Vowels and Consonants 

The Old English script used the following vowel symbols: a, e, i, o, u, y, and æ.

The Old English consonants were: o, c, d, f, g, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, a, w, and Þ,

 

Old English Vowel Pronunciations

Symbol	Pronunciation	Resembling the Vowel of
a	a	Southern English “bath”, but shorter
æ	æ	Southern English “hat”
e	e	French “fue”, German “bett”
i	i	German “sie”, French “tree”, but shorter
o	o	German “wo”, French “chose”, but shorter
u	u	English “room”, but shorter
y	y	French “cru”, German “hutte”
		Southern English “bath”
ǣ	æ	Southern English “bad”
ē	e	French “ete”, German “zehn”
ī	i	German “sie”, English “tree”
ō	o	German “wo”, French “chose”
ū	u	English “room”
ȳ	y	French “sur”, German “fuhren”

 

Other Controversial Sounds/Consonants of Old English

Symbol / Name	Pronunciation
Þ / thorn	“th”
Æ / ash	Long “a”
c	“ch” & “cuh” = can be pronounced as modern english “k”, or “ch”
g	“g” & “y” = Before vowels “i” and “e”, it is pronounced like the Modern English “y”
sh	“sh”
H	German “bach” / semi vowels

Example from “The Battle of Maldon” 

Byrhtnoð maþelode, bord hafenode, wand wacne æsc (ash = long a), wordum mælde, yrre and anræd ageaf him andsware: ‘Gehyrst (pronounced = y) þu (thorn = th), sælida, hwæt (throat clearing “h”; almost silent) þis folc (pronounced “ch”) segeð?  Hi willað (thorn = th) eow to gafole garas syllan, ættrynne ord and ealde swurd, þa heregeatu þe eow æt hilde ne deah.