EPISODE TWO – THE ANGLO-SAXONS Wednesday

Part One – The Anglo-Saxons· The origins of the Anglo-Saxons· Anglo-Saxon mercenaries· Later settlers· The Welsh and the Mercians

Part Two – The Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain· The traditional story and the Venerable Bede· Hengist and Horsa· The Battle of Badon Hill· Integration versus replacement· Old English

Part Three – Anglo-Saxon Religion· Polytheism and the days of the week· Elves, dragons and monsters· The burial mounds at Bromfield· Celtic Christianity· Cressage and the oak· St Milburga and Much Wenlock

Part Four – The English Language· Old English

Part Five – Viroconium· The destruction theory· Continuity and the archaeological evidence· The reasons for terminal decline· King Penda and political reality· Early settlement in the loop· Monastic minster churches in Shrewsbury· St Mary’s Church· The natural defence of Shrewsbury· Civitate Scrobbensis· The name of the borough

Part Six – Wroxeter· The decline of the Roman city· The village of Wroxeter· Repurposing the stone

Part Seven – Cynddylan and Pengwern· The historical Cynddylan· The ‘Old Welsh Name’ for Shrewsbury· Hints of the past· Links between Pengwern and Cynddylan· The reality of Pengwern· The Song of Heleddy