Year 5 - History
Roman Christianity in Britain
Britain after the Romans: how did Christianity survive in the British Isles?
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils develop their causal understanding by learning how Christianity survived in the British Isles following the departure of the Romans. They learn about how religion changed after the Romans left and the importance of Irish Christianity in this period.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how historians know that Christianity grew in popularity in Britain in the early 4th century.
Key Notes
- Historians are not sure exactly when Christianity was introduced to Britain.
- In the 4th century CE, after the conversion of Constantine, it became increasingly popular among the elite.
- Historians know about this rise in popularity from various physical objects that have been found.
- At Hinton St Mary an early 4th century mosaic appears to show a portrait of Jesus.
- At Lullingstone, archaeologists unearthed the remains of a chapel within a Roman villa with Christian wall paintings.
Vocabulary To Learn
- elite: a group of people that are regarded as superior in terms of ability or quality are described as elite.
- converted: when someone has converted, they have changed their religious faith or other belief
- 'Chi Rho': 'Chi Rho' is the beginning of Christ's name in Greek
- chapel: a chapel is a small building or room used for Christian worship
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Evidence of Christianity from the 4th century is definitive proof of when it was introduced to Britain.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Historians are not sure exactly when Christianity was introduced to Britain. In the 4th century CE, after the conversion of Constantine, it became increasingly popular among the elite.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'elite'
a group of people that are regarded as superior in terms of ability or quality are described as elite.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Evidence of Christianity from the 4th century is definitive proof of when it was introduced to Britain. Correction: The evidence of Christianity found in Britain dates back to the 4th century and this gives historians reason to believe this is around the time Christianity was introduced and became popular in Britain.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 5 History guide library.