OCR Specification focus:
‘Rural and urban settlements; reasons for emergence of towns—churches, fortifications and trade.’
Introduction
The growth of settlements and towns in early Anglo-Saxon Britain and Ireland transformed social, political, and economic structures, laying the foundation for future medieval urban development.
Early Rural Settlements
The majority of the population in the period c.400–800 lived in rural settlements, small clusters of dwellings focused around agricultural production. These villages reflected the kinship-based structure of society and were often tied to a lord or community leader. Housing was typically constructed from timber, wattle, and daub, with sunken-featured buildings (grubenhäuser) common in Anglo-Saxon sites such as West Stow.
Features of Rural Settlements
Self-sufficient units based on subsistence farming.
Kinship ties central to organisation, with extended families living together.
Fields laid out in strips, often in open-field systems.
Mixed farming of crops and livestock provided stability and resilience.
Grubenhaus: A type of sunken-featured building, rectangular in shape, with a pit dug below ground level to support a timber superstructure.
These small villages formed the backbone of Anglo-Saxon life, though some grew in prominence due to trade or political significance. Rural settlements were typically timber halls and sunken-featured buildings (grubenhäuser) arranged as small farmsteads.
Reconstructed Anglo-Saxon grubenhäuser and halls at West Stow, Suffolk. Their timber-frame construction, thatch, and dispersed layout illustrate the small farmstead pattern that dominated early settlement. Although modern reconstructions, the ground-plans and building forms follow excavated evidence. Source
The Emergence of Towns
The rise of towns marked a decisive shift from purely rural life to more complex forms of settlement. Urbanisation occurred gradually, linked to broader economic, religious, and political changes.
Reasons for Urban Development
Churches – Christianity brought the construction of permanent religious centres. Monasteries, minsters, and cathedrals often became focal points around which settlements expanded.
Fortifications – Defensive needs encouraged the building of burhs (fortified settlements). These provided protection and created secure environments for trade and administration.
Trade – Increasing long-distance trade with the Continent, including Frisia and Francia, fostered market-based settlements. Items such as pottery, glassware, and textiles were imported, while wool, slaves, and metal goods were exported.
Churches and Monastic Influence
The process of Christianisation was crucial in encouraging the development of settlements into towns. Religious centres attracted population growth and economic activity. Monasteries, such as at Jarrow and Lindisfarne, became hubs of not only worship but also education, manuscript production, and craft-working.
Minsters functioned as regional centres of religion and administration.
Church foundations provided stability and permanence, unlike earlier temporary wooden structures.
Pilgrims, clerics, and craftsmen clustered around these religious sites, forming proto-urban communities.
Fortifications and the Burh System
By the later Anglo-Saxon period, fortified settlements known as burhs (later systematised under Alfred the Great but with earlier roots) offered defensive and administrative centres.
Fortifications gave settlements permanence and security.
They acted as power bases for kings and overkingship.
Burhs encouraged population concentration, with craft-workers and traders benefiting from protection.
Burh: A fortified settlement in Anglo-Saxon England, often surrounded by earthworks, palisades, or stone walls, serving both defensive and administrative functions.
The presence of fortifications stimulated economic and social growth, making settlements more attractive for permanent habitation.
Trade and Economic Networks
Trade was a critical driver of town formation. By the 6th and 7th centuries, emporia (trading settlements) appeared, such as Hamwic (Southampton), Ipswich, and London (Lundenwic).
Characteristics of Trading Settlements
Located near navigable rivers, estuaries, or coastlines.
Hosted foreign merchants, particularly from the Frankish kingdoms and the Low Countries.
Produced goods for both local consumption and export.
Encouraged specialisation of crafts such as pottery, weaving, and metalworking.
Trade settlements often began as seasonal markets but grew into permanent centres, laying the groundwork for medieval towns. By the seventh and eighth centuries, emporia such as Hamwic (Southampton), Gipeswic (Ipswich) and Lundenwic (London) functioned as seasonal, market-facing hubs drawing merchants and craftspeople.
Locator map showing Lundenwic west of the abandoned Roman Londinium, illustrating how the Thames-side emporium grew along the Strand–Covent Garden area. This pattern—harbour access plus overland routes—underpinned the rise of early town life. The map includes nearby settlements for regional context (extra detail beyond the syllabus is minimal and helpful). Source
Political and Social Context
The growth of towns was tied to political consolidation. Kings and rulers recognised the value of settlements as administrative and fiscal hubs. Control over trade routes and tolls enhanced royal revenues and authority. Settlements became symbols of power and prestige.
Overkingship promoted the centralisation of power, encouraging the establishment of administrative centres.
Towns acted as nodes for royal justice, taxation, and military musters.
Control of markets and coinage reinforced the link between kingship and settlement growth.
The Role of Geography
Geography significantly influenced settlement development:
River valleys such as the Thames, Trent, and Severn enabled access to inland trade and communication.
Coastal locations facilitated interaction with continental Europe.
Fertile soils encouraged population growth, which in turn increased demand for centralised markets.
Social Life in Settlements and Towns
The transition from rural to urban living affected social structures:
Towns encouraged social stratification, with merchants, craftsmen, and clerics gaining status.
Rural communities remained tied to subsistence, while towns fostered new economic opportunities.
The mingling of peoples from different regions contributed to cultural assimilation and identity formation.
Emporium: A trading settlement, often coastal or riverside, established in the Anglo-Saxon period to facilitate commerce with continental Europe and other regions.
While towns remained relatively small compared to later medieval standards, their emergence marked a pivotal transformation in Anglo-Saxon society.
FAQ
Geography was crucial because emporia such as Lundenwic and Hamwic developed along river estuaries or coastal routes. These sites allowed merchants easy access to inland markets as well as maritime connections to Francia and Frisia.
The proximity to fertile hinterlands also ensured that surplus agricultural produce could be traded, supporting urban growth.
Roman towns were planned with stone buildings, paved streets, and centralised forums, while Anglo-Saxon towns grew more organically around churches, trade sites, or fortifications.
Instead of monumental stone structures, Anglo-Saxon towns consisted largely of timber buildings, often without a formal grid system. Their identity was tied less to imperial administration and more to commerce and religion.
Though most strongly associated with Alfred the Great, fortified sites existed earlier and gave stability to settlements.
They provided protection against raiding.
They served as power bases for local rulers, making them attractive for traders and craftsmen.
Secure environments encouraged permanent population clusters, paving the way for proto-urban development.
Archaeologists rely on:
Imported pottery and glassware indicating overseas contact.
Evidence of workshops for weaving, metalwork, and bone carving.
Coin hoards or early minting, showing systematic trade exchange.
These finds help distinguish emporia from purely rural farming settlements.
Rural communities centred on kinship groups and subsistence farming, with social roles tied closely to family and lordship.
In towns, new roles emerged: merchants, artisans, and clerics gained significance. The diversity of population created greater social stratification, with status linked not only to birth but also to economic function and wealth.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks):
Name two factors that contributed to the emergence of towns in Anglo-Saxon England between the sixth and eighth centuries.
Mark scheme:
Award 1 mark for each correct factor identified.
Churches/monasteries/religious centres (1)
Fortifications/burhs (1)
Trade/emporia/markets (1)
(Maximum 2 marks)
Question 2 (6 marks):
Explain how trade contributed to the development of settlements into towns in Anglo-Saxon England.
Mark scheme:
Level 1 (1–2 marks): Simple or general statements.
Mentions that trade existed but without explanation.
Limited or no specific reference to settlements.
Level 2 (3–4 marks): Some explanation with limited detail or clarity.
Identifies that foreign merchants came to Anglo-Saxon settlements.
Refers to goods being imported or exported.
Limited link between trade and town development.
Level 3 (5–6 marks): Developed explanation with specific detail.
Explains that trade encouraged the growth of emporia such as Hamwic, Ipswich and Lundenwic. (1)
Shows understanding that access to rivers and coasts facilitated international exchange. (1)
Explains that regular trade created permanent markets, encouraged craft specialisation, and attracted populations to settle around them. (1–2)
Makes clear connection between trade and the shift from rural to more urbanised settlements. (1)
(Maximum 6 marks)
