Page "History of England" Paragraph 10

Contact with the continent was generally at a lower point than in the Bronze Age, although it was not insignificant.

Continental goods continued to make their way into England throughout the period, although with a possible hiatus from around 350-150 BCE.

Numerous armed invasions of hordes of migrating Celts are no longer considered to be realistic, although there are two known invasions.

Around 300 BCE, it appears that a group from the Gaulish Parisii tribe took over East Yorkshire, establishing the highly distinctive Arras culture ; and from around 150-100 BCE, groups of Belgae began to control significant parts of the South.

These invasions would have constituted movements of a relatively small number of people who established themselves as a warrior elite at the top of pre-existing native systems, rather than any kind of total wipeout.

The Belgic invasion was on a much larger scale than the Parisian settlement, however the continuity of pottery style demonstrates clearly that the native population basically remained in place under new rulers.

All the same, it was accompanied by significant socio-economic change.

Proto-urban, or even urban settlements, known as oppida, begin to eclipse the old hillforts, and an elite whose position is based on battle-prowess and the ability to manipulate resources re-appears much more distinctly.