The Antiquaries Journal, 96, 2016, pp 23–67 © The Society of Antiquaries of London, 2016 doi:10.1017⁄s0003581516000718 THE WINTER CAMP OF THE VIKING GREAT ARMY, AD 872–3, TORKSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE Dawn M Hadley, FSA, and Julian D Richards, FSA, with contributions by Hannah Brown, Elizabeth Craig-Atkins, Diana Mahoney-Swales, Gareth Perry, Samantha Stein and Andrew Woods Dawn M Hadley, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, Northgate House, West Street, Sheffield S14ET, UK. Email: d.m.hadley@sheffield.ac.uk Julian D Richards, Department of Archaeology, University of York, The King’s Manor, York YO17EP, UK. Email:
[email protected] This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary project that has revealed the location, extent and character of the winter camp of the Viking Great Army at Torksey, Lincolnshire, of AD 872–3. The camp lay within a naturally defended area of higher ground, partially surrounded by marshes and bordered by the River Trent on its western side. It is considerably larger than the Viking camp of 873–4 previously excavated at Repton, Derbyshire, and lacks the earthwork defences identified there. Several thousand individuals overwintered in the camp, including warriors, craftworkers and merchants. An exceptionally large and rich metalwork assemblage was deposited during the Great Army’s overwintering, and metal processing and trading was undertaken. There is no evidence for a pre-existing Anglo-Saxon trading site here; the site appears to have been chosen for its strategic location and its access to resources. In the wake of the overwintering, Torksey developed as an important Anglo-Saxon borough with a major wheel-thrown pottery industry and multiple churches and cemeteries.