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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was written by monks who decorated its pages with illuminated letters. Our illustrator Michael Foreman designed this letter C for Crecganford (Crayford)
A journey around Anglo-Saxon histories and mythologies
From Crayford to Pegwell Bay, on Monday 30 July we (Beth and Fran, King’s College London) led the intrepid CRAY group around five sites associated with the founding legend of the arrival of Anglo-Saxons in Britain. Some of the sites were important to the Anglo-Saxons, and we know this thanks to archaeological or textual evidence. However, Some of the sites became linked with stories of the Anglo-Saxons later centuries, or even in the last 100 years. The children all thought about the difference between history and stories, why we remember the past, and made some fantastic creative work in response to the places we visited. St Paulinus Church A church has stood at this site since at least the 9th century according to archaeological remains, and it’s mentioned in the 1086 Domesday survey ordered by William I (the Conqueror). However, it’s likely that the site has been important for much longer. As the children noticed, the church is on a high point overlooking
According to the Anglo-Saxon Saxon Chronicle (457AD): This year Hengest fought with the Britons on the spot that is called Crayford, and there slew four thousand men. The Britons then forsook the land of Kent and in great consternation, fled to London.
ReplyDeleteThis is a significant event not only in the history of London but in the foundation of England. However, there is little local awareness of it, or the legendary figure of Hengest. CRAY aimed to rectify this, through a film, KS2 education pack and a new website.