Michelle Brown tells the rich and often dramatic story of how Christianity came to the British Isles. The author explores what Britain and Ireland were like in prehistoric times and the impact of the Roman world, before moving on to the crucial Anglo Saxon period from 600 to 1000, including: * Pope Gregory's missions to Kent and Northumbria * The northern saints from Iona * The faith spreading east and west, including Wales and Ireland * Monasteries and learning * The Vikings. In these times, Christianity was a radical social force and faith was shaped not only by prophets, prelates and princes but also by ordinary men and women.