By the beginning of the sixth century Germanic settlements were well established in the eastern parts of Britain.

The remaining Celtic entities still held the western and highland regions. In the south west the eastern border of Dumnonia is not known but the evacuation of the leading elements of the populations of Hampshire, Dorset, and probably Devon to Armorica (Brittany -little Britain) is known to have begun early in this century.

What was to become the Welsh frontier was beginning to emerge with pressure from the Middle Angles on Powys, Gwynedd and Gwent.

The Roman province of Britannia Secunda had been penetrated from the east by Angles moving north from Lincolnshire to create Berenicia which straddled the wall in the north and Deria centred initially on Sancton and Malton (Derventio) but by this time including York (Eburacum).

A shadowy "kingdom" of Loidis, around Leeds and Elmet, a little to the south, formed buffers for the western British kingdom of Rheged.

The British names of the districts in the east and south prior to their occupation by the English are unknown.