Humanities & Social Sciences
June 2026
Letter writing in the Northumbrian Kingdom, 625–786
by Peter Darby
Letter writing in the Northumbrian Kingdom offers the first comprehensive study of Northumbria's vibrant epistolary culture in the seventh and eighth centuries. Through a close examination of more than fifty surviving Latin letters-many written by or to figures such as Bede, Acca of Hexham, Ælfflæd of Whitby, and Alcuin -this book uncovers the literary, political, and spiritual dimensions of early medieval correspondence. From royal diplomacy to theological debate, these letters reveal a world where communication was both a practical necessity and a refined art. Drawing on previously underexamined texts and placing Northumbria in its broader European context, this groundbreaking study sheds new light on the role of letter writing in shaping a Christian kingdom's identity, influence, and intellectual legacy.
