Saxon Times

With the departure of the Roman administrators the record of events becomes hazy. Gradually the use of Roman money declined, to he replaced by barter. Established trade with the Empire was disrupted, so that industries such as the pottery production at Alice Holt and Rowlands Castle declined. The local Britons struggled on with a subsistence economy where they did not clash with one of the immigrant groups coming to claim territory and settle. The Sussex shore and south east Hampshire were colonised by Saxon groups.

In the 600's A.D. one Saxon group settled on Church Down, Chalton, where excavation revealed 61 structures, mostly rectangular timber halls with opposing doors on the long sides. Bede wrote: 'a sparrow can fly in at one door and out of the hall by the other door.' A similar site occurs at Catherington. Agriculture was the chief occupation - wheat and barley, with sheep kept for meat, wool and skins.

There are no fortified towns or burghs in East Hampshire, which suggests it was relatively quiet during the 9th century Viking raids.