What jobs did people do? - Anglo-Saxons - Year 5

During the Anglo-Saxon era, life on a farm was a communal effort where every family member had a role to play. Men undertook the arduous task of clearing land by felling trees, which was essential for creating space to plough and sow crops. To aid in this endeavour, farmers relied on the strength of oxen to draw ploughs across the extensive strip fields that characterised their agricultural landscape.

Children were also actively involved in the day-to-day workings of the farm, often accompanied by dogs as they herded cattle and sheep. Their duties extended to vigilance against wolves, which were a real threat in Britain at the time. The Anglo-Saxons were noted for their craftsmanship, with metalworkers forging essential items like iron tools, knives, and swords, while woodworkers produced a variety of wooden goods including bowls, furniture, carts, and wheels. Potters fashioned clay into durable storage containers, and jewellers meticulously created exquisite brooches, beads, and ornaments using gemstones, gold, and glass. Although the Anglo-Saxons maintained armies, soldiers were not perpetually at war; they would return to their farms after battles to care for their livestock and crops, illustrating the integration of military and agricultural life during this period.