How England Began
From Roman Britain to the Anglo-Saxons
Published on 10. March 2026
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-0-300-25492-1 (ISBN)
Description
An engaging, wide-ranging exploration of the end of Roman Britain and the beginnings of England
In 410 CE, Roman rule of Britain collapsed, bringing a centuries-long occupation to an end. A century later, Britain was dividing into two areas with contrasting cultures, an expansive "Anglo-Saxon" south and east, and a shrinking Celtic west and north. How did this transition happen? And why did the customs of the Germanic incomers prevail in England, unlike elsewhere in Europe?
In this deeply researched account, Nicholas J. Higham addresses these difficult questions head on. Higham draws on archaeological evidence and contemporary literature, including the writings of Gildas, to reconsider the accepted narrative. We see anew the importance of culture, warfare, and language-as the arrival, spread, and dominance of incomers irrevocably changed the country. This period marked the beginnings of Englishness, and of such insular identities as Welsh and Cornish. Offering surprising new insights, Higham provides a penetrating account of how, as Roman Britain ended, Anglo-Saxon England emerged.
In 410 CE, Roman rule of Britain collapsed, bringing a centuries-long occupation to an end. A century later, Britain was dividing into two areas with contrasting cultures, an expansive "Anglo-Saxon" south and east, and a shrinking Celtic west and north. How did this transition happen? And why did the customs of the Germanic incomers prevail in England, unlike elsewhere in Europe?
In this deeply researched account, Nicholas J. Higham addresses these difficult questions head on. Higham draws on archaeological evidence and contemporary literature, including the writings of Gildas, to reconsider the accepted narrative. We see anew the importance of culture, warfare, and language-as the arrival, spread, and dominance of incomers irrevocably changed the country. This period marked the beginnings of Englishness, and of such insular identities as Welsh and Cornish. Offering surprising new insights, Higham provides a penetrating account of how, as Roman Britain ended, Anglo-Saxon England emerged.
Reviews / Votes
"[Higham presents] a complex set of interactions, and one that makes for a complex book. But readers will emerge much the wiser about how England began."-Philip Parker, Telegraph"An ambitious work, densely detailed and covering a diverse range of subjects-but that is not to suggest that the book is heavy going: Higham writes with a brisk confidence and clarity, and he has a particular knack for summarising how interpretative trajectories have evolved over time."-Current Archaeology
"Higham . . . reminds readers that Rome conquered Britain in the first century and abandoned it in the fifth but always considered it a land at the edge of the world inhabited by barbarians."-Kirkus Reviews
"Higham's magisterial account is elegantly written, wide ranging, deeply researched and full of fresh answers. His depth of critical analysis and dextrous marshalling of archaeological finds and their significance gives us a much clearer insight into the shadowy world of Anglo-Saxon Britain."-Timothy Mowl, Country Life
"[Higham] fuses archaeology and contemporary literature in his quest to unravel something of an origin story for England, gambolling across seven centuries and following the ebb and flow of wars, invasions and periods of consolidation along the way. This is a commanding performance filled with the latest academic research."-Unseen Histories
"A fascinating account."-Mathew Lyons, Broken Compass
"There is much to fascinate here and . . . there is a great deal to mull over."-Murray Dahm, Ancient History Magazine
"A succinct and yet detailed survey of the transition from Roman to Anglo-Saxon England, crossing a vast tranche of time and space with elan and without sacrificing academic nuance."-Gabriel Byng, Church Times
"With a combination of lucidity and originality, Nick Higham's account of how England began guides the reader confidently through the murky transition from Roman Britain to early Anglo-Saxon England. Thanks to Higham's elegant prose and command of diverse sources, the result is an impressive, instructive journey that poses fresh answers as well as fresh questions."-Rory Naismith, author of Offa
"A timely and well-balanced consideration from a leading expert in both the written and archaeological sources of how the recent scientific and archaeological evidence for fifth- and sixth-century England sits alongside previous interpretations of the period."-Barbara Yorke, author of The Conversion of Britain
"Drawing on the most recent archaeological and historical research, Nicholas Higham provides a masterful account of one of the most obscure and complex periods of British history."-David Woodman, author of The First King of England
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
32 color illus + 7 maps
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
610 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-25492-1 (9780300254921)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Nicholas J. Higham is professor emeritus of history at the University of Manchester. His many works include Ecgfrith: King of the Northumbrians, High-King of Britain; King Arthur: Myth-Making and History; and The Anglo-Saxon World.