"There are many people who use the term "Dark Ages" to refer to the whole medieval period and perpetuate the myths that medieval people practiced no science, suppressed ancient knowledge, invented nothing, discouraged reason and believed the earth was flat until the coming of the so-called 'Renaissance'."

As Thui says, a description of the period which is misleading should be avoided. In recent years, the Vikings have had a number of advocates who have pointed out that they were not uniquely barbarous and bloodthirsty in comparison with other groups of the period. So much so, in fact, that the backlash has begun: other historians now point out that they still raided, murdered and raped and were not simply peace-loving settlers!

So, we need the lovers of this period to be champions and explainers of it. Back to the subject of this thread, the Saxon advent - it's a very important moment for Britain and for what we now know as England. It pushed the Britons and the Celtic peoples to the edges of Europe, and thus shaped the culture of England for many many centuries.

It is this sort of thing that we need to be focusing on, rather than painting the period as dark and backward and difficult.