On 5 December 1539, St Albans abbey closed after 746 years in operation.

This was done on the orders of King Henry VIII, who less than two decades earlier had been awarded the title ‘Defender of the Faith’ by the Pope.

So, how did it come to pass? 🧵 (1/17) The story begins with King Henry’s accession to the throne in 1509 at the age of 17. He wanted to signal a change away from his father’s unpopular policies, and one of the ways he chose to do that was by getting married. (2/17)

The Sutton Hoo helmet is perhaps the single most iconic image of Anglo-Saxon England. Many people believe it belonged to King Rædwald of East Anglia… but did it? Let’s do a little investigating… 🧵 First, a bit of background. In 1939, amateur archaeologist Basil Brown discovered what turned out to be the most spectacular medieval grave ever found in Britain at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. That remarkable discovery is brilliantly portrayed in the film “The Dig” on Netflix. (2/13)

At school, I was taught that Christianity was introduced to England by St Augustine in 597 - but that’s only part of the story. It took almost a century for the religion to spread to all the English kingdoms, and many more men and women played a key role… 🧵 Let’s start with St Augustine. At the Pope’s command, he left Rome for pagan Kent with a merry band in 596. Well, actually not *that* merry. A few of them apparently took some convincing to undergo an arduous journey only to end up in cold, wet Blighty. (2/18)

The Battle of Hastings was fought #OnThisDay in 1066. It’s the most famous date in English history for a reason, fundamentally changing our nation’s destiny. Join me on a journey going back 957 years in time… 🧵 In January 1066, Edward the Confessor died after a remarkably peaceful and prosperous reign of over twenty years. He had no children, and no surviving brothers or uncles, and so the question arose… who would succeed him as King of England? (2/20)

This is Mayburgh Henge. One of the most important events in English history took place near here #OnThisDay in 927 - indeed, you could say the #history of “England” as a political entity begins then. Yet it’s largely forgotten. Here’s a (long) thread… 🧵 (1/15) After the Romans left Britain, various waves of settlers arrived on these shores looking for a better life - people like the Angles, Saxons and Jutes. By the late sixth century, they had begun to form into small kingdoms, displacing or dominating the native Britons. (2/15)

A phenomenal talk from Professor Suzannah Lipscomb in the nave of St Albans cathedral last night, on the deathbed faith of Henry VIII. Here were my takeaways… 🧵 @sixteenthCgirl 1. Henry VIII was never a true Protestant. He readily saw the theological merits of making himself head of the Church in England and disbanding the monasteries, both of which just so happened to benefit him personally. But in religious practice, he did not shift much at all…

After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the surviving English leaders refused to accept William the Conqueror as their king. In response, he ravaged the land, until they surrendered here at Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire. But that was not the end of the resistance… 🧵 (1/15) The first big act of rebellion came in Dover in 1067. Kentish rebels attacked the castle, supported by the Count of Boulogne. Things began well, but by the end of the day some Englishmen were throwing themselves off the white cliffs as they desperately tried to escape. (2/15)

Behind me is King Edward the Confessor’s shrine in Westminster Abbey. He’s best known for dying in 1066, triggering the crisis that led to the Norman Conquest. But there’s so much more to him than that. Here’s a (long) thread about how he became king. 🧵 Edward was born just outside Oxford in ~1004. His father was Æthelred the Unready, who’d been King of England for 25 years. His mother was the formidable Emma, sister of the Duke of Normandy. Quite the power couple.

This is the (empty) tomb of King Athelstan in Malmesbury. Athelstan was the first King of the English, yet he is a largely forgotten figure in our #history. Here’s a (long) thread about him… 🧵 Athelstan was born in ~894, the eldest son of Edward the Elder and Ecgwynn. His father became King of the Anglo-Saxons in 899, but ruled only Wessex (the south) and parts of Mercia (the midlands). Northumbria, East Anglia, and the rest of Mercia were all in Viking hands.