Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Anglo-Saxon Economy (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
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 a 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
Worked Example
Describe one feature of towns in Anglo-Saxon England
4 marks
Answer:
One feature of an Anglo-Saxon town, or burh, was its strong fortified walls (1). These protected the inhabitants of the burh from being attacked by Viking invaders (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, the two marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1)
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
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?
| Peasants | Thegns |
|---|---|---|
Type of house | A wooden house with a thatched roof | Manor houses. The thegn could also add fortifications around the house |
Number of residents in the house | Multiple relatives of a person's extended family lived in one house | The thegn and his immediate family |
Uses for the land around the house | The peasant would rent the land around the house from a thegn or earl. This would allow the peasant to grow crops for himself and his local lord | Thegns built churches on their land. The thegn would have private church services for his family. The thegn would also allow the priest to hold services for the village |
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