Matt Lewis continues his spectacular journey into the so-called ‘Dark Ages’ as he seeks out the distant roots of England in the 7th century.  It was a time of powerful warlords, kings and queens, fighting to control the land and battling for the souls of their people.

In this second episode, Matt follows the story of Northumbria’s christian warrior king, Oswald and the religious changes that followed him.  Historian Max Adams leads him through his dramatic victory at Heavenfield and disastrous defeat at Maserfield.  Such battles gave the victors vast quantities of booty - Matt gets up close with the huge Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham Museum, a spectacular collection of golden dagger handles full of jewels, crosses and pagan symbols, beautiful swords and a magnificent silver helmet - all looted from 7th century battlefields.

Matt visits the spectacular clifftop abbey at Whitby and discovers how Oswald’s successor, Oswiu continued to grow Northumbria’s power and united the christian churches of England in the Roman rather than Celtic tradition. The film ends in the flickering light of one of England’s most remarkable and ancient Anglo Saxon buildings, the atmospheric crypt beneath Hexham Abbey, where Wilfred installed the holy relics he brought from Rome - symbolic of the beginnings of a recognisable early mediaeval world that would lead to the great events, buildings and dynasties of the future.
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If you are interested in the sites and organisations featured in this series you can find out more here:

The fascinating Ad Gefrin centre is in Wooler, Northumberland: https://adgefrin.co.uk/

The Battle of Hatfield Investigation Society has a very informative website: https://battleofhatfieldsociety.co.uk/

Mercian Archaeological Services have carried out a lot of relevant research in and around Sherwood Forest, detailed here: https://www.mercian-as.co.uk/

Staffordshire Hoard, Birmingham Museum: https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/birmingham-museum-and-art-gallery/highlights/staffordshire-hoard

Tamworth Castle: https://www.tamworthcastle.co.uk/

Old Oswestry Hill Fort: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/old-oswestry-hillfort/

Hexham Abbey and its remarkable 7th century crypt: https://hexhamabbey.org.uk/

Whitby Abbey: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey/

St Oswald’s Church, Heavenfield: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-oswald-heavenfield