south, along with the riches of the country seemed to have lead to the conquest of the northeast by the Vikings (forming the so-called Danelaw), who arrived as apparently massive invasion forces. The Vikings ended some of the kingdoms in the north forever (East Angelia for example), but also lead to the consolidation of King Alfred in Wessex (West Saxons). Through the burgh system, which encouraged the growth of walled trading towns (and mints) and standardized defense, Alfred was able to force a truce with the Vikings. Alfred was also a great patron of scholarship but also one himself, having translated works like Consolation of Philosophy into the vernacular. Alfred also restored part of the rump state of Mercia to one of its powerful nobles who became his son-in-law. The next major king the book covers is Edgar, who consolidated Alfred's work, but upon whose death a succession crisis occurred (partially driven by supporters and opponents of the monastic reform movement which focused on requiring monks to be celibate and not to hold individual property). Eventually, Cnut of the Danes and Norway would force himself onto the English throne, forcing out Athelred the ill-counseled. Cnut lost control of Norway, losing his appeal to the English as someone who could stop viking raids, and died briefly after. Cnut did marry Athelred's widow of Normandy. The throne passed first to Cnut's son with his second wife, before passing to his son with Athelred's widow. Somewhat interestingly, that son (Harthacnut) agreed with Magnus of Norway that whoever died without heirs would leave their kingdom to the other. But when Harthacnut died, he was succeed by Athelred's son, Edward the Confessor. Edward apparently promised the throne to William of Normandy and required Harold (of the family that Cnut put in charge of Wessex) to pay homage to William. Upon Edward's death, Harold claimed that Edward gave him the throne on his deathbed. Then William's invasion of Normandy occurred, ending the Anglo-Saxon period.

I particularly enjoyed the discussion of the law and coinage in the book. Law codes in the Anglo-Saxon world were more prestige items. Most of the law seemed driven by the blood compensation owed to kinsmen if someone killed. Interestingly, merchants, as tie-less men were the responsibility of the king. Additionally, pre-Conquest England was no flat republic, but had its high nobles and lesser nobles, much like Norman England.

I really liked this book but I have a few gripes. One, perhaps because the book was written by multiple authors there is sometimes repetition and overlap. That's particularly difficult for someone who isn't familiar with the history (and the fact that so many Anglo-Saxon names look the same, so timeline of names and kings might have been helpful, in addition to some more maps). Partially because of the sketchy nature of the evidence, the narrative has a tendency to jump back and forth in time, as inferences are made based on later or earlier styles of art, buildings, or etymology. Additionally, I actually found the pictures and short essays (focusing on coins and other areas) to be distracting, they interrupted the narrative and sometimes were in odd places. I wish the book was a little more tightly edited and well planned, especially since this is supposed to be an introductory text.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was useful and I will return to it many times for reference no doubt. At a different level, the actual size of the book didn't encourage me to read it - didn't fit in my bag!!! On the other hand, some books don't lend themselves to a smaller format, so can't really complain. Would have been nice to have more of the maps in colour, but not in terms of cost.

[Cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic starting point for learning about Anglo-Saxon England. Complete with wonderful pictures.

[Rob Markley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far too dry. Hard to see where this book was aimed as it doesn't seem to hit any target. Nevertheless it is worthwhile

[Kevin Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

29 years old now but still an invaluable and inspiring introduction to Anglo-Saxon England. I can recommend it.

[Ryan Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously a little dated now, but still a good overview of English history from 400-1066. It is not as narratively driven as one might like--spending more time analyzing specific situations, people, and institutions than telling a story of kings and battles--but much of Anglo-Saxon history doesn't lend itself to such a narrative (and where it does, you might as well just read Bede or the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, since that will be the ultimate source of much of it). All told, though, I think I prefer the more recent The Anglo-Saxon World, although parts of that feel more archaeologically driven than a historian can fully appreciate :-)

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating stuff. The writing and logic is academic, but there is lots of material history, and material facts about the history of Anglo Saxon England to support the idea that Feudalism had already taken hold in England by the time of the Norman invasion in 1066. After the withdrawal of Rome the Anglo Saxons replaced the indigenous Romano Celtic ruling class. Their development towards Feudalism began around the 8th or 9th century, growing out of a primitive, late tribal society. The developing productive forces in agriculture, the consolidation of Christianity, and the rise of currency which allowed trade to be expanded over a much larger geographical space than simple barter would allow were all factors in to the establishment of the first English nation and state.

[Kieran · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the history of the Anglo-Saxons, from the slow ebbing of Roman power in the early 5th century, until the traumatic and sudden end of Anglo-Saxon England on a hill near Hastings on 14th October 1066. Most of the scholarly conclusions hold up, despite the fact it is getting on a bit. Would recommend to someone who thinks they know it all (that was me!) right through to those who have barely heard of the Anglo-Saxons.

[Carmen Berrocal aparicio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me ha encantado, es una introducción a esta cultura impresionante, lo malo, mi velocidad lectora en inglés, que deja bastante que desear. Pero es un libro ameno e incluso divertido, me ha parecido interesante y la verdad, es que es una pena que no esté traducido al castellano.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to Anglo-Saxon England. A good starting point for anyone interested in the period and still a good reference to have on hand for anyone in the field.

[J Grimsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In enjoyable read covering histories literature and archaeology Well illustrated with Maps Phptos and Diagrams. The bibliography is useful for future reading

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Save for the fact that I find the Anglo-Saxons to be dreadfully boring, this book was a very good read. It was well-written and clear, it held tons of information, and it had interesting photos on every page that really helped illustrate what life was like for the Anglo-Saxons. I recommend this book over the other well-respected text in this subject, Peter Hunter Blair's "An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England".

[Daniel Bristow-Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview, and the photos and illustrations really help, both by giving examples of the archaeological evidence on which the writers are basing their conclusions, and also to give the reader an idea of what life in Anglo-Saxon England might have looked like.
I read this before diving in to Sir Frank Stenton's magnum opus "Anglo-Saxon England", and it definitely helped give me a head-start with what would otherwise have been a pretty daunting read.

[Lee Broderick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very well regarded by Early Mediaeval archaeologists and has become recommended reading for a generation of university students in Britain. Whether because of other circumstances in my life at the time or not, I'm afraid I wasn't convinced.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a bit dry at parts and hard to get through. But not bad for a history book.

[Keith Miller]

The Anglo-Saxons (Penguin History) (1991)

[Michael Wills · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easily read history of the Anglo Saxons, richly illustrated. A classic.