In the early fifth century Britain was a former Roman province, descending rapidly into ruin. But by the early eleventh century it was dominated by a newly forged kingdom called ‘England’ – a country of shires, sheriffs, bishops and boroughs, with boundaries much the same as they are today. That transformation was caused by the Anglo-Saxons. The story of their tumultuous journey, from warlords to kings, from paganism to Christianity, and from a galaxy of competing peoples to a single, unified nation, is the subject of this talk.

Dr Marc Morris is an historian and broadcaster, specialising in the Middle Ages. He is the author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginning of England (Hutchinson, 2021), King John: Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta (Hutchinson 2015), The Norman Conquest (Windmill, 2013) and A Great and Terrible King (Windmill, 2009). In 2003 Marc presented the highly acclaimed TV series Castle for Channel 4 and wrote its accompanying book (now published in paperback by Hutchinson). He has also contributed to other history programmes on radio and television. An expert on medieval monarchy and aristocracy, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Marc has written numerous articles for History Today, BBC History Magazine and Heritage Today (now published together as an e-book, Kings and Castles).

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