History: The Rise and Fall of Wessex

For over 400 years the Kingdom of Wessex dominated Anglo-Saxon Britain. This course explores how the Kingdom was created and its significance in laying the foundations of modern day England. It will cover how Britain emerged from the Dark Ages which followed the departure of the Romans in the 5th Century AD; how Wessex became the last bastion of resistance against the marauding Vikings; how England briefly became a province of the King of Norway before reverting to its Anglo- Saxon lineage. Whilst the Kingdom of Wessex finally became a subset of the Kingdom of England, Winchester remained Capital and a leading light in the spread of Christianity and culture. Following his invasion, William the Conqueror moved his Royal Centre to London, nevertheless Winchester and what had been Wessex continued to be significant right up to and beyond the Reformation. This turbulent period of history covered the Anarchy of Stephen and Matilda, The Black Death and finally The English Civil Wars. Each of these events will be covered in the course. To complement the lectures, students will be able to handle artefacts for each of the periods discussed. Not only will students gain an appreciation of the significance of Wessex, they will be also be introduced to its archaeology.