Essential Dates

410 Rome captured by Alaric the Goth
449 Traditionally Angles start settling in Britain
524 Boethius Consolation of Philosophy
597 Pope Gregory sends Augustine to Kent
627 Conversion of Edwin king of Northumbria
657 Hilda founds a monastery at Whitby
674 Benedict Biscop founds a monastery at Wearmouth
731 Bede History of the English Church and People
800 Charlemagne crowned as Holy Roman Emperor
865 Danish army of settlers arrives in England
871 Alfred becomes king of Wessex
878 Treaty of Wedmore brings peace; Alfred translates books
955-1000 Monastic revival, surviving OE manuscripts copied
991 Battle of Maldon, payment of Danegeld begins
1017 Cnut becomes king
1043 Edward the Confessor becomes king
1066 Harold killed at Hastings, William the Conqueror.