Anglo-Saxon Archaeology

Comparison between Middle Saxon Winchester and Southampton

 

 

	Winchester	Southampton (Hamwih)
Nomenclature	civitas, urbs	mercimonium, villa, pagus,  wih, wic, tun
King	X	?
Bishop	X	—
Private estates of high social rank	X	?
Mint	?	X
Elements of regular plan	—	X
Long-distance trade	—	X
Intense industrial activity	—	X
Relatively dense population	—	X

X     present                 —     absent                 ?     uncertain

Taken from: Biddle, M., "Towns", in "The Archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England", Wilson, D.M. (ed), Methuen, 1976, p. 114

Martin Biddle’s brilliant study has provided the basis of our understanding of the symbiotic relationship between these two types of site. Whether it is Winchester and Southampton, or Lundenburg and Lundenwic, the relationship seems to be very similar. It was only with the creation of the Burghal towns that these two sets of attributes became incorporated within one site.

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