The Life & Times of Hengest

The tale of Hengest is set against the end of Roman rule in Britain and the beginning of Anglo-Saxon conquest. The main arguments concerning the extent of Anglo-Saxon migration are summarized.

After an overview of the wider European stage there is a closer look at events in Britain. Information comes from the words of Gildas, Bede, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Historia Brittonum. The author also gleans information from Old English poetry and the latest genetic surveys. All of these sources are used in a summary of the main arguments concerning the extent of Anglo-Saxon migration and its effect.

The cultural setting is also explored and includes information about how the people lived and what they believed.

The final part of the book is a telling of the adventures of Hengest in a poem written in the Old English style. The core of the account comes from the Finnsburg Fragment with information from assorted ancient poems and tales, with the gaps filled by the author.