Key learning points

1. Historians believe that Anglo-Saxon churches were built on sites of older pagan temples and places of worship.
2. Archaeologists have found the remains of Anglo-Saxon churches and monasteries, such as Jarrow Abbey.
3. These were centres of manuscript making and learning; Bede entered one aged 7 and went on to write a history of Britain.
4. The Franks Casket, a 700s CE Northumbrian chest, has both pagan imagery and the Christian Adoration of the Magi.
5. Historians argue about what else it shows, but it does suggest pagan traditions continued after Christianity’s spread.

Keywords

• Pagan - a pagan is a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions

• Monastery - a monastery is a building where monks live and work together dedicated to religious life

• Manuscript - a manuscript is a handwritten document usually from ancient or medieval times

• Imagery - imagery is a way of describing pictures and patterns that can be seen on items

Common misconception