The Largest Building From The Viking Age Was Found Beneath A Family Farm In England
Beneath a family farm, there lies the remains of the largest known building from the Viking Age in Britain. A team of archaeologists and volunteers discovered the structure at High Tarns Farm in Cumbria, a county located in northwest England.
Last summer, researchers from the nonprofit Grampus Heritage identified the remnants of a large hall. It measured roughly 160 feet long and 50 feet wide. They think it dates back to the 10th and early 11th centuries.
A total of 10 post holes were detected, hinting at the structure’s shape and size. In addition, a kiln for drying grains and a pit for producing charcoal were found. Radiocarbon testing revealed that one of the post holes dated back between 990 and 1040.
“The significance of this discovery, in shedding light on the early medieval period and social structure in rural Cumbria and more widely, is hard to overstate,” said archaeologist Mark Graham.
Similar sites have been uncovered in the manor farms of Denmark and other Scandinavian countries. In Cumbria, Viking history has been well-documented, but few buildings have been excavated. This is likely due to later settlements and dwellings being built over the same sites.
In 2022, Grampus Heritage identified crop marks at the site while studying aerial photos. That’s when researchers became interested in examining the area to establish more context for the building.
The following year, they conducted a geophysical survey, which suggested that an archaeological site lay beneath the surface.
Initially, the team believed the site was related to Holme Cultram, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 12th century. However, they came across something even more exciting.
During the excavation, Neil and Irene Armstrong, who have lived on the land for over two decades, moved their heifers away from the field.
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With the help of 50 local volunteers, the archaeologists spent 12 days digging trenches and unearthing artifacts, structural features, and thousands of tiny charred oat grains associated with the drying kiln.
“That excavation [was] totally delivered by community volunteers giving their time every day to come out to the trenches and uncover our shared past,” Graham said.
The volunteers were able to collect samples of remnants from a post hole and the kiln. But the rest of the building’s surfaces were plowed over by centuries of farming. So, the preservation of any structures from the Viking Age is extremely rare. Organic materials like bone, wood, and leather would not have survived in these soils.
And lastly, the presence of two small shards of pottery was detected. They were deposited above the remains of the drying kiln after it had gone out of use.
Overall, the recently discovered building offers more information about Anglo-Scandinavian culture in the early medieval period.
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