Reviews

The Origins and Early History of the English
  
John Loades

The post-Roman era in Britain is called the Dark Ages for a reason: not only was it a time of migration, change, turmoil and conflict, but also a period that has a scarcity of contemporary documents and records.  Thus, scholars have had to combine archaeological, linguistic and other information with the few surviving texts and legends so as to piece together a picture of life and events at that time.  Given these challenges they have found much to disagree about, thus the period tends to be even less accessible for the layman.

This volume by Bryan Evans allows  the inquisitive layman to penetrate some of the darkness surrounding the period. The background is thoroughly researched with plentiful footnotes providing details of sources. The author provides a balanced guide to current alternative views.

The book consists of an Introduction and twelve Chapters in logical sequence with the final chapter providing a useful re-appraisal. In addition, 25 maps illustrate the locations of key places, events and the movement of armies. The chapters are followed by five helpful appendices plus a Summary of Sources, as handy background information. Within some chapters, a brief ‘An Aside’ paragraph provides additional insight into specific aspects.

For many laymen, unfamiliar name construction and period terminology can be an obstacle. A glossary assists by explaining the meaning of technical terms in use at the time.

Finally, an extensive Bibliography and a comprehensive Index are provided for those wishing to follow up on specific aspects.

This 200-page volume provides a balanced and readable insight into this important historic period.

John Cooper

This is an easy to follow account of the period and is thus a book for which I have long been waiting.

The early Dark Ages consists of a few dimly lit patches amid darkness. Some facts and activities are well documented but there are relatively few of them; for the most part it is a period with many large gaps. It is thus ideal territory for conflicting theories, wishful thinking and scholarly disputes. For some, the Anglo-Saxon migration and settlement consisted of little more that two men and a dog in a rowing boat. Something akin to this view has been doggedly pursued since the 1970s by those who often promote convoluted theories that deny any significant Anglo-Saxon migration and settlement. Their denial appears to be driven more by ideological hostility to the idea than by evidence. The deniers reject the far more plausible view that there was a large scale migration which took place over a period of three centuries or more. It unfolded in different ways in different places and at different times but when it was done lowland Britain had become a very different place.

The migrants, who came to be known as Anglo-Saxons and English, brought with them their language, beliefs, attitudes and customs. It was them and their energy that created England and an English way of life. Bede and Alfred were leading figures in that tale but this book deals with a darker earlier period which covers roughly the 4th - 7th centuries. That is a very long period of history in which the foundations of England were laid; it is a story that deserves to be better known. Bryan Evans tells it from both the British / Welsh and Anglo-Saxon / English points of view. It is an interesting and important tale for both sides and it has been told here in an engaging, sympathetic and easy to read manner. The clarity is aided by 25 maps drawn by the author. It was worth the wait.

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