Christianziation of Anglo-Saxon England began in A.D. 600 and it was completed by the mid 8th century. In 597, the Pope sent the monk Augustine to kent to persuade the King there to become a Christian. Many Saxons took to Christianity and new churches and monasteries were built. This began education because at the time the only schools were inside monasteries!
This replaced the indigenous pagan beliefs- Woden was their pagan king of all the Anglo-Saxon gods- and in the 8th and 9th century it was introduced by the Irish monks in Northumbria. When missionaries were allowed to travel south they began to convert Mercia, E.Anglia, E.Saxons and S.Saxons ans succeeded where the Roman's mainly failed!The Synod of Whitby chose Roman Christianity. Religon even influenced the names of the days of the week. Saint Augustine converted most of the country in 597 and in 668, Pope Vitalian appointed Theodore, from Tarsus in Asia Minor, as Archbishop of Canterbury.
bede was a monk who live at the Northumbrian Monastery in Jarrow and wrote a book about the history of the Anglo-Saxons called: "A Brief History of the English Church and people".
The Anglo-Saxon tribes were not united before the 7th century, with seven main kingdoms, known collectively as the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Certain deities and religious practices were specific to certain localities.
This replaced the indigenous pagan beliefs- Woden was their pagan king of all the Anglo-Saxon gods- and in the 8th and 9th century it was introduced by the Irish monks in Northumbria. When missionaries were allowed to travel south they began to convert Mercia, E.Anglia, E.Saxons and S.Saxons ans succeeded where the Roman's mainly failed!The Synod of Whitby chose Roman Christianity. Religon even influenced the names of the days of the week. Saint Augustine converted most of the country in 597 and in 668, Pope Vitalian appointed Theodore, from Tarsus in Asia Minor, as Archbishop of Canterbury.
bede was a monk who live at the Northumbrian Monastery in Jarrow and wrote a book about the history of the Anglo-Saxons called: "A Brief History of the English Church and people".
The Anglo-Saxon tribes were not united before the 7th century, with seven main kingdoms, known collectively as the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Certain deities and religious practices were specific to certain localities.
Woden.
Woden, the king of all the pagan gods, was celebrated on a day termed "Wodens day". This later influenced the day of the week we call Wednesday.
Woden was probably the most widely known of the Anglo-Saxon Gods and the naming of many of Englands old settlements and geographical landmarks are testimonials to this: Wodnesbeorg (Woden's Grave); Wodnesdene (Woden's Valley); Wodesgeat (Woden's gap). All in close proximity to each other in Wiltshire, with Wansdyke (Woden's dyke) close by, indicate a possible cult of Woden in that area; Wednesbury (Woden's earth works) and Wednesfield (Woden's field), in Staffordshire; Wensley (Woden's Grove), Derbyshire; Wodnesfeld and Wedynsfeld (Both translated as Woden's field), in Essex; Wodenslawe (Woden's mound), Bedfordshire; Woodnesborough (Woden's mound), Kent.
There are also place names using Woden's other common name Grim ('Masked one'): Grimsditch, in at least eleven counties, including Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Wiltshire; the name Grimesworne, occurs in Essex, Herefordshire and Warwickshire; Grimsbury, in Berkshire and Oxfordshire; Grim's Hill, a hillfort in Gloucestshire; and finally Grimspound, a Bronze Age settlement in Devon. The list is continuous. However, one of the most interesting archeological debates in recent times, involving Woden, has been regarding the Long Man of Wilmington, a chalk carving on a hillside in Sussex.
Woden was probably the most widely known of the Anglo-Saxon Gods and the naming of many of Englands old settlements and geographical landmarks are testimonials to this: Wodnesbeorg (Woden's Grave); Wodnesdene (Woden's Valley); Wodesgeat (Woden's gap). All in close proximity to each other in Wiltshire, with Wansdyke (Woden's dyke) close by, indicate a possible cult of Woden in that area; Wednesbury (Woden's earth works) and Wednesfield (Woden's field), in Staffordshire; Wensley (Woden's Grove), Derbyshire; Wodnesfeld and Wedynsfeld (Both translated as Woden's field), in Essex; Wodenslawe (Woden's mound), Bedfordshire; Woodnesborough (Woden's mound), Kent.
- He also had the nickname of 'Grim'.
- He is mentioned in lots of Anglo-Saxon literature.
- He was the most powerful of the gods, and was particularly associated with Death and War. The Anglo-Saxons made sacrifices to him before battles.
- He was also a God of Wisdom and discovered (or invented) the Germanic writing system called runes.
- His sacred animal was the wolf. He had two pet wolves. He may be shown with them on the purse from the Sutton HooShip Burial.
- His sacred bird was the raven. His sacred plant was the ash tree. His sacred weapon was the spear.
- He is sometimes shown with one eye.
- His special day was Wednesday which means 'Woden's Day'.
- He led the 'wild hunt'. These hunters rode across the night's sky on their black horses and with wild black dogs, searching for non-believers to punish.
- The Saxons often thought he must have built the huge prehistoric banks, ditches and barrows whose origins they didn't understand.
- Can you find any places near you that are named after Woden? Use a map. Look for places beginning with the wordsWans, Wednes, Wens, Woodnes or Grim.
There are also place names using Woden's other common name Grim ('Masked one'): Grimsditch, in at least eleven counties, including Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Wiltshire; the name Grimesworne, occurs in Essex, Herefordshire and Warwickshire; Grimsbury, in Berkshire and Oxfordshire; Grim's Hill, a hillfort in Gloucestshire; and finally Grimspound, a Bronze Age settlement in Devon. The list is continuous. However, one of the most interesting archeological debates in recent times, involving Woden, has been regarding the Long Man of Wilmington, a chalk carving on a hillside in Sussex.