Our Birmingham - Anglo-Saxon Invasion & Settlement

Small Romano-British towns ringed the Birmingham Plateau but evidence of communities upon it has not been found.
Walled cities like Corinium (Cirencester) and Viroconium (Wroxeter) depended on regular supplies from wide areas
Breakdown of trade due to piratic invasions caused their decline from end of C3rd. Self-sufficient villas still flourished, e.g. Chedworth.

410 A.D. Britain abandoned by legions, gradually colonised by Teutonic tribes (except for highland zones) during three centuries. Invasion routes: ANGLES, Humber, Trent, Tame; SAXONS, Severn, Avon, Roman roads. Peripheral valleys of Plateau settled generations earlier than Birmingham area. Probable survival of Celtic people, natural features - hills, rivers - and walled towns retaining corrupted British and Roman names. Anglo-Saxons made small family or group settlements with names descriptive of their form or location.

Anglo-Saxon Place-Name Endings:
-ham: homestead -ingham: early homestead of family group
-ton: farm
-ley, -worth, -field: later settlements in woodland clearings

Anglo-Saxon Administration
Anglian Kingdom of Mercia, capital at Tamworth (ref. 718)
South Mercians, south of Trent, 5000 households.
Hwiccan (Saxon) Kingdom, capital at Worcester, 7000 households: conquered by Mercia, retained separate identity.
Diocese of Lichfield, 669. St. Chad, first Bishop of Mercia.
Diocese of Worcester, 680, Hwiccan Kingdom, included Northfield, Kings Norton, Yardley.

Local Tribal Groups. TOMSAETAN - Tame Dwellers, probably included Birmingham, Aston, Edgbaston.
STOPPINGAS Arden, Wootton Wawen, Avon valley.
PENCERSAETAN Bromsgrove, North Worcs.

Hundreds. COLESHILL (later HEMLINGFORD). Northern third of Warks., included Birmingham, Aston, Edgbaston,
Bordesley, Bromwiches, Sutton.
CAME (later HALFSHIRE), Northern Worcs. Kings Norton, Moseley, Northfield.
PERSHORE Yardley, detached from Beoley and rest of Abbey property.
OFF LOW South-east Staffs. Handsworth, Perry, Barr, Harborne, Smethwick.

Shires. Artificial creations, largely in reign of Edgar, 901-25. Plateau shared by three shires with peripheral fortress capitals: they met in sparsely-peopled Tame-Rea area. Usually made by combining Hundreds. Anomalies: Yardley in Worcs., Harborne in Staffs., Dudley in Worcs., and later Warley (part) and Halesowen in Shropshire.

Reasons for the early Anglian settlement of Birmingham

Area probably very little settled at the time. Earlier use by Britons?
Site fairly clear of woodland. South-facing slope, well-drained.
Soil light, easily ploughed. Timber, sandstone, reeds, osiers, for building.
Abundant water, clear never-failing springs. Streams for ponds, moat.
Wide water-meadows on both sides of river, gravel crossing-place.
Forest beyond, for game and pannage. Plentiful fish, bird and animal life.

7.1. Map 6b