The Romans (in Britain), had been troubled by serious raids since around AD 360.

 Picts (northern Celts) from Scotland, Scots from ‘Ireland ‘(until AD1400 the word ‘Scot’ meant Irishman) and Saxons from Germany, all came to plunder the accumulated wealth of Roman Britain.

The Roman legions began to withdraw from Britain in AD383 to secure the Empire's borders elsewhere in mainland Europe.

By AD410, all Roman troops had been withdrawn, leaving the cities of Britain and the remaining Romano-British to fend for themselves.

As the Romans departed, so did the source of any major written historical data.

 For the rest of the fifth century and early sixth century, England entered what is now referred to as a period of time known as the ‘Dark Ages’.

 A time of legend, a time perhaps of a great hero and war leader of the Britain's – ‘King Arthur’ maybe? Possibly a Romano-Celtic leader defending his lands from the pagan Anglo-Saxon invaders?

 It was during these Dark Ages that the Anglo-Saxons became established in eastern Britain.

 The Romans had employed the mercenary services of the Saxons for hundreds of years, preferring to fight alongside them rather than against these fierce warriors. An arrangement, which probably worked well with the Roman military in place to control their numbers, using their mercenary services on an as required basis. Without the Romans in place however, immigration numbers appear to have got a little out of hand!

First Saxon warriors raided England's south and east coasts. A British monk Adomnan, suggested a ‘Law of Innocents’ to protect the women and children. The Saxons appear to have rejected this strange concept! Following these early Saxon raids, from around AD430, a host of Germanic migrants arrived in east and southeast England.

The main groups being Jutes from the Jutland peninsula (modern Denmark), Angles from Angelin in southwest Jutland and the Saxons from northwest Germany.

 Much fun and fighting followed over the next hundred years or so as the invading kings and their armies established their kingdoms.

Most of these kingdoms survive to this day, and are perhaps better known as the English counties; Kent (Jutes), Sussex (south Saxons), Wessex (west Saxons), Middlesex (middle Saxons), East Anglia (east Angles)

The mighty Midlands kingdom of .Mercia’ (west Angles)  grew in importance with its warlike King Offa (757-96), established as Bretwalda, or ‘Britain Ruler’ (King of Kings)!

On the subject of King of Kings, Christianity also returned to England, following the departure of the Romans, with the arrival of Saint Augustine in Kent in AD597. The Kentish King Ethelbert was converted to the faith.