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Y301: The Early Anglo-Saxons c.400–800

Economic and social life in Britain and Ireland: Rural and urban settlements

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit group 3

Overview

Recall questions on rural and urban settlements, reasons for the emergence of towns, other construction, including Offa’s Dyke, the economy, farming, land issues, including the concept of bookland, craft-working.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Why is the royal site at Yeavering significant?

Key term

Describe the two building types typical of an early Anglo-Saxon rural settlement.

Key term

Give three reasons why towns re-emerged in the seventh and eighth centuries.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Describe the two building types typical of an early Anglo-Saxon rural settlement.

    Model answer

    Timber-framed rectangular halls used for living, and smaller sunken-featured buildings with a hollow beneath a plank floor, used for weaving, storage and craft work.

  2. 2

    Why is the royal site at Yeavering significant?

    Model answer

    Its great timber halls, enclosure and tiered wooden assembly structure show that Northumbrian kings had ceremonial centres where they consumed renders, held assemblies and displayed authority.

  3. 3

    Give three reasons why towns re-emerged in the seventh and eighth centuries.

    Model answer

    Trade needed permanent beach markets and craft quarters, churches and monasteries drew population and spending, and kings wanted defended places where they could control and tax exchange.

  4. 4

    Describe what the wics were and name two of them.

    Model answer

    They were coastal or riverside trading settlements laid out for long-distance exchange under royal control, such as Hamwic on the Itchen and Lundenwic west of the old walled city of London.

  5. 5

    Describe the form of Offa's Dyke.

    Model answer

    It is a bank of earth thrown up from a ditch cut on its western side, running along the Welsh border and using the natural contours so that it looks out over Welsh territory.

  6. 6

    What crops and animals underpinned the Anglo-Saxon rural economy?

    Model answer

    Barley, wheat, oats and rye were grown, and cattle, sheep and pigs were kept for traction, wool, dairy produce and meat.

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