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Anglo-Saxon Oxfordshire
An important study describing the development of the society and landscape of Oxfordshire, UK from the Anglo-Saxon settlement to the early twelfth century. Before the formation of the shire around 1000 AD the area was on the borderland between Wessex and Mercia, and therefore played an important part in the conflict for supremacy between the two kingdoms from the seventh to the ninth centuries. In the eleventh century Oxford was one of the most important English provincial towns and was of considerable political and economic significance. The book draws heavily on the wealth of recently discovered archaological material, especially in the Thames Valley, and incorporates the latest work on place-names, charter boundaries, tribal groupings and ecclesiastical organization. A short final chapter describes the Norman impact on the city and county. The book is profusely illustrated with over a hundred photographs, drawings and plans.
230 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1994
About the author
John Blair
17 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
William John Blair, FSA, FBA is a British historian, archaeologist, and academic, who specialises in Anglo-Saxon England. He is Professor of Medieval History and Archaeology at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of The Queen's College, Oxford. (Source: Wikipedia)
William John Blair, FSA, FBA is a British historian, archaeologist, and academic, who specialises in Anglo-Saxon England. He is Professor of Medieval History and Archaeology at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of The Queen's College, Oxford. (Source: Wikipedia)
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February 12, 2020
The quality and depth of this book leaps out at you. Blair has gone to a lot of trouble to make this work as complete as possible. It is arranged in four chronological chapters, but each one explores different themes and you can take away a lot of knowledge about the wider picture of Anglo-Saxon England than just a snapshot of one particular shire town.
In a way not dissimilar to Michael Wood, Blair will take the bare bones of something and through historical detective work, a thorough knowledge of sources and imagination, craft a plausible account. The most notable example in this book is that of St Frideswide and King Didan of Oxford. Amongst other things, Blair suggests that Didan is possibly Daeda, which is reflected in a nearby place-name and that Frideswide is probably actually Frithuswith and this suggests that her kin were Frithuwold and Frithuric, who are attested nearby notables during the reign of Wulfhere. There is also a huge 300 hide estate at Eynsham, near Oxford, which belonged to Canterbury and that this may recollect Didan's sub-kingdom. All very impressive.
This book has lots of end notes, maps and diagrams. Some of the maps weren't that clear, being a variety of black lines upon other black lines, but that's not the end of the world. This is a great example of how to make local history interesting and relevant to people from outside the area.
Three things you'll take away from this book:
1, Blair is a great historical detective
2, local history can be used as a window onto bigger events
3, the importance of economic history in giving context
In a way not dissimilar to Michael Wood, Blair will take the bare bones of something and through historical detective work, a thorough knowledge of sources and imagination, craft a plausible account. The most notable example in this book is that of St Frideswide and King Didan of Oxford. Amongst other things, Blair suggests that Didan is possibly Daeda, which is reflected in a nearby place-name and that Frideswide is probably actually Frithuswith and this suggests that her kin were Frithuwold and Frithuric, who are attested nearby notables during the reign of Wulfhere. There is also a huge 300 hide estate at Eynsham, near Oxford, which belonged to Canterbury and that this may recollect Didan's sub-kingdom. All very impressive.
This book has lots of end notes, maps and diagrams. Some of the maps weren't that clear, being a variety of black lines upon other black lines, but that's not the end of the world. This is a great example of how to make local history interesting and relevant to people from outside the area.
Three things you'll take away from this book:
1, Blair is a great historical detective
2, local history can be used as a window onto bigger events
3, the importance of economic history in giving context
Displaying 1 of 1 review