GCSE History: Anglo-Saxon England c1060–66

This material covers the opening of the GCSE History British depth study of Anglo-Saxon and Norman England – for example the first key topic of Pearson Edexcel's 'Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88' – up to the death of Edward the Confessor on 5 January 1066. The succession crisis, the battles of 1066 and the Norman Conquest are covered in the existing Norman England material in this category, and the Norman legacy after 1087 in a separate material.

You revise the structure of Anglo-Saxon society – king, earls, thegns, ceorls and slaves – and how far people could move between these groups, for example a ceorl who gained five hides of land becoming a thegn. You study the power of the English monarchy: the king's role in making laws, the well-controlled silver coinage produced at around sixty mints, the fyrd and the professional housecarls, and the Witan, whose role was to advise the king. The earldoms of Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria and East Anglia are explained, together with the balance of power between the king and his great earls.

Local government is covered through shires, hundreds and their courts, and the shire reeve (sheriff) who represented the king. You look at an economy that made England one of the richest kingdoms in western Europe – farming, trade, towns and burhs, and the geld, a land tax the king could levy across the country – and at the Church, including the controversial Archbishop Stigand.

The second half explains the rise of the house of Godwin: Earl Godwin's exile and return in 1051–52, Harold Godwinson's position as Earl of Wessex, his visit to Normandy in about 1064 and the oath the Norman sources say he swore, and the Northumbrian rising of 1065 that led to Tostig's exile and made him Harold's enemy. These events explain why England's powerful but divided elite faced a disputed succession when Edward died.

The quiz tests key terms and events; the flashcards drill the vocabulary; the written work asks for 'describe two features', 'explain why' and 'how far do you agree' answers of the kind used in British depth studies; and in the oral exam an examiner asks one question at a time and gives brief feedback at the end.

The material is revision practice written by Zestly and is not produced or reviewed by any exam board; check the details of your own specification with your teacher.

  • Describe the social hierarchy of late Anglo-Saxon England and the extent of social mobility
  • Explain the power of the English king, including law, coinage, the army and the Witan
  • Describe earldoms and the local government of shires, hundreds and sheriffs
  • Explain why England was wealthy and how the geld worked
  • Explain the rise of the Godwin family and the events of 1051–52, c1064 and 1065
  • Assess how powerful Edward the Confessor was compared with his earls

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the DfE GCSE history subject content (British depth study) and the first key topic of options such as Pearson Edexcel 'Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88' (GCSE History 1HI0 option B1).

Sample question

In Anglo-Saxon society, which of the following statements accurately describe the status and roles of different social groups?

See the answer

Slaves accounted for approximately 10 per cent of the total population., A ceorl could rise to the status of a thegn if they acquired sufficient land.

Slaves made up about 10 per cent of the population, and social mobility allowed a ceorl to become a thegn if they owned five hides of land. Thegns were landholders, not the lowest class, and sheriffs, not earls, managed local tax collection.

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