The
Ecclesiastical History of the English People , written by
Venerable Bede in the 8th century, is a history of the Christian Churches in
England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict between the
pre-Schism Roman Rite and
Celtic Christianity. It was originally composed in
Latin, is considered to be one of the most important original references on
Anglo-Saxon history and has played a key role in the development of an
English national identity. It is believed to have been completed in 731 when Bede was approximately 59 years old.