"Mirrington’s volume on changes in identity and society in early medieval Essex makes a valuable contribution to the archaeological study of this period. [...] There is much to recommend in this volume. The 44 maps showing the distributions of dress ornaments, pottery types, and coinage are very useful and represent a significant contribution to the archaeology of Essex. The book is well organized and clearly written, and Mirrington’s conclusions are well supported by the archaeological evidence that he presents. [...] Mirrington’s volume is an important contribution to the archaeology of early medieval Essex and its place in the North Atlantic community. I recommend it to readers who are interested in how material culture can be used to reconstruct changes in identity and society during this period in England."
- Pam J. Crabtree, The Medieval Review, 21.10.11 (2021)

"Alexander Mirrington has written an important history of Essex between the collapse of Roman Britain and the Norman Conquest from the perspective of archaeology, placed within a wider European context. One of its strengths is that it connects the archaeology of Essex with Anglo-Saxon London, thereby bridging a significant disciplinary divide in both history and archaeology which separates the history of London from its wider hinterland. The book will also be of value to local historians because it fills a significant gap in the early history of Essex. [...] [Mirrington] is to be congratulated."
- Andrew Wareham, University of Roehampton, Speculum 96/3 (July 2021)