The Anglo-Saxon Economy (Edexcel GCSE History)

What Helped Anglo-Saxon Society Grow? - Summary

Historians state how England's climate had helped the growth of Anglo-Saxon society by 1066. The west of England provided the perfect conditions for sheep rearing. The landscape's rocky coastline and meadows created high-quality grazing for sheep. In the east of England, the climate was drier and fields had fertile soil. This climate created ideal conditions for arable farming. Anglo-Saxon society had many items to trade abroad. Historians believe that England developed an important wool and cloth trade.

Anglo-Saxon England had strong organisation for farming. Historians estimate there were over 6,000 mills across England. This allowed communities to make flour, which they could use or trade.

Anglo-Saxons and Trade

• Anglo-Saxons traded with other countries

  • German silver made the majority of the silver coins in Anglo-Saxon England 

  • Millstones and whetstones came from Denmark to England

  • Anglo-Saxons had wine from Normandy

• Different towns were responsible for trading with different countries

  • York traded with Denmark

  • Bristol traded between the west of England and Viking settlements in Ireland

• London was the main trading hub of England

  • Traders from Flanders, Germany, France and Normandy came to London

What Were Burhs?

• Burhs were fortified towns in Anglo-Saxon England

What did a burh look like?

How important were burhs in Anglo-Saxon England?

• About 10% of the population lived in burhs by 1066

  • By 1060, London and York were England's biggest towns, with over 10,000 people in each

  • Norwich and Lincoln had about 6,000 residents each

• Burhs were well-planned

  • Burhs connected to other burhs by road

    • Roads helped soldiers move quicker between burhs that needed military help

  • There were 15 to 20 miles between each burh

    • If a Viking attacked a person or a settlement, people could flee to another burh

• Burhs were vital to Anglo-Saxon England

  • The people had to maintain them

    • The residents of the burh were responsible for the upkeep of the fortification

  • Burhs were an important source of income for the king

    • People selling products of a certain value had to trade out of burhs. The king could collect trade tax this way

Villages in Anglo-Saxon England

• Villages were different in Anglo-Saxon times than they are today

  • Anglo-Saxon villages contained more isolated houses and farms spread across a wider area

  • Modern villages are a cluster of houses surrounded by fields

How did the houses of peasants differ to the houses of thegns in villages?