Monument record MLI125067 - The Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army at Torksey

Summary

The 872-73 Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army at Torksey, mostly in Brampton parish

Type and Period (6)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

The Viking Great Army overwintered at Torksey in 872-73, as recorded by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and their camp has been identified to the north of Torksey village in the parishes of Brampton and Torksey. The camp sat on a prominent bluff partially surrounded by marshes and with the River Trent on its western boundary; effectively an island. Although it lacked earthwork defences, it was an area that could be easily defended, it controlled the River Trent and provided a good vantage point over the surrounding flood plain. The Universities of Sheffield and York undertook a five year programme of archaeological work to investigate this area between 2011 and 2015: The Viking Torksey Project. Several thousand individuals overwintered in the camp, including warriors, craft workers and merchants. Metal processing and trading was undertaken. Extensive scatters of early medieval metalwork and coins have been found in the area and the coinage allows the scatters to be dated precisely, with a group of English pennies concentrated in the years 860 to the early 870s. It also includes an exceptionally large number of Northumbrian coins from where the Great Army had retired to Torksey. Concentrations of ninth century coins, including Arabic dirhams, as well as hack-metal and ingots have been found in the vicinity (see PRNs 55233 and 55235). Both hack-silver and hack-gold has been found indicating a bullion-based economy, and for low value transactions copper-alloy bullion was also evidenced. A bullion economy requires the weighing of the metal and more than 350 weights have been recorded from the vicinity. The picture that emerges from Torksey is of multiple metal economies operating simultaneously with gold, silver and bronze all used both in coined and bullion forms. There is some tentative evidence for the Great Army minting coins here (see PRN 55234) and melts of lead, copper-alloy, gold and silver indicate metal-working. Also found were spindle-whorls, needles, punches and awls suggesting textile working and repair of sails, tents and clothing. In addition 289 lead gaming pieces were recovered. Anglo-Saxon dress accessories have been found at the site including 131 bronze strap ends. These finds perhaps indicate the presence of Anglo-Saxon slaves or hostages at the camp and perhaps even allies acquired during their campaigning. However it is also possible that Anglo-Saxon material culture was being used by the Scandinavians. It was clear that the population of this camp of the Great Army numbered in the thousands rather than the hundreds. {1} A possible small cemetery was identified to the west of the site overlooking the River Trent [58160a, SK 8334 8039]. A surface scatter of some seventy fragments of human bone was recovered from an area of about fifty square metres. Two bone samples were radiocarbon-dated to the late ninth century. A trial trench was excavated over the bone scatter but plough disturbance was very extensive and cut into the subsoil natural deposits. There were no traces of any grave cuts but some further fragments of human bone were recovered. {1}{2}{3} There is a considerable build up of windblown sand, varying in depth but which can be up to three to four metres, that blankets the site. {3}{4}

Sources/Archives (4)

  •  Article in Serial: Hadley, Dawn M. and Richards, Julian D.. 2016. 'The Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army, AD 872-3, Torksey, Lincolnshire' in The Antiquaries Journal. passim; pp.56-57 for cemetery.
  •  Report: The University of York. 2013. Report on a Trial Trench Excavated near Torksey. -.
  •  Archive: The University of York and University of Sheffield. 2011-2015. The Viking Torksey Project, Torksey, Lincolnshire. -.
  •  Report: University of Sheffield. 2012. Report on an Auger Survey by the Viking Torksey Project. -.

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Location

Grid reference Centred SK 8359 8030 (620m by 1504m)
Civil Parish TORKSEY, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
Civil Parish BRAMPTON, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (3)

Related Events/Activities (6)

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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