New
New
Year 10
AQA
Sussex before the Norman Conquest
I can describe Sussex, the county that Pevensey is in, before 1066.
New
New
Year 10
AQA
Sussex before the Norman Conquest
I can describe Sussex, the county that Pevensey is in, before 1066.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Sussex was a mixture of rich coastal areas and poor heavily-forested areas.
- Sussex was home to important religious centres.
- Sussex had established trade links with Europe.
- Sussex formed a part of the earldom of Wessex.
- Sussex was one of the Godwin family's bases.
Keywords
Earldom - the territory governed by an earl
Church - a building used for public Christian worship
Trade - the exchange of goods
Earl - a powerful English landholder
Common misconception
There were no real areas of wilderness left in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.
The population of England in 1066 is generally estimated to have been about two million. The people of England were not evenly spread around the country however, and large parts of the land had no human habitation at all.
Students may benefit from being provided with a map of Sussex that they can annotate to draw attention to the key features of the county, such as Pevensey, the Weald and major population centres such as Lewes, Hastings and Chichester.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
When did William begin his campaign to become king of England?
28th August 1066
28th October 1066
28th November 1066
Q2.
Complete the sentence: The land that Pevensey Castle sits on was a jutting out into the English Channel, with only a narrow spit connecting it to the mainland.
Q3.
How did Pevensey provide William with effective protection?
Sussex was located directly north of William’s Duchy of Normandy
Sussex held abundant farmland for William’s troops to forage food from
Q4.
Complete the sentence: Sussex was a very part of England in the medieval period.
Q5.
Where did William take up residency when he landed in Pevensey?
Pevensey Cathedral
Pevensey Abbey
Pevensey Priory
Q6.
Why were Sussex's wealthy towns and villages helpful to William when he first landed in 1066?
they provided extra soldiers
they provided taxes
they provided access to government
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which word means the territory governed by an earl?
Q2.
Which word describes a building used for public Christian worship?
Q3.
Why was it hard for people to live in the Weald area of Sussex before 1066?
They had to deal with Viking attacks
There were too many people living there
There was frequent flooding
Q4.
What was the situation like on the Sussex coastline before the Norman Conquest?
The coastline had little trade and only a small fishing industry.
The coastline was mostly farm land with not much urban development.
The coastline had few people living there and few industries.
Q5.
Before the Norman Conquest, who controlled Sussex?
The kingdom of Mercia
The kingdom of Northumbria
The kingdom of East Anglia
Q6.
Why was Harold Godwinson's control over Wessex important for his power?
It allowed him to build a large fleet of ships.
It gave him the ability to travel quickly across Europe.
It meant he could make new laws without approval.
Additional material
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