A LEVEL HISTORY A: Actual June 2025 PAST PAPER 1: Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016. All
Assessment Questions & Mark Scheme [OCR Y101/01]
Exam Resource Summary
The A Level History A June 2025 Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016 Paper (OCR Y101/01) integrates the
full official examination paper with its detailed mark scheme to create a focused and comprehensive revision
resource. This paper assesses students’ understanding of the political, military, and social developments in Anglo-
Saxon England, focusing on Alfred the Great’s reign, the consolidation of kingdoms, Viking invasions, and the
foundations for a unified English state. Candidates are required to analyse primary and secondary sources, evaluate
differing historical interpretations, and construct coherent, evidence-based arguments. By presenting each question
alongside its marking criteria, the resource offers clear guidance on examiner expectations, analytical depth, and the
structured responses required for high-band marks. This integrated format supports targeted revision, strengthens
source evaluation and essay-writing skills, and prepares students thoroughly for the May/June 2026 OCR A Level
History A Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016 examination.
OCR is an exempt Charity
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Section A
Alfred the Great
Study the four sources and answer Question 1.
1 ‘In dealing with legal issues, Alfred’s main aim was to protect the poor’.
Use the four sources in their historical context to assess how far they support this view. [30]
Source A: King Alfred explains how judges should reach their decisions.
Judge very fairly. Do not give one judgement for the rich and another for the poor, nor one for the
person who is more dear and another for the one who is the more hateful. A man can consider this
principle alone; that he judges every one rightly. He needs no other law books. Let him think that he
should give no judgement to anyone that he would not wish to be given to him.
Introduction to King Alfred’s Law Code, drawn up by 895
Source B: A monk writes about how Alfred preserved law and order.
From the example of the barbarians, the English began to lust after violence, so that there was no
safe way of travelling without a military guard. Alfred appointed hundreds and tithings so that every
Englishman according to law must be a member of both. If anyone was accused of a crime, he was
obliged immediately to produce persons from the hundred and tithing to become his surety. Anyone
unable to find surety dreaded the security of the law. If anyone who was accused escaped either
before of after he found surety, all persons of the tithing and the hundred paid a fine to the king.
William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the Kings of England, written before 1143
Source C: Alfred’s biographer gives an account of the king’s approach to the administration of
justice.
© trans Simon Keynes and Michael Lapidge, Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources, Penguin Classics, 1983. From first line " Alfred was a painstaking judge in establishing the truth in judicial hearings and this," to last line " Indeed, everyone was more concerned with his o
© OCR 2025 Y101/01 Jun25
, 3
Source D: King Alfred defends his actions regarding his inheritance from his brother Ethelred.
When King Ethelred died, no-one made known to me any will or testimony that the position was
any other than as we had both agreed before witnesses. When we heard there were many disputes
about the inheritance, I brought the will of King Aethelwulf to our assembly and it was read before
all the councillors. When it had been read I begged them all that none of them would hesitate either
for love or fear of me to state what the law said, lest any man should say that I wronged my young
kinsfolk. Then they all rightly declared that they could not conceive any juster title. They told me that
now everything had come into my possession, I could give or bequeath it to kinsman or stranger,
whichever I preferred.
Alfred, Will, written before 899
© OCR 2025 Y101/01 Jun25 Turn over
Assessment Questions & Mark Scheme [OCR Y101/01]
Exam Resource Summary
The A Level History A June 2025 Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016 Paper (OCR Y101/01) integrates the
full official examination paper with its detailed mark scheme to create a focused and comprehensive revision
resource. This paper assesses students’ understanding of the political, military, and social developments in Anglo-
Saxon England, focusing on Alfred the Great’s reign, the consolidation of kingdoms, Viking invasions, and the
foundations for a unified English state. Candidates are required to analyse primary and secondary sources, evaluate
differing historical interpretations, and construct coherent, evidence-based arguments. By presenting each question
alongside its marking criteria, the resource offers clear guidance on examiner expectations, analytical depth, and the
structured responses required for high-band marks. This integrated format supports targeted revision, strengthens
source evaluation and essay-writing skills, and prepares students thoroughly for the May/June 2026 OCR A Level
History A Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016 examination.
OCR is an exempt Charity
Turn over
, 2
Section A
Alfred the Great
Study the four sources and answer Question 1.
1 ‘In dealing with legal issues, Alfred’s main aim was to protect the poor’.
Use the four sources in their historical context to assess how far they support this view. [30]
Source A: King Alfred explains how judges should reach their decisions.
Judge very fairly. Do not give one judgement for the rich and another for the poor, nor one for the
person who is more dear and another for the one who is the more hateful. A man can consider this
principle alone; that he judges every one rightly. He needs no other law books. Let him think that he
should give no judgement to anyone that he would not wish to be given to him.
Introduction to King Alfred’s Law Code, drawn up by 895
Source B: A monk writes about how Alfred preserved law and order.
From the example of the barbarians, the English began to lust after violence, so that there was no
safe way of travelling without a military guard. Alfred appointed hundreds and tithings so that every
Englishman according to law must be a member of both. If anyone was accused of a crime, he was
obliged immediately to produce persons from the hundred and tithing to become his surety. Anyone
unable to find surety dreaded the security of the law. If anyone who was accused escaped either
before of after he found surety, all persons of the tithing and the hundred paid a fine to the king.
William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the Kings of England, written before 1143
Source C: Alfred’s biographer gives an account of the king’s approach to the administration of
justice.
© trans Simon Keynes and Michael Lapidge, Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources, Penguin Classics, 1983. From first line " Alfred was a painstaking judge in establishing the truth in judicial hearings and this," to last line " Indeed, everyone was more concerned with his o
© OCR 2025 Y101/01 Jun25
, 3
Source D: King Alfred defends his actions regarding his inheritance from his brother Ethelred.
When King Ethelred died, no-one made known to me any will or testimony that the position was
any other than as we had both agreed before witnesses. When we heard there were many disputes
about the inheritance, I brought the will of King Aethelwulf to our assembly and it was read before
all the councillors. When it had been read I begged them all that none of them would hesitate either
for love or fear of me to state what the law said, lest any man should say that I wronged my young
kinsfolk. Then they all rightly declared that they could not conceive any juster title. They told me that
now everything had come into my possession, I could give or bequeath it to kinsman or stranger,
whichever I preferred.
Alfred, Will, written before 899
© OCR 2025 Y101/01 Jun25 Turn over
