East Anglia and the Kingdom of Kent

with Dr Sam Newton

at the Old Court, Sutton Hoo (map)
on Saturday, July 13th 2013.

East Anglia and the Kingdom of Kent. On the festival-day of the Kentish princess St Mildred of Thanet, a reassessment of the relations between the Wuffing dynasty of East Anglia and the Æscing dynasty of Kent during the seventh century, as indicated by archaeology, art, and documentary sources.

In his justly famous book, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, published in 731, the Northumbrian monk and scholar Bede tells us that East Anglian king Rædwald was baptised in Kent under the auspices of his then overlord, King Æthelbert of Kent (died 24th February 616). This is one of several links which establish a close relationship between East Anglia and Kent during these most interesting times, a relationship which can also be inferred from the evidence of archaeology, especially as revealed by the brilliance of art and design of gold, garnet, and blue glass jewellery. We shall consider the significance of East Anglo-Kentish relations in the course of the seventh century.

Sam Newton was awarded his Ph.D. at U.E.A. in 1991 and is the author of The Origins of Beowulf and the pre-Viking Kingdom of East Anglia (1993) and The Reckoning of King Rædwald (2003). He has lectured widely around the country as an independent scholar and has contributed to many radio and television programmes. He is also a Director of Wuffing Education, NADFAS lecturer, and Time Team historian.

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