11:24pm Friday 15th January 2010
By Tania Rahman
Croydon was given its name during the Saxon invasion / occupation of Britain. It was also the site of an important pagan cemetery.
Very few Roman buildings exist today in Britain, as the Saxons pulled them down and replaced them with wooden ones. They also spoke their own language, which became the origins of the English language. In fact, just as importantly many aspects of Western / British culture originate from the Anglo Saoxns, as they began to settle in Britain permanantly; for example the names for days of the week Wednesday and Thursday come from the Saxon pagan gods Woden and Thor. The Anglo Saxon period lasted 600 years from 410AD to 1066AD during which time Britain underwent many changes, espeically politically.
HOW DID THEY COME TO BRITAIN?
During the early fifth century, the Romans left Britain because the Roman Empire was falling apart. Britain was considered low priority. Around 410AD, invaders from the German regions Anglen and Saxony entered Britain, after the fall of the Roman Empire. At first Saxon mercenaries helped the Roman Empire defend Britain, but slowly pushed themselves in. They pushed the Romano-British into the North, the West and Celtic fringes, but also resorted to intermarrying, enslavement and co existence. In fact a great number of the Romano-British population intergrated with the Anglo Saxons so much it was hard to distinguish them.
The Anglo - Saxon society was one which needed an elite of skilled fighters who were loyal to their Lord. Anglo Saxon legends reflect warrior culture especially in heroic poetry such as the epic BEOWULF. Weapons also symbolised status and were only allowed to certain men when they reached puberty. Warriors would even name their own swords,which became legendary as well as greatly prized heirlooms. They would also have a set of weapons buried with them when they died.
The pagan burial ground found in Croydon is a good example of how important their burial rituals were. They practiced two distinct burial rites;cremation and inhumation. Like many cultures, they believed in an aferlife, Burial goods were most likely selected to reflect the deceased and also for their use in the afterlife. These could be anything from practical, such as knives and tools, to magical amulets and musical instruments. Beddington, where the remains of a Roman villa are thought to be, is also the site of an Anglo Saxon burial.
It is also said that King Arthur fought the Saxon invasion of Britain but his actual existence has never been proved.
SAXON CROYDON Although Surrey is considered, today, to be outside London, it was originally part of a kingdom based on London. Later on, it became part of Wessex. Surrey was later split into fifteen administrative units called 'hundreds'. Croydon was part of Wallington Hundred. Of course, today Wallington is now part of Croydon.
The name 'Croydon' means 'crooked valley' or 'Saffron Valley' and was originally inhabited by the Saxons. In fact, all the place names in or around Croydon have Saxon or Old English origins (some are even believed to reflect a Scandanavian influence).Even their religious beliefs may have left their mark on Croydon as Thunderfield Common in Addington was the site of the Witangemot, an assembly of elders who met on the common which was named after Thor, Nordic god of thunder.
By the later Saxon period, it was at the heart of a huge estate belonging to the Archbishops of Canterbury. The main settlement (at this time) lay around the Church and the Archbishop's Manor House in the area still known as 'Old Town'
Many of the churches still in Croydon have Saxon origins including the parish church of St John the Baptist. Very little housing survived, as with the rest of the country; the Saxons appeared to have built in wood and destroyed any evidence of Roman buildings (with the possible exception of the Villa at Beddington). Even Saxon remains have been found in Croydon, they include burial mounds, boundary markers and farm sites. Other Saxon finds include twelve coins with the head of Alfred the Great who was an ancestor of Queen Victoria.
Soon Saxon Croydon developed into a market town for the surrounding area. When William the Conqueror drew up the Doomsday Book, Saxon Croydon was shown to have a church, 48 villiens and 25 smallholders. In fact, the Saxon pagan burial ground was found while the A24 was being constructed.
Saxon areas to note in Croydon include: The former Grants building 14 -30 High Street 40 -50 Surrey Street Tamworth Place Park Lane Middle Street Whitgift Centre / Whitgift Almhouses In the Medival Gallery at the British Museum is a silver and bronze strap sheath (of local manufacture) found in an Anglo Saxon grave discovered in Croydon, Surrey.
CROYDON MUSEUM The Museum still houses several Roman and Saxon artefacts including excavated Roman sherds of pottery and glass and pottery from the Saxon cemetery which include; ceramic cremation urns and two substantially complete fine glass vessels.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/trade_directory/