This difference in foot shapes is fascinating and is of great interest to archaeologists. Phyllis Jackson, a chiropodist, noticed the difference in the angle of toe lines in the people she treated, and started an investigation into bones found in excavations.

Her article on the subject appeared in 'Current Archaeology, 144, August 1995' which you can read online here: Footloose in Archaeology

There certainly does appear to be a marked difference between the "Romano-British" foot shape [toes straight across] and the "Anglo-Saxon" foot shape [noticeable downward slant from big toe to little toe]. Most useful to archaeologists/historians in trying to answer the thorny (and as yet not satisfactorily answered) question of how many Anglo-Saxons actually came over here from the 6th century on, how far/when/where they drove the Britons, and if/when the Anglo-Saxons and Romano-British interbred.

- jeanie
(Anglo-Saxon feet, despite having both parents born and bred in Wales, maternal grandfather from Devon, paternal grandfather from Scotland, other grandparents Welsh)