Anglo-Saxon Repton in the Kingdom of Mercia

The Anglo-Saxons were Germanic settlers who became one of the most important cultural groups in Britain by the 5th century. They spoke Old English and inhabited much of England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages from about 450 to 1066. Anglo-Saxon identity continued to evolve and remained dominant, so by the time of the Norman Conquest most of the people were considered English. The modern English language owes one-in-four of its words to Old English. Anglo-Saxons were long divided into smaller regional kingdoms with strong elements of tribal and lordship ties. The elite declared themselves kings who developed burhs (fortifications and fortified settlements), and identified their roles and peoples in Biblical terms.

Mercia, "kingdom of the border people", was centred on the River Trent and its tributaries. The years between 600 and 900 are known as the "Golden Age of Mercia". Having annexed or gained submissions from five of the other six kingdoms of the Heptarchy (East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex), Mercia dominated England south of the Humber estuary. Mercians stand out as by far the most successful of the various early Anglo-Saxon peoples until the later ninth century. Some historians believe the unification of England south of the Humber estuary was achieved during Offa's reign.

Repton was a defensive site mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle dated 755. The royal court moved around the kingdom without a fixed capital city, but early in its existence Repton seems to have been the location of an important royal estate. King Peada converted to Christianity around 656. The Diocese of Mercia was founded in this year, with the first bishop (Diuma) based at Repton, and the religion was firmly established by the late 7th century. It was from Repton in 873–874 that the Vikings' Great Heathen Army sacked the village, deposed the King of Mercia, and set up a winter camp for their army.

At the centre of the village is the Church of England parish church dedicated to Saint Wigstan of Mercia. The parish contains 53 listed buildings, six of which are Grade I. Many are part of Repton School, built on the site of an earlier priory, which began as a free grammar school in 1559. 

Repton was an important crossing point to 'double ford' the river until Willington Bridge was built in 1839.  A chain ferry survived until 1963 and the ferry posts still stand on both sides of the river. Foremark Church is one of the first churches to be built after the Restoration of the Monarchy. It is the final resting place of the Fishers and the Burdetts who were previous owners of Foremark Hall.

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Image Credits: All images reproduced free to share and use or under creative commons licence: 

1. Snapshots of the past https://www.flickr.com/photos/oldeyankee/5084974412
2. John Sutton https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5280622
3. P L Chadwick https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1251009
4. Brian Deegan https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5756089
5. M J Richardson https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4864589
6. Jonathan Clitheroe https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4372960