Saxons and Normans

The arrival of the ‘Saxons’ in Britain

In the c.440sAD post-Roman Britain was once again changed by the arrival of peoples from Europe. These were a diverse group of Germanic tribes known by their broad geographical origin, as the Angles (from south Denmark/Northern Germany) Jutes (Denmark), Frisians (Netherlands) and the Saxons (north Germany). These Germanic migrants arrived not in a single invasion force but through a long drawn out process of migration and settlement over time, which started most likely with small groups of traders and mercenaries.

Gildas a 6th century (482-570AD) monk from northern Britain, wrote extensively of this period of Saxon takeover in his De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae (translation: The Ruin and Conquest of Britain). Gildas records that large areas of south-eastern England were handed over to ‘Saxons’ in exchange/payment for providing military protection from attacks from other raiders. This type of settlement-protection treaty was known as a foedus. This process was common in Northern European former Roman colonies, Franks and Visigoths also settling in new areas for similar reasons.

Once established, the Saxons began to pressure for more money, treasure and land to continue to provide the required protection; this inevitably led to clashes with the British population. The first historic mentions of a soldier, called Arthur, leading an army against the Saxons, was by the monk Nennius, in his Historia Brittonum (translation: History of Britain) in the 9th century (800AD). Nennius associated the legendary Arthur with this period of 6th century war between European settlers and native population. Interestingly, Arthur is not recorded as a king in these early accounts but as the equivalent of a modern General, in charge of troops and strategy.

The diverse European settlers who co-mingled with the Romano-British populations eventually took over more areas and created their own blended culture, later developing the united ‘kingdom’ of England. The Germanic migrants cultural origins lay in the common pre-Roman European cultures with a re-flourishing of ‘Celtic’ art similar to that seen in the pre-Roman Iron Age. There was also an initial return to pagan naturalised religions.

Christianity then slowly spread through the Saxon kingdoms dependent on the character of the various rulers, largely due to influence from Irish and Scottish missionaries, throughout the 7th century.

Writing and records from the Saxon period are generally rare but epic poetry like that of Beowulf described the myths and legends of this period and the monk Venerable Bede who lived and worked in Northumbria wrote his extensive Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, recording significant events, which is one of our primary sources.

The main Saxon Kingdoms which formed were; Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia, Sussex, Essex, Kent, Northumbria and Strathclyde. Wales remained independent as a British kingdom as did Cornwall, known as ‘West Wales’, Galloway in the north and northern Scotland, as well of course as Ireland.

Conquest of Devon

Devon held out against the Saxon migrations for almost 200 years longer than other regions but in 682AD the Anglo-Saxon chronicle documents Centwine, King of the West Saxons, ‘drove the Britons to the sea’ which has always been interpreted as pushing west to the Atlantic coast, although this can in no way be confirmed. We do know Exeter and East and South Devon had been occupied by the later 600s and there was a Saxon Bishop recorded in Exeter by 680AD.

More definitively in 710AD King Ine of the Kingdom of Wessex, drove out the Dumnonii tribes from North Devon and North-east Cornwall via a huge battle near Lifton and brought the land into the new powerful Saxon kingdom of Wessex. The Tamar becoming the border.

In 802AD King Ecgberht (Egbert) of Wessex in the Charter of Glastonbury granted 5 manses of land to the abbey as a gift from his estates on the ‘Toric’. Suggesting there may already have been a royal estate or significant settlement in this area by this date.

In 937AD King Athelstan (grandson of King Alfred and the first king of England, of the united ӕnglish peoples) grants the Priory at Bodmin the ownership of, or rights to his lands/manor on the Toric in a charter. This tells us that the manor or estate was directly held by the Saxon crown in this period. Athelstan may already have been ill by this time and such a gift would have meant the monks would have prayed for his soul, he died in 939AD.