The Written Word in Early Medieval England: Kent, Mercia and Wessex, c. 830-920 (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series)

This book presents an innovative, holistic examination of the uses of the written word in early medieval England during a century of political and societal upheaval, culminating in the emergence of the kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons under Alfred the Great and his children, Æthelflæd and Edward the Elder.Through a diverse range of documentary, literary and material evidence, Robert Gallagher explains how literary activity during this period - particularly involving members of the laity - has often been underestimated.He focuses on several innovations in documentary culture that took place in the mid-ninth century, which in turn played a significant role in establishing the cultural conditions for Alfredian cultural renewal.The evidence makes clear that limited personal literacy did not pose a barrier to participation in literary activity. and This study thus makes a major new contribution to our understanding of England's ninth- and tenth-century history.