Northumbria Ad 367-867 - Earth Hall, Ring Gift and Heavens Field

From the author of the bestselling The King in the North.

The story of the lands between the Forth and Humber from the end of the Roman period to the Viking kingdom of York is one of the most richly fascinating in British history. This the age of Lindisfarne and of Bede; of the dramatic hills, valleys and ancient routeways that link the Irish Sea and the North Sea; of names that resonate even now: Edwin, Oswald, Hild, Cuthbert, Wilfrid; of conquest, conversion and the legacies of intellectual giants.

This history of Early Medieval Northumbria explores themes of landscape, power, creativity and intellect. Fresh archaeological evidence and research in historical geography shed light on the fascinating story of how land was managed, exploited and deployed as an expression of power by both secular and ecclesiastical forces, and aspects such as the role of élite women in shaping politics and religion is given new focus. Max Adams and Colm O' Brien show conclusively how Northumbria's political, cultural and religious elements coalesced to forge a creative powerhouse which shaped the world we have inherited.

About the author

Max Adams is the author of a number of critically acclaimed books on Dark Age history including The King in the North, In the Land of Giants and The First Kingdom. He has appeared on many TV documentaries about Dark Age history and is Visiting Fellow in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at Newcastle University. He lives in Durham.
A former field archaeologist, Colm O’Brien has excavated settlements and conducted studies on kingship sites of early medieval Northumbria. He is a Visiting Fellow in Archaeology at Newcastle University and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He lives in Tynemouth.

Summary

Northumbria, AD 367-867 provides a long-overdue appraisal of Northumbrian history and archaeology during a period which has fired the popular imagination in TV series such as The Last Kingdom, combining Max Adams' trademark narrative power and landscape evocation combined with Colm O’Brien's forensic scholarship.

Product details

• Authors: Max Adams, Max O''brien Adams, Adams Max, Colm O'Brien, O'Brien Colm
• Publisher: Donald John publishers
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.10.2025
• EAN: 9780859767422
• ISBN: 978-0-85976-742-2
• No. of pages: 416
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Middle Ages; Non-fiction book > History > Regional and national histories; Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, HISTORY / Europe / General, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, Medieval History, British & Irish history, Social and cultural history, Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500, c 500 to c 1000 CE, European history: medieval period, middle ages, HISTORY / Europe / Medieval, BCE to c 500 CE, C 500 CE To C 1000 CE, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, 5th century, c 400 to c 499, Later 4th century, c 350 to c 399