From Saxon Courts to Global Rule: The Roots of British Common Law

This episode traces the birth of common law from 10th‑century Saxon manorial courts to Henry II’s itinerant judges and the first royal writs. It examines how the system’s principles—precedent, jury and habeas corpus—shaped legal practice in England and overseas, while also revealing the ways the tradition reinforced class, gender and colonial inequalities. Historians debate the extent of its fairness and continuity, making common law a contested but foundational thread in Britain’s story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices