What was Anglo-Saxon England like on the eve of the Norman Conquest in 1065?
The structure of late Anglo-Saxon society and government, the power of the king and earls, the role of the Church, the economy and towns, and the strengths and weaknesses of England that shaped the events of 1066.
A focused answer to the opening of OCR's Norman Conquest British depth study, covering Anglo-Saxon society and government, the power of Edward the Confessor and the great earls, the Church, the economy and towns, and the strengths and weaknesses of England in 1065.
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What this dot point is asking
This is the opening of OCR's Paper 1 British depth study, The Norman Conquest 1065 to 1087. Before you can explain why the Conquest happened and what changed, you need a clear picture of Anglo-Saxon England in 1065: how it was governed, who held power, the role of the Church, and the economy. The depth study is examined with source and interpretation questions, so learn this period in enough detail to judge sources about it.
Society and the social order
The king and the earls
Government, law and money
The Church, the economy and towns
The Church was wealthy and powerful, with bishops and abbots who sat in the Witan and great monasteries that owned much land. Most people were farmers in the countryside, but England also had thriving towns such as London, York and Winchester, busy markets, and growing trade in wool and other goods, which made the kingdom rich and worth conquering.
Defence and military strength
Try this
Q1. What was the Witan? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. A council of leading nobles and churchmen who advised the king and helped choose his successor.
Q2. Explain why the power of the earls was a weakness for England in 1065. [Short explanation]
- Cue. A few great families, above all the Godwins, were richer than the king and controlled large regions, so the kingdom's stability depended on their loyalty, and with no secure heir to Edward this risked a violent struggle for the throne.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR SHP 20194 marksDescribe two features of Anglo-Saxon government in 1065.Show worked answer →
The British depth study opener (4 marks, two features, 2 marks each). Reward two distinct, developed features.
Feature one. England was divided into shires (counties), each run for the king by a shire reeve (sheriff), who collected taxes and royal dues and enforced justice in the shire court.
Feature two. The king ruled with the advice of the Witan, a council of leading nobles and churchmen who advised on major decisions and helped choose the next king, so royal power was not absolute.
Top marks. Two separate features, each with a precise supporting detail.
OCR SHP 20218 marksHow useful are Sources A and B to a historian studying the power of the earls in Anglo-Saxon England?Show worked answer →
The British depth study source utility question (8 marks, AO3). Judge usefulness using content and provenance (nature, origin and purpose), focused on the enquiry.
Content. Explain what each source shows about the earls' power, for example the great wealth and military following of the House of Godwin, or an earl acting almost independently of the king.
Provenance. Weigh who produced each source, when and why. A chronicle written by monks may reflect their patrons or bias; a later account may benefit from hindsight but lose contemporary detail.
Judgement. Conclude how useful each is for this specific enquiry, noting what it reveals and its limits, rather than dismissing a source simply as "biased".
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