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List of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries

Anglo-Saxon cemeteries have been found in England, Wales and Scotland. The burial sites date primarily from the fifth century to the seventh century AD, before the Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England. Later Anglo-Saxon period cemeteries have been found with graves dating from the 9th to the 11th century. Burials include both inhumation and cremation. Inhumation burials before the late seventh century when pagan funerary rituals were the norm, often consisted of rectangular graves, with coffins or were lined with stones. High status burials, often held burial furniture, predominantly burial beds. Grave goods were often placed with the body, and included jewellery, especially Anglo-Saxon brooches, weapons, tools, and household items.

List of Anglo Saxon Cemeteries

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This is a partial list of Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries.

Cemetery Name Location Time period of burials No of burials Discovery Notes
Abingdon Abingdon, Oxfordshire 5th to early 6th centuries CE 204 1934 Bronze Age barrow discovered on cemetery site. Seventy-three inhumations had grave goods, including brooches, buckles, spears and knives.[1]
Barnstaple Barnstaple, Devon 10th centuries CE 105 1970s [2]
Bergh Apton Bergh Apton, Norfolk late 5th to late 6th centuries CE 63 1973 Burial finds, including fragments of a lyre are held at the Norwich Castle Museum[3]
Berinsfield Berinsfield, South Oxfordshire 5th to early 7th centuries CE 118 1974 Multiple brooches and a variety of brooch types found in female graves.[4][5]
Blacknall Field Pewsey, Wiltshire late 5th century to mid 6th centuries CE 110 1970 50 graves contained metalwork, including swords, scabbards, spears, hilts, knives, belts, buckles, bowls, jewellery[6]
Bowl Hole Bamburgh, Northumberland 6th to 7th centuries CE 100+ 1997 Final phase burial ground, cist burials[7]
Buckland Dover, Kent late 5th to mid 8th centuries CE 420 1951 and 1994 Graves included examples of both pagan and Early Christian burial rituals. Later excavations found more burials a short distance away.[8][9]
Caister-on-Sea Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk ? ? 1954, 1979 excavation Anglian cemetery with boat burials.[10]
Cleatham Cleatham, North Lincolnshire 5th to early 7th centuries CE 1508 1984–1989 excavation 1204 cremation urns [11][12][13]
Collingbourne Ducis Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire 5th to 7th centuries CE 120 1974 The largest number of burial remains in Anglo-Saxon Wiltshire. Includes a bed burial[14]
Elsham North Lincolnshire 5th to early 7th centuries CE 552 1975–1976 excavation 552 cremation burials containing 564 individuals (due to multiple burials). Seven early medieval inhumations and two Bronze Age inhumations.[12][13]
Edix Hill Barrington, Cambridgeshire mid 6th to early 7th centuries CE 300 1989–1991 excavation Unusual furnished bed burial/skeleton determined to have leprous changes[4]
Finglesham Sandwich, Kent 6th to 8th centuries CE 201 1928 Burial mound cemetery [15]
Fordcroft Orpington, London 5th to 6th centuries CE 71 1965 Site of mixed cremations and inhumations. Evidence of Romano-British occupation at site.[16][17]
Great Chesterford Great Chesterford, Essex 161 1952 An unusually large number of children's graves [18]
Great Ryburgh Great Ryburgh, Norfolk 7th to 9th centuries CE 89 2016 81 rare hollowed out tree trunk coffins and 8 plank lined graves[19][20]
Harford Farm Markshall, Norfolk late 7th century 46 1932 Multiple period site, multiple burials with grave goods.[4][21][22]
Illington Illington, Norfolk 6th to 7th centuries CE 203 1949 Largely cremation cemetery with three inhumations.[23]
Jarrow Monastery Jarrow, Northumbria 7th to 11th centuries CE 132 1963–1969 Excavation Predominantly male burials.[24]
Lovedon Hill Loveden, Lincolnshire 5th to 7th centuries CE 32+ inhumations, 1297+ cremations 1925 Glass claw beakers, bronze hanging bowls, coptic bowl[25]
Lower Farm Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire 6th century CE 26 1969 One grave contained a snaffle bit, rare in an Anglo-Saxon context.[26]
Mill Hill Deal, Kent 7th century CE 112+ 1940 inhumation only cemetery.[4]
Mucking Mucking, Essex 5th to early 7th centuries CE 800 1965–1978 excavation The cemetery is on the same site as Romano-British settlement.[27]
Norton-on-Tees Norton-on-Tees, County Durham 6th to early 7th centuries CE 120 1982 In 2012, the skeletal remains from the burial site were loaned to the University of York for stable isotope analysis to determine the origin of the individuals.[28]
Overstone Overstone, Northamptonshire 5th to 11th centuries CE 154 2019 Over 3000 grave goods found including jewellery , weapons and household items. The remains of an Anglo-Saxon settlement was also uncovered.[29]
Ozengell Monkton, Thanet, Kent 5th to 11th centuries CE 94 1846 Several graves included post holes, which indicate timber structures related to the burials.[30]
Polhill Sevenoaks, Kent 7th to 8th centuries CE 200–220 1984–1986 excavation See Polhill Anglo-Saxon cemetery
Raunds Furnells Northamptonshire 10th century CE 363 1975 Christian burial rituals, no grave goods[31]
Saltwood Tunnel Saltwood, Kent 6th to 7th centuries CE 217 Three separate inhumation cemeteries[32]
Sancton I Sancton, East Yorkshire 5th to 7th centuries CE 365 1976–80 Largely cremations, with one inhumation found.[33]
Sancton II Sancton, East Yorkshire 6th century CE Mixed rite cemetery, 1.5 km away from Sancton I.[33]
Sarre Sarre, Kent 5th to 7th centuries CE 400 1860 Site part of earlier Iron Age settlement. Sarre brooch.[34]
Scremby Skegness, Lincolnshire 5th to 6th centuries CE 49 2018–2019 Furnished graves[35]
Sedgeford Sedgeford, Norfolk 7th to 9th centuries CE 400+ 1957–2007 Cemetery first discovered in the early 20th century, with further excavations 1957–60. More extensive excavations by Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project found the bulk of the remains between 1996–2007. Burials follow a broadly Christian rite, buried in an east-west alignment with no grave goods.[36]
Sewerby Sewerby, East Yorkshire 5th to 7th centuries CE 50+ 1959 and 1974 Contained a supine individual, buried with arms and legs splayed, thought to have been buried live possibly as a sacrifice.[37]
Shrubland Hall Quarry, Coddenham, Suffolk 7th century CE 50 1999 Multiple bed burials[38]
Snape Aldeburgh, Suffolk 6th to 7th centuries CE 1824–1992 Boat Burial, Snape Ring.[39]
Spong Hill North Elmham, Norfolk 5th century CE 2600 1970's excavation The largest early Anglo-Saxon burial site excavated in England.[40]
Stanton Ixworth, Suffolk 5th to 7th centuries CE 70 2013 Cemetery built on earlier site of Bronze Age round barrow.[41]
Street House Loftus, North Yorkshire Mid to late 7th century CE 109 2005–2007 excavation The cemetery included a female bed burial, which contained cabochon pendants and a gold shield-shaped pendant.[42]
Stretton-on-Fosse Stretton-on-Fosse, Warwickshire Late fifth to sixth centuries CE 53 1968—1970 excavation The cemetery included a variety of brooches in different styles, amber and glass beads, spears, and shield bosses[43]
Sutton Hoo Woodbridge, Suffolk 6th to early 7th centuries CE Unknown Ship uncovered in 1939 Burial site contains undisturbed ship burial, execution burials, multiple important artifacts. See Sutton Hoo
Swallowcliffe Down Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire 7th century CE ? 1966 Archaeologists discovered the richest and most complex female grave, bed burial ever discovered in England[4]
Tranmer House Bromeswell, Suffolk 5th to 6th centuries CE 34+ 2000 Partially excavated mixed rite cemetery, dates immediately prior to Sutton Hoo[44]
Trumpington Trumpington, Cambridgeshire Mid 7th centuries CE 4 2011 Bed burial of teenage girl, which included a rare gold pectoral cross inlaid with garnets, the three other burials were all females.[45]
Updown (Eastry III) Eastry, Kent 7th century CE c. 300 1973 Excavated in 1976 and 1989, investigating 78 burials – all inhumations. The site measures approximated 150 by 80 metres (490 by 260 ft).[46]
Walkington Wold Walkington, Yorkshire 12 1967 Execution cemetery[4][47]
Wasperton Wasperton, Warwickshire 5th century CE 140 1980 Roman/Anglo Saxon Cemetery. 116 inhumations and 24 cremations were determined to be Anglo-Saxon. 40 inhumations have been determined to be Roman, 44 inhumations could not be dated. The graves included spears, shields, knives, brooches and beads.[48][49]
Wendover Wendover, Buckinghamshire 5th to 6th centuries CE 141 2021 138 graves uncovered, with 141 inhumation burials and 5 cremation burials. The graves included a silver zoomorphic ring, iron spearhead, male skeleton with an iron spear point lodged in his spine, copper alloy tweezers.[50][51]
Wolverton Wolverton, Buckinghamshire Late 6th to 7th century CE 76 2007-2008 Seventy-six graves were excavated, containing eighty inhumation burials: five empty graves, two urned cremations and two possible disturbed cremations were also recorded[52]
Worthy Park Kings Worthy, Hampshire 7th century CE 140 excavation 1961–1962 46 urned cremation burials which included primarily combs and grooming tools[4]
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See also

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Further reading

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  • Bayliss, Alex; Hines, John, eds. (2013). Anglo-Saxon Graves and Grave Goods of the 6th and 7th Centuries AD: A Chronological Framework (Society for Medieval Archaeology Monographs). Routledge. ISBN 978-1909662063.
  • Buckberry, Jo; Cherryson, Annia, eds. (2010). Burial in Later Anglo-Saxon England c 650—1100 AD. Oxbow Books. ISBN 978-1842179659.
  • Glasswell, Samantha (2002). The Earliest English: Living and Dying in Early Anglo-Saxon England. Tempus. ISBN 978-0752425344.
  • Lucy, Sam (2000). The Anglo-Saxon Way of Death: Burial Rites in Early England. Sutton. ISBN 978-0750921039.
  • Lucy, Sam; Reynolds, Andrew, eds. (2002). Burial in Early Medieval England and Wales. Routledge. ISBN 978-1902653655.

Worthy Park

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  • Hawkes, Sonia Chadwick; Wells, Calvin (1975). "Crime and Punishment in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery?". Antiquity. 49 (194): 118–122. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00063481.
  • Hawkes, Sonia Chadwick; Grainger, Guy (2003), The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Worthy Park, Kingsworthy, near Winchester, Hampshire, Oxford University School of Archaeology Monographs, vol. 59, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0947816607

Berinsfield

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References

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  1. ^ "Abingdon Anglo-Saxon cemetery". Ashmolean Museum. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Saxon Cemetery at Barnstaple Castle". Heritage Gateway. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  3. ^ Green, Barbara; Rogerson, Andrew. "The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Bergh Apton, Norfolk: Catalogue". Archaeological Data Service. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Williams, Howard (2006). Death and Memory in Early Medieval Britain. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521840194.
  5. ^ "The Anglo Saxon Cemetery at Wally Corner, Berinsfield". Ashmolean Museum. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Collingbourne Ducis and its place in early Anglo-Saxon Wiltshire". The Salisbury Museum. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  7. ^ Craig, Elizabeth (2009). Burial Practices in Northern England c. A.D. 650–850: A BioCultural Approach (PhD). University of Sheffield.
  8. ^ "Dover: Buckland Anglo-Saxon Cemetery". Archaeology Data Service. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  9. ^ Parfitt, Keith; Anderson, Trevor (2012). Buckland Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, Dover, Excavations 1994. Canterbury Archaeological Trust. ISBN 978-1870545235.
  10. ^ "Caister on Sea Late Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort and Middle to Late Saxon cemetery". Norfolk Heritage Explorer. Norfolk Historic Environment Service. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  11. ^ Leahy, Kevin. "The Excavation of the Cleatham Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, North Lincolnshire". Archaeological Data Service. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  12. ^ a b Squires, Kirsty (2013). "Piecing together identity: a social investigation of early Anglo-Saxon cremation practices". Archaeological Journal. 170: 154–200. doi:10.1080/00665983.2013.11021004.
  13. ^ a b Squires, Kirsty (2012). "Populating the pots: The demography of the early Anglo-Saxon cemeteries at Elsham and Cleatham, North Lincolnshire". Archaeological Journal. 169: 312–342. doi:10.1080/00665983.2012.11020917.
  14. ^ "Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire: an Early Saxon cemetery with bed burial". Wessex Archaeology. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  15. ^ Hawkes, Sonia Chadwick; Grainger, Guy (2006). The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Finglesham, Kent. Oxford University School of Archaeology.
  16. ^ Historic England. "Romano-British masonry building and Saxon cemetery, Fordcroft, Orpington (1001973)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  17. ^ Tester, P.J. "An Anglo Saxon cemetery at Orpington" (PDF). Kent Archaeology. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  18. ^ Evison, Vera. "An Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Great Chesterford, Essex". Archaeology Data Service. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  19. ^ "Exceptional Survival of Rare Anglo-Saxon Coffins". Historic England. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  20. ^ "Great Ryburgh: A remarkable Anglo-Saxon cemetery revealed". Current Archaeology. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  21. ^ Penn, Kenneth. "Excavations on the Norwich Southern Bypass, 1989–91 Part II: The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Harford farm, Markshall, Norfolk". archaeology data service. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  22. ^ "Multi-period site at Hartford Farm". Norfolk Heritage Explorer. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  23. ^ Davison, Alan; Green, Barbara; Milligan, Bill (1993). Illington: A Study of a Brecjland Parish and its Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. East Anglian Archaeology 63. Archaeology Division, Norfolk Museums Service.
  24. ^ "Jarrow Priory". Historic England. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  25. ^ "Monument No. 325833". Historic England. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  26. ^ Holbrook, Nick (2000). "The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Lower Farm, Bishop's Cleeve: Excavations Directed by Kenneth Brown 1969". Trans. Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeology Society (118): 61–92.
  27. ^ Hirst, Sue. "The Mucking Anglo-Saxon cemeteries". Archaeological data service. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  28. ^ "A Pagan Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Norton-on-Tees". Tees Archaeology. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  29. ^ "Significant Anglo-Saxon cemetery and settlement found in Overstone, Northamptonshire". Museum of London Archaeology. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Exploring Kent's Past. Monument". Kent County Council. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  31. ^ Boddington, Andy (1996). Raunds Furnells: The Anglo-Saxon Church and Churchyard. By A. Boddington. English Heritage. ISBN 978-1850745204.
  32. ^ "Saltwood Tunnel, Integrated site report". Archaeological data service. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  33. ^ a b Timby, Jane (1993). "Sancton I Anglo-Saxon Cemetery: Excavations Carried Out Between 1976 and 1980". Archaeological Journal (150): 243–365.
  34. ^ Historic England. "Anglo-Saxon cemetery, parish church of St Giles and associated remains immediately east of Sarre Mill (1018879)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  35. ^ "Lincolnshire Anglo-Saxon cemetery burials unearthed". BBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  36. ^ Faulkner, Neil; Robinson, Keith; Rossin, Gary, eds. (2014). Digging Sedgeford: A People's Archaeology. Poppyland Publishing. ISBN 978-1909796089.
  37. ^ Hirst, Susan M. (1985). An Anglo-Saxon Inhumation Cemetery at Sewerby, East Yorkshire. Department of Archaeology, University of York.
  38. ^ Penn, Kenneth (2011). The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Shrubland Hall Quarry, Coddenham, Suffolk (East Anglian Archaeology Monograph East Anglian Archaeology). East Anglian Archaeology. ISBN 978-0956874702.
  39. ^ Filmer-Sankey, William; Pestell, Tim (2001). Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery: Excavations and Surveys 1824–1992. East Anglian Archaeology 95. Suffolk County Council.
  40. ^ "The Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Spong Hill: Evidence for Anglo-Saxon Migration?". Wuffing Education Centre. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  41. ^ "A Bronze Age round barrow and Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Upthorpe Road, Stanton, Suffolk" (PDF). stanton.onesuffolk.net. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  42. ^ "Street House, Loftus. In-depth Information". Tees Archaeology. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  43. ^ "Early Anglo-Saxon Settlement Site and Cemetery at Stretton on Fosse Site 1". Warwickshire.org. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  44. ^ Fern, C.J.R. (2015). Before Sutton Hoo: The Prehistoric Remains and Early Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Tranmer House, Bromeswell, Suffolk. East Anglian Archaeology 155. Archaeological Service, Suffolk County Council.
  45. ^ Kennedy, Maeve. "Cross and bed found in Anglo-Saxon grave shed new light on 'dark ages'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  46. ^ Welch, Martin (2008), Crawford, Sally; Hamerow, Helena (eds.), "Report on Excavations of the Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Updown, Eastry, Kent", Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History, 15, Oxbow Books: 2, 8, 10, doi:10.2307/j.ctvh1dw9r.5, ISBN 978-1-78297-531-1, JSTOR j.ctvh1dw9r
  47. ^ Buckberry, Jo (2008). "Chapter 9: Off With Their Heads: The Anglo-Saxon Execution Cemetery at Walkington Wold, East Yorkshire". In Murphy, Eileen M. (ed.). Deviant Burial in the Archaeological Record. Oxbow Books. pp. 148–168. ISBN 978-1842173381.
  48. ^ "Excavation of Anglo Saxon Cemetery at Wasperton". Aridadne Digital Resources. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  49. ^ Carver, Martin. "Wasperton Anglo-Saxon Cemetery". Archaeological Data Service. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  50. ^ "HS2: Photos of the Wendover Anglo-Saxon Burial Discover". History Hit. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  51. ^ "Anglo-Saxon burial ground with nearly 140 graves found in Wendover during HS2 dig". Buckinghamshire Live. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  52. ^ A Hancock and R Zeepvat (2008). Wulfhere’s People: A conversion-period Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Wolverton (PDF). Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society.
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