When the Romans left England, the Anglo-Saxons let many of their towns fall into ruins because they wanted to live in villages instead of walled towns. Some Roman areas were cleared for field space for farming. London wasn’t abandoned because an Anglo-Saxon chief saw the value of having its strong walls for protection. They would build their wooden houses within the walls of the town.
Panorama of the reconstructed 7th century West Stow Anglo-Saxon village, summer 2012. (Midnightblueowl/ CC BY SA 3.0 )
New settlements might be a tiny village with just a few families. The wooden houses had thatched roofs. The individual family homes would be centered around a larger community hall. Each house was just one room which had a hearth for heat, light, and cooking.
People wore clothes made from wool and animal skins. Men wore tunics. Women wore long dresses.
Though most Anglo-Saxons were farmers, there were also herders, and skilled workers such as smiths, jewelers, shoemakers, and carpenters.
Can you answer these questions?
