Viking burials found in England

Viking burials found in England
Viking Age burials
Found in Britain
Axes found in Britain   Langseaxes found in Britain   Picture stones from the Isle of Man   Seaxes found in Britain   Shields found in Britain   Spears found in Britain   Swords found in Britain   Viking burials found in England   Viking burials found in Scotland   Viking burials found in the Isle of Man   Viking burials found in Wales

Viking Age burials
More Found in Britain pages

This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

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 Reading Sonning Cambridgeshire Wicken Fen (P) Cumberland Workington (P) Cumbria Appleby-in-Westmoreland Aspatria Carlisle Cathedral Cumwhitton Eaglesfield (P) Hesket-in-Forest Witherslack (P) Derbyshire Ingleby Repton

Dorset Dorset Hampshire West Ham (D) Essex Leigh-on-sea Saffron Walden Waltham Abbey (D) Walthamstow (D) Lancashire Claughton Hall Heysham Rampside (P) Norfolk Gooderstone (D) Middle Harling Santon Downham Sedgeford (P) Thetford (P)

Northumberland Bedlington Nottinghamshire Nottingham (P) Farndon, Newark-on-Trent (P) Oxfordshire Hook Norton Magdalen Bridge (D) Yorkshire Adwick-le-Street Bedale Northallerton Wensley Churchyard

List by Find Date

Weymouth, Dorset

Find date- Mass burial. Excavated in 2009

Bodies- up to 54 decapitated males

Dated to- 970-1025AD

Grave goods- None

Publications-

• [Oxford Archaeology]

Cumwhitton, Cumbria

Status- Accepted

Find date- Excavated in 2004

Bodies- 6 men and women

Dated to- ?AD

Grave goods-

• swords
• spears
• jewellery
• firemaking materials
• riding equipment

Publications-

• [Portable Antiquities Scheme]
• [[1]]

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-

• Speed, Greg and Penelope Walton Rogers (2004) 'A Burial of a Viking Woman at Adwick-le-Street, South Yorkshire'. Medieval Archaeology.

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- [OWEN and DALLAND 1999:p.167] [RICHARDS 2004: pp. 23-116]

Sedgeford, Norfolk

Status- Possible

Find date- 1997

Bodies- Woman and a horse found in Christian graveyard

Dated to- ?

Grave goods- None

Publications- [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.112]

Carlisle Cathedral, Cumbria

Find date- 1988

Bodies-

Dated to-

Grave goods-

• Buckles
• Strap ends
• small whetstone

Publications- [RICHARDS 2004:p.202]

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 and KJBLBYE-BIDDLE 1992] [BIDDLE and KJBLBYE-BIDDLE 2001:p.55-92] [OWEN and DALLAND 1999:p.167]

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- [MARGESEN 1997:p.16-17] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.111]

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.204] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.115]

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- [ROESDAHL 1981:p.77 cat.E26]

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- [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.115]

Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire

Status- Possible

Find date- ?

Bodies- ?

Dated to- ?

Grave goods-

• Seax 'late Anglo-Saxon'
• Knife, possibly saxon.

Discussion- Considered very possible.

Publications- [GRAHAM-CAMBELL 2001:p.112] [RICHARDS 2004:p.205]

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- [WILSON 1976:p.394] [GRAHAM-CAMBELL 2001:p.112]

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- [GRAHAM-CAMBELL 2001:p.112]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.18] [RICHARDS 2004:p.202] [EDWARDS 1998:p.21-22]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.21] [EDWARDS 1998:p.21]

• 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- [EDWARDS 1998:p.22]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.12] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.113]

• 

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.11] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.118]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.18] [RICHARDS 2004:p.202] [EDWARDS 1998:p.17-18]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.71, fig.43] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p106]

Leigh-on-sea, Essex

Status- Accepted

Find date- 1890

Bodies- skeleton and horse

Dated to- ?

Grave goods-

• Sword

Publications- [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p114]

Inskip, Lancashire

Status- Accepted

Find date- 1889AD

Bodies-

Dated to-

Grave goods-

Sword

Publications- [EDWARDS 1998: p.20-21]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.15] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.116]

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- [MARGESEN 1997:p.16] [ROESDAHL 1981:p.77 cat.E27] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.114]

Camphill, Bedale, Yorkshire

Find date- 1875AD

Bodies- Male Warrior

Dated to- ?

Grave goods- (British Museum)

Sword of Petersen type L

Spearhead

Publications- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.15] [RICHARDS 2004:P.194]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.12] [ROESDAHL and WILSON 1992:cat.365] [MARGESEN 1997:p.16] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.110] [RICHARDS 2004:p.205]

British Museum

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.22] [RICHARDS 2004: p.194]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.15] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p105-106]

• 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- [RICHARDS 2004:p.194] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.115]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.11] [EAST 1986] [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.115]

• 

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.18] [EDWARDS 1998:P.14-17] [OWEN and DALLAND 1999:p.166] [RICHARDS 2004:p.193]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.19] [EDWARDS 1998:P.10-13] [OWEN and DALLAND 1999:p.166] [RICHARDS 2004: P.192]

• Hodgson, Christopher. 'An Account of some Antiquities found in a Cairn, near Hesket-in-the-Forest, in Cumberland' in Archaeologia Aeliana Vol.2. 1832. (Available Online)
  
• Tullie House Museum Website

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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- [RICHARDS 2004:p.194] [EDWARDS 1998:p.19]

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- [RICHARDS 2004:p.202]

• Potter, T.W. and R.D. Andrews (1994) 'Excavation and Survey at St Patrick's Chapel and St Peter's Church, Heysham, Lancashire, 1977-8'. The Antiquaries Journal Volume 74 pp.55-134 (Available Online)

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- [EDWARDS 1998:p.8-10] [RICHARDS 2004: p.192]

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- [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940: p.15]

References

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