Viking burials found in England
This list of burials is currently a work in progress. More information will be added over time but it is hoped that even the meager information supplied here will be of some use. Any list of Viking burials is going to be open to discussion. Many of these burials were discovered in the 19th century, long before modern archaeological practices came into use.
The map is derived from Richards [RICHARDS 2004]:p.191 Graham-Campbell [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1994]:p.134, 153 and from a map displayed from a Jorvik exhibition in York 2012.
Viking burials found in Scotland
Viking burials found in the Isle of Man
Status
The reliability of pagan graves varies. The 'Status' rating gives an indication of the current thinking relating to the finds reliability.
Accepted (A)
There is a good contemporary archaeological record of the find. Including a diagram of the grave and finds, etc.
Possible (P)
The contemporary archaeological record of the find is not as good but the grave goods would tend to indicate a pagan grave. The grave may be located in a mound or Church yard.
Discredited (D)
The argument in favour of this being a Viking grave has now been discredited although it has previously been published as such in the past. These are most probably just stray finds.
Index by County
Berkshire
Cambridgeshire
Cumberland
Cumbria
Derbyshire
|
Dorset
Hampshire
Essex
Lancashire
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
|
Northumberland
Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Yorkshire |
List by Find Date
Torksey, Lincolnshire
- Find date- Mass burial. Excavated in 2011
- Bodies-
- Dated to- 872-873AD
- Grave goods-
- Publications-
- Part of a group of winter camp sites of the Great Heathen Army:
- Torksey 872-873AD
- Repton and Heath Wood, Ingleby 873-874AD
Weymouth, Dorset
- Find date- Mass burial. Excavated in 2009
- Bodies- up to 54 decapitated males
- Dated to- 970-1025AD
- Grave goods- None
- Publications-
Cumwhitton, Cumbria
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- Excavated in 2004
- Bodies- 6 men and women
- Dated to- ?AD
- Grave goods-
- Grave 1. Female
- 2 oval brooches- type P51
- 1 glass bead (near skull)
- small knife and iron key (near waist)
- iron-bound wooden box - containing:
- lead spindle whorl, glass linen smoother, shears, antler comb, sewing needle, possible metal needle case
- Possible other associated items: Buckle (copper alloy), possible remains of a third oval brooch, 2 bits of worked antler or bone
- Grave 2. Female
- belt: buckle with plate - tinned copper alloy, and strap end - copper alloy. (near waist). Traces of seal pelt found between the plates.
- necklace: 6 glass beads, 1 chain-link - copper alloy. 2 other beads were also found any may have belonged to the necklace.
- finger ring - oil-shale
- arm ring - oil-shale
- chain-link - copper alloy (near waist). Possibly part of a suspension strap for a drinking horn along with the other chain-link identified as also being part of the necklace (Paterson 2014, p.72)
- drinking horn mount - copper alloy and fragments of horn.
- sickle, shears, antler comb (found together)
- Grave 3. Male
- ringed pin
- 6 glass beads, 1 amber bead, 2 silver finger rings, 1 silver suspension loop (near neck). May have been in a bag or a necklace
- sword - type U
- knife
- folding knife (near waist)
- whetstone (near waist)
- 2 buckles and strap slides (near foot). For spurs
- Grave 4. Male
- belt: buckle with plate - copper alloy, and strap end - copper alloy
- ringed pin
- Grave 1. Female
- swords
- spears
- jewellery
- firemaking materials
- riding equipment
- Publications-
Adwick-le-Street, South Yorkshire
- Find date- Excavated in 2001
- Bodies- Viking Woman.
- Dated to- C9th
- Grave goods-
- Copper-alloy Bowl
- Pair of non-identical oval brooches. Both Petersen type P37.
- Hangerock. Textile remains preserved on the rears of the oval brooches and on the knife have been identified as z-spun tabby weave made from plant fibre (linen). In addition a number of thin linen strips (4mm wide) were found around the pins of the brooches. It appears that there was a pair of loops at the base of the brooch and a single loop at the top.
- Iron key; iron knife
- Publications-
Heath Wood, Ingleby, Derbyshire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- Excavated 3 times, 1855; 1941-1949; 1998-2000AD
- Bodies- Male warrior cremation burials; other cremation burials and mounds.
- Dated to- 873-878AD
- Grave goods-
- Swords
- buckles
- Publications-
- Part of a group of winter camp sites of the Great Heathen Army:
- Torksey 872-873AD
- Repton and Heath Wood, Ingleby 873-874AD
Sedgeford, Norfolk
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1997
- Bodies- Woman and a horse found in Christian graveyard
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- None
- Publications-
Carlisle Cathedral, Cumbria
- Find date- 1988
- Bodies-
- Dated to-
- Grave goods-
- Buckles
- Strap ends
- small whetstone
- Publications-
Repton, Derbyshire
- Find date- Excavated between 1974-1988AD
- Bodies- Male warrior burial; Female burial; another single male burial and 2 double burials.
- Dated to- 873-874AD
- Grave goods-
- Thors hammer
- sword and scabbard
- buckles
- iron knives (one a folding knife
- Publications-
- Biddle, Martin and Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle (2001) Repton and the great heathen army, 873-4. In Graham-Campbell, James; Hall, Richard; Jesch, Judith and Parsons, David N. (eds.) (2001) Vikings and the Danelaw. Select Papers from the Proceedings of the Thirteenth Viking Congress. Viking Congress: 13 pp.55-92
- Part of a group of winter camp sites of the Great Heathen Army:
- Torksey 872-873AD
- Repton and Heath Wood, Ingleby 873-874AD
Middle Harling, Norfolk
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1986
- Bodies- Man
- Dated to- late 9th / early 10th [MARGESEN 1997]. Graham suggests that it may possibly date later based on the copper alloy buckle [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]
- Grave goods-
- 4 knives. One (possibly two?) with a pivoting blade.
- Whetstone
- Spur. found by the right foot.
- Brass buckle with iron plate, rectangular. found at the waist and from a belt.
- Iron buckle, D shaped. found by the left knee.
- Ear scoop. copper alloy. found in the filling 11cm above the grave.
- Publications-
- p.16-17
Waltham Abbey, Essex
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1985-1991
- Bodies- Man
- Dated to- late 10th / early 11th
- Grave goods-
- decorated copper alloy plate. Now identified as a stirrup mount.
- Publications-
- Hall 2004? p.205
Wensley Churchyard, Yorks
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1967
- Bodies- Male, found in a churchyard
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (British Museum)
- Sword Petersen type L
- Spearhead
- Sickle blade, iron
- Knife
- Publications-
Sonning, Berkshire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1966
- Bodies- 2 Male skeletons
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Knife
- Bronze ringed pin, with a missing ring.
- 6 arrow heads
- unidentified iron strip?
- Discussion- The grave goods for the two skeletons are listed together and it is now not possible to determine what items were originally associated with what skeleton.
- Publications-
Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- ?
- Bodies- ?
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Seax 'late Anglo-Saxon'
- Knife, possibly saxon.
- Discussion- Considered very possible.
- Publications-
Gooderstone, Norfolk
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1957
- Bodies- ? found by ploughing
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword fragment
- Discussion- Graham-Campbell states that this find should be removed from all location maps of Viking graves as has already been done by Richards [RICHARDS 2004].
- Publications-
Thetford, Norfolk
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1953
- Bodies- 2 burials
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- First Grave
- Sword 'late Anglo-saxon'. Possibly ritually killed. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]:p.112
- Grave goods- Second Grave
- Spear, fragmentary. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]:p.112
- Knife (now lost)
- Publications-
Rampside, Lancashire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1909?
- Bodies- None, found in a churchyard
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (Municipal Museum, Barrow-in-Furness)
- Sword Petersen type M
- Publications-
Workington, Cumberland
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1902-1903
- Bodies- None
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword Petersen type W or X possibly still in its scabbard.
- Publications-
- Edwards, B. J. N. 'The West Seaton Viking Sword' (Not available to the authors)
Witherslack, Cumberland
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1901
- Bodies- None
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Publications-
Walthamstow, Essex
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1900AD - possible Viking ship
- Bodies- a skeleton (skull) was said to have been found under a 40' overturned ship
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword, now in Rome.
- Discussion- Also known as Enfield. The boat is probably dated to the C16th or C17th. Also the sword and skull were not originally associated with the boat or even possibly with each other. Another sword was also found at Enfield. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]:p.113
- Publications-
West Ham nr. Basingstoke, Hampshire
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1899AD
- Bodies- a skeleton was found under the possible ship
- Dated to- Dated to Viking Age (C9th ?) by Bjorn and Shetelig but previously dated to the Anglo-Saxon period.
- Grave goods-
- Knife, Spear, lance heads
- bronze bowl, iron bowl with handle
- draughtsmen (stained green by contact with bronze)
- Publications-
Ormside, Appleby-in-Westmoreland, Cumbria
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1898, 1973?
- Bodies- a skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods 1898 - (Tullie House Museum)
- Sword Petersen type M
- Shield Boss
- Frag. iron rod
- small iron knife (now lost)
- Grave goods 1973? -
- Silver bowl from a possible 2nd grave [RICHARDS 2004]:p.202
- Publications-
Farndon, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1892
- Bodies- disturbed grave from a grave yard?
- Dated to- C10th?
- Grave goods-
- Sword of Petersen type X
- Publications-
Leigh-on-sea, Essex
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1890
- Bodies- skeleton and horse
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Publications-
Inskip, Lancashire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1889AD
- Bodies-
- Dated to-
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Publications-
River Cherwell at Magdalen Bridge, Oxfordshire
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1884AD
- Bodies- Men and horse skeletons found by dredging
- Dated to- C9th by Stirrup style
- Grave goods- (Ashmolean Museum 1886, 443-47)
- Spearhead, shield boss
- Shears
- Horseshoe, spur
- Publications-
Saffron Walden, Essex
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1876AD
- Bodies- Female
- Dated to- c.900AD
- Grave goods-
- Necklace of 2 silver pendants, 2 carnelian, 2 glass and 2 crystal beads.
- Knife (now lost)
- Publications-
- p.16
Camphill, Bedale, Yorkshire
- Find date- 1875AD
- Bodies- Male Warrior
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (British Museum)
- Sword of Petersen type L
- Spearhead
- Publications-
- Discussion- A pair of oval brooches have also been found at Bedale [ROESDAHL 1981:p.77 cat.E28].
Santon Downham, Norfolk
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1867
- Bodies- based on the grave goods this might be a double interment, male and female.
- Dated to- C10th
- Grave goods- (British Museum)
- Sword Petersen type L
- Pair of tortoise brooches of type Rygh 652-654. Petersen type P51a. [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.12, fig.1]
- Discussion- Richards has proposed that it may not be a double burial and that the brooches may have instead been an offering like the pair from Claughton Hall. [RICHARDS 2004]:p.205
- Publications-
- p.16
- British Museum Website
Cambois, Bedlington, Northumberland
- Find date- 1859
- Bodies- 1 woman (45 to 60) and 2 men (one in his 20s and the other 40s)
- Dated to-
- Grave goods-
- enameled disc brooch
- bone comb
- Publications-
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1851
- Bodies- Possibly burial of 2 Male warriors. 2 skulls and other human remains
- Dated to- Graham-Campbell quotes Hall's proposed post 918AD date based on the 2 swords.
- Grave goods- (British Museum Tr. 158)
- Sword of Petersen type X length 36", width (blade) 2.25", Gripe has traces of wood.
- Sword pommel Petersen type Y.
- Spearhead of Petersen type C - D. Affixed with a brass pin
- Discussion- Evison has confirmed the sword as a later type Y and not a type L as it appears in the picture [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]:p.106. Graham-Campbell notes that there is no evidence that the two swords were actually found with the spear [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]:p.106 and suggests that this explains the possible discrepancy of the sword's later C10th / C11th topological dating to the spears earlier C9th traditional dating. I would suggest that the cut off date for the Petersen type C-D spearhead is too early and that Ottonian manuscripts dating to the early C11th still show this type of spear in use. This would help support a C10th century date for the two graves.
- Publications-
- Archaeological Journal, 1851, vol 8, pp 424-5 (Available Online)
- Sword nottinghamX.jpg
Hook Norton, Oxfordshire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1848
- Bodies- 2 skeletons, one from a mound and the other with a coin hoard.
- Dated to- C9th
- Grave goods-
- coin hoard c.875AD or a bit later.
- Publications-
Reading, Berkshire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- June 1831.
- Bodies- Male warrior burial with a horse skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword with ivory hilt.
- Publications-
Claughton Hall, Lancashire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1822
- Bodies- Male skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (Claughton Hall)
- Pair of gilt copper-alloy Oval Brooches (R. 652). These were found wrapped back to back and encased the 2 beads and a molar tooth.
- Silver nielloed brooch (originally a Carolingian mount)
- 2 Glass beads
- Grave goods- (Lost)
- Sword Petersen type X
- Axe, spear, hammer
- Publications-
- Comments- The items were said to have been found in a wooden chest
Hesket-in-Forest, Cumbria
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1822
- Bodies- Cremation covered in a cairn
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (Tullie House Museum)
- Sword Petersen type O
- Spear Head Petersen type I
- Spear Head Petersen type F
- Shield Boss (broken in two)
- Axe Head Petersen type E,
- Iron Bit plated in bronze
- Two Buckles (one with a buckle plate)
- Sickle, Wet stone
- Bone Comb and Bone Case
- Pair of Spurs (now lost)
- Discussion- The weapons were deliberately damaged.
- Publications-
Eaglesfield, Cumbria
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1814
- Bodies- Male skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Axe (originally described as a halbard)
- possible ring headed pin
- Publications-
Heysham, Lancashire
- Find date- 1800
- Bodies- Male warrior burial? 1800; Female burial?
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods St. Peter's 1800 -
- Spearhead
- hogback stone
- Grave goods St Patrick -
- bone comb
- Discussion
- May be part of a number of graves
- Publications-
Aspatria, Cumbria
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1792, 1997
- Bodies- Male warrior burial
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- 1792
- sword with a silver encrusted hilt
- spearhead with a decorated silver socket
- axe
- pieces of a shield
- gold buckle and Carolingian strap end
- iron horse bit and spur
- Publications-
- Discussion - The area was re-investigated in 1997.
Northallerton, Yorkshire
- Find date- ?
- Bodies- Female skeleton?
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (National Museum of Scotland)
- Single oval brooch R.652
- Publications-
References
- Pages with broken file links
- Found in Britain
- 2 Stars
- Paterson 2014
- Speed, Greg and Walton Rogers 2004
- Richards 1995
- Richards 2004B
- Richards 2004
- Owen & Dalland 1999
- Graham-Campbell 2001
- Biddle & Kjolbye-Biddle 1992
- Biddle & Kjolbye-Biddle 2001
- Margesen 1997
- Roesdahl 1981
- Wilson 1976
- Bjorn & Shetelig 1940
- Edwards 1998
- Roesdahl & Wilson 1992
- East 1986
- Hodgson 1832
- Potter & Andrews 1994
- Graham-Campbell 1994
- Burials
- Sites