F. M. (Frank Merry) Stenton

Sir Frank Merry Stenton was an English historian and one of the leading scholars of Anglo-Saxon England. Born in 1880 and educated at Keble College, Oxford, he went on to build a major academic career at the University of Reading, where he served as professor of history and later as vice-chancellor.

He is especially remembered for Anglo-Saxon England, a landmark history first published in the 1940s and long regarded as a standard work in the field. Alongside his writing on early medieval England, he also worked on English place-names and historical records, and he held prominent roles in British historical life, including the presidency of the Royal Historical Society.

Stenton's scholarly life was closely connected with that of his wife, Doris Mary Stenton, an important historian in her own right. Together they became a notable presence in medieval historical studies, and his books remain valued for their authority, range, and readable style.