Who were the Saxons?

The Saxons were a confederation of  Germanic tribes centered in the north western German plain. They settled in large parts of Great Britain in the fifth century and formed part of the merged group of Anglo-Saxons who eventually united the different kingdoms to form England.

Image taken from BBC Primary History

The Saxons in Lincolnshire

 Lindsey or Linnuis became a small Anglo Saxon kingdom. Whilst it had its own kings, it was annexed at various points by the fluctuating kingdoms of Bernicia, Deira, and Northumbria, eventually becoming part of the largest kingdom of Mercia. Names of some of the kings of Lindsey include: Godulf, Frealaf, Winta, Caedbaed, Eatta.

Saxon Culture

Old English (Anglisc), which was a West Germanic language, was spoken and written by the Saxons. Four major dialects developed: Northumbrian, Mercian, Kentish and West Saxon.
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The Anglo Saxons were pagan until the 7th century. Many of their gods were similar to those of the Norse religion. The names of some of their gods are evident in our day names. 

Music and storytelling were important both for entertainment and to imprint their family and tribal history.

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Saxon Society

The most significant division in society was between freemen and slaves. For the most part freemen were ranked as nobility, thegns, and ceorls. They were distinguished in law by their wergild or value. Slaves could be taken in battle or invasion, or be designated as such for crimes. There was a chance to rise from a ceorl to a thegn – or even from a slave to a ceorl. Women  had more status in law than would happen again for hundreds of years. They could hold land, inherit, speak in court and keep custody of children. 

Society held its cohesion through ties of kinship across the extended family and through loyalty to the thegn and through him to a regional king. 

Saxon Farmers

The Saxons were settlers and farmers looking for land. They grew a variety of cereal crops - staples being barley and wheat - vegetables and fruit, and raised animals.  Their diet and health were generally good.

They also grew flax, for linen and raised sheep for wool - both of which, along with leather, comprised the main textiles.