Life in Anglo-Saxon England
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Course Code: RE313
Duration: 8 sessions (over 8 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Aspects of daily life in England, focusing mainly on the Middle and Later Anglo-Saxon periods.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
Economy, medicine, diet, language, writing, religion, warfare, architecture, governance, material culture and as much as time allows.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Recognise art styles and their implications for dating items, understand something of political geography, understand the effects of accepting Christianity (7th century) and imposing it upon the Danes (10th century), spot long-and-short work in buildings, plan a meal, identify types of weapons, heal cattle and people of their afflictions (actual results may vary.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
General survey, no background knowledge necessary.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Online via Zoom. The tutor will make suggestions for further study.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
The presentations are self-contained and will be available via CityLit afterwards.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Courses in Old English (beginners and advanced) are available via City Lit.
Stephen is a freelance researcher, tutor, presenter and author specialising in the Old English language and the history of Anglo-Saxon England. He has worked with a wide range of organisations from the BBC, major universities and museums to local history and poetry groups in several countries, bringing history to life through a combination of written texts, readings and artefacts. He has written for publications as varied as ‘The Reader’ and ‘The Oxford Companion to Military History’. Stephen is the author of more than a dozen books on aspects of early mediaeval culture including social institutions, medical manuscripts, military life, the applied arts, death and the afterlife, writing systems, pre-Christian religion and the Sutton Hoo treasure. He has provided Old English and Old Norse dialogue for television, and both visual and audio content for museums. His voice-over in Old English for television documentaries and CDs of readings have been widely appreciated.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.