Anglo-Saxons By the beginning of the 5th century the Roman influence in Britain was crumbling. Warriors and pirates from Germany and Holland were invading and settling on our shores. These Germanic tribes were the Angles and the Saxons. By the end of the 6th century most of England was divided into four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms: Northumbria, East Anglia, Wessex and Mercia. Mercia covered the area that is now Derbyshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands. It became the most powerful of the four kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxons lived in villages consisting of small houses surrounded by fields. They were mostly farmers, growing crops such as wheat, barley and oats. They reared oxen, sheep and pigs. Other activities included hunting, fishing and lead mining. Skilled craftsmen produced elaborate stone carvings and exquisite jewellery. A beautiful bronze Anglo-Saxon brooch was found at Bonsall in 1862. It is now in the British Museum. In the 9th century much of Mercia was taken over by the Vikings. Anglo-Saxon times ended with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Read More >> More Pictures Romans and other invaders