Published by The Society Saxon No. 57 July 2013 acquires the Collection

After many months of fundraising, and Service Foxhall Road, Ipswich. Later in 1938 and was delighted to be able to complete the purchase shortly before last Christmas 1939 undertook the famous of the first part of a nationally important collection of finds from Rendlesham, excavations at Sutton Hoo, the finds from near Woodbridge, in for the collections at Ipswich Museum. The finds the 1938 season being in Ipswich Museum. are the result of a programme of systematic metal detecting of a large area of More recently the museum has acquired arable farmland which commenced in 2008 and is due to be completed this the finds from the high status cemetery site summer. Here the collection is described by PHILIP J. WISE, Collections and at Coddenham, near Ipswich. In 2012 the Curatorial Manager of Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service. nationally significant finds from the Anglo- Saxon town of Ipswich recovered during The Rendlesham Collection is outstanding fragment of a silver wrist clasp, a cosmetic a series of major excavations in the 1970s in terms of its quality and composition. implement, a girdle hanger, three finger and 1980s, including the Buttermarket, This collection covers a broad date range, rings, five hooked tags, four Late Saxon were deposited at Ipswich Museum by including Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval strap ends, three spangles, twelve mounts, Archaeological and Post-Medieval finds, although of three pins, one stud and two weights. Service. Ipswich Museum also continues these the Anglo-Saxon finds are the most Among the highly significant and very to acquire individual Anglo-Saxon objects, archaeologically important. The Anglo- rare elements of the collection are 6th and usually Treasure items, as these become Saxon coinage in particular is notable, 7th century coin weights, indicating that available; most recently in 2011 a gold and both for the total number (40) and types of this was the site of high-value transactions garnet pendant of Anglo-Saxon date from gold and silver coinage represented. Both in bullion currency, and evidence of fine the area of Suffolk. continental and English issues are present, metalworking which includes precious- In the near future a small group of the latter originating in the kingdoms of metal waste and unfinished or failed artefacts and coins from the Rendlesham Kent and the East Saxons as well as East castings. There are clear links between Collection will go on display at Ipswich Anglia. Several items may be regarded as items in the collection and the contents Museum. A larger selection will be high status objects, including a complete of the royal burial mound excavated in featured in the new permanent archaeology gold pin, a silver sword mount, and a gold 1939 at Sutton Hoo, only a few miles gallery created as part of the major bead from a woman’s necklace. Other items from Rendlesham, and the internationally redevelopment of Ipswich Museum due to are foreign imports such as two brooches important Staffordshire Hoard of Anglo- take place over the next few years. from France, a coin weight of Byzantine- Saxon gold metalwork found in 2009. Further groups of finds from the type from the eastern Mediterranean The Anglo-Saxons have been a subject Rendlesham Collection will become and a fragment of a Coptic, or Egyptian, of study and collecting activity at Ipswich available in the near future and it is bronze vessel. The Anglo-Saxon finds also Museum since 1906 when Nina Frances intended to purchase the entire collection, include ten brooches, eighteen buckles, a Layard excavated a cemetery site at or as much as the available finances will allow. Fundraising is therefore continuing for at least another twelve months. The acquisition of the Rendlesham Collection is highly appropriate for Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service on grounds of provenance and relevance as well as the artistic merit and rarity of many of the items in the collection. This is an exceptionally rare opportunity to preserve for future generations archaeological evidence from the dawn of English history.

The purchase of the Rendlesham Collection A complete Anglo-Saxon gold pin in the has been made possible by generous grants A Merovingian tremissis in the Rendlesham Rendlesham Collection decorated with an from the V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Art Collection, which is a unique type of 7th opposing pair of birds’ heads and dated to Fund, the Friends of the Ipswich , the century date. c. 620-720 (Photos: Suffolk County Council Headley Trust and the Sutton Hoo Society. Archaeological Service). The wolf-coats in

Wulfheodenas on the mounds of Old (photo: Vince and Grace Evans; all other photos, Lindsay Kerr).

Formed six years ago, Wulfheodenas is ’s only re-enactment group dedicated to recreating aspects of the 6th-7th centuries. Their name is the equivalent of the Old Norse ulfheðnar, meaning ‘wolf-coats’. Largely based at Sutton Hoo, many of its twenty-five recruits are also members of the Sutton Hoo Society. They provided a spectacular start to the Society’s 2011 conference, Sutton Hoo: a Swedish Perspective in Ipswich, where the academic speakers suggested they should visit them in Sweden. So in May this year, sixteen members of the group made the trip to Uppsala, described here by PAUL MORTIMER, alias Raedwald.

On the morning of Monday 13th found mainly on helmets from Sweden, tour of the current archaeological dig by May, the group presented itself to an Sutton Hoo and the Staffordshire Hoard. Jonas Wikborg and his team, and then invited audience of academics at Gamla I gave the final offering, Misenlicu‘ John Ljungkvist showed us the significant Uppsala, by marching into the room Þing or Various Things’, giving some sites of . Later on, the and loudly proclaiming their presence. idea of the items we could not take to group mingled with the public and gave This was followed by three members Sweden, as well as an account of remaking an impromptu presentation in the theatre of Wulfheodenas giving presentations, the Sutton Hoo whetstone and a new of Gamla Uppsala museum. Throughout followed by question and answer sessions. replica of the Mound 1 sword that I had the day we were looked after handsomely Stephen Pollington spoke first, on Ingwine‘ commissioned. Dave Roper, the maker of by Fredrik Käck the curator, Gunilla and Ynglingar: cultural and political the highest quality reproductions of the Beckholmen, Linda Klementsson and links between Eastern Sweden and Sutton Hoo regalia, some of which are other museum staff. Eastern Britain in the Early Mediaeval now in the Treasury at Sutton Hoo, was Tuesday 14th began with a trip to Period’. Matthew Bunker followed, with part of the expedition. So too was Vince Valsgärde, where we could appreciate ‘Hildewaépnum ond Heaðowaédum, Evans and his wife Grace. Vince, one of the beautiful setting and the wild flowers Weapons of Battle and War-dress: the best pattern-welded sword-makers in growing among the mounds. Later where iconography, archaeology and the world, lives in Hawaii and researched that day we visited the Gustavianum in reconstruction converge’, about the and made the blade for my new sword. Uppsala, where we were allowed to take imagery contained in the pressed plates Afterwards, the group was given a photographs of the exhibits and discuss

2 Saxon 57 John Ljungkvist guides the group around the mounds at Old Uppsala. Anne-Sofie Gräslund, Professor Emerita, (left) with Helena Hulth (centre) and Dave Roper (right). them with John Worley, the museum pictures in the museum, including the make sure that we got the best out of curator. John also arranged for us to Gold Room. our short stay. I would particularly like visit the museum’s store, where we were Some of our members went back to to thank Neil Price, Frands Herschend, shown many valuable items not currently England on Thursday morning, while the Anne-Sofie Gräslund and Torun on display. Throughout Tuesday we were rest of us were given a presentation about Zachrisson, all speakers at the Society’s guided by Peter Johnsson, a world class recent finds from the current dig at Gamla 2011 Conference, who helped make our swordsmith who lives in Uppsala and has a Uppsala. Then we went to look around the visit so memorable and gave us so much to deep interest in his country’s history. Upplandsmuseet (Upplands Museum) think about. Tuesday gave us a break from wearing in Uppsala. 6th-7th century garb, but we dressed up During our final afternoon in Sweden, Paul Mortimer regularly performs at Sutton again on Wednesday morning to go to the we were privileged to be taken to the Hoo and elsewhere as Raedwald. He is the Historiska Museet (The National History site of Ultuna by Helena Hulth. Not far author of Woden’s Warriors: warfare, beliefs, Museum) in Stockholm, where we did our from Uppsala, Ultuna once had some 700 arms and armour in the 6th and 7th centuries utmost to entertain the visitors, who were mounds, but unfortunately few of them in Northern Europe (Anglo-Saxon Books, mostly children from primary schools. were ever excavated properly and much 2012) and co-editor, with Stephen Pollington, They were very enthusiastic and interested information was lost over the years due to of Remaking the Sutton Hoo Stone: The in our costumes and most - probably all - building works. Nevertheless, dedicated Ansell-Roper reconstruction and its context, spoke some English. It was good fun and archaeologists like Helena have been able which will be published later this year by while in costume we were aided by Linda to make discoveries, and the work goes on. Anglo-Saxon Books. Wahlander of the museum. During the We were treated with the utmost afternoon, the curator, Kent Anderson, kindness throughout our stay in Sweden, www.asbooks.co.uk www.wulfheodenas.com gave us a special dispensation to take and everyone went out of their way to

The group’s public presentation at Old Uppsala. Bruce Tordulf explains the details of his seax. www.suttonhoo.org 3 In the Parker Library and the ‘Arch and Anth’

It may seem hackneyed to write of a spine-tingling experience, writes PAULINE MOORE, but that is what many of us from the Society felt on 14th June, as Dr , Donnelley Fellow Librarian of Corpus Christi College, led us through the historic quad and into the Parker Library. It houses the collection made by Archbishop Matthew Parker, formerly chaplain to Anne Boleyn, who was catapulted into the archbishopric of Canterbury by Elizabeth I. He believed the Golden Age of England to have been the Anglo-Saxon period, when the king could possess a copy of the Bible in English. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge: Parker Library, far right (all photos: Nigel Maslin).

As a great privilege, Dr Hamel had may have been (he had a Christian queen) Anthropology we were delighted to prepared a special display for us, laying to see magical marks held on strange paper be allowed to don gloves and handle a open on a table Anglo-Saxon manuscripts between wooden covers. We could see great many Anglo-Saxon artefacts in the for us to inspect ‘up close and personal’. faded ink, but the coloured illustration had Archaeology Workroom, again specially Dr Hamel told us, “Twenty-five per cent of survived on the pages opened to us. laid out for us. In the morning we were all surviving manuscripts in Old English We saw the second oldest copy of the welcomed by Dr Catherine Hills, Senior are within twenty feet of you; and ten per Gospels in English, translated in about University Lecturer and excavator of the cent of all manuscripts known to have 1000 AD in Bath Abbey: Parker’s own cemetery in Norfolk. Under existed in England before the Conquest, glosses, in red chalk, were in . There the helpful guidance of Imogen Gunn, are within twenty feet of you.” too was the Bury Bible, produced at Bury St Collections Manager (Archaeology), and Our host had specially opened and Edmunds Abbey in the 1130s, and Felix of her colleague, we held girdle-hangers, labelled the Old English , given to Crowland’s Life of St. Guthlac, and in the latch-lifters, necklaces, square-headed Exeter Cathedral by Leofric, at the page beautiful round script of Canterbury was the brooches and pins of 5th-8th centuries. We telling how Raedwald had been ‘admitted Pontifical service book used by Archbishop inspected an early sundial from St. John’s to the sacrament in Kent’, and how the Stigand in the coronation of Harold College, the Hildersham hanging bowl queen and counsellors had objected. Beside Godwinson, and possibly also William the and a fragile bone comb, reliquary and it was the Parker Chronicle, the oldest Conqueror. This is a treasure-house, and we needle. Spare time allowed us to visit the version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, are very privileged to have seen it. newly refurbished museum, which includes again mentioning Raedwald as King of Our two groups made a brief visit to the collections of cultural anthropology, . St Bene’t’s (Benedict’s) Church, owned by with a current exhibition on Chiefs and The highlight for this scribe was to Corpus Christi, with some of its original Governors: Art and Power in Fiji. stand before the Gospels of St Augustine, Anglo-Saxon building, especially the Sincere thanks go to Megan Milan who brought them, as Bede says, before tower, still visible. The Parish Clerk, and Bryony Abbott for organising such a King Aethelbert of Kent, as the saint Deborah Meyler, guided our morning visit, wonderful visit. Details of a second trip to approached him with a crucifer. (One and Richard Andrewes, a member of the Cambridge in September are enclosed as a can only surmise that Raedwald could congregation, the afternoon. Several of us flyer in this issue. have seen this book later at his baptism). were amused to see two large tombs, with Imagine what effect it might have had on a Samuel Newton interred in each! http://parkerweb.stanford.edu Anglo-Saxons less tutored than Aethelbert At the Museum of Archaeology and http://maa.cam.ac.uk/maa

Dr Catherine Hills (right) with Imogen Gunn The 7th century hanging bowl from Inside the newly refurbished Museum of (centre left) pointing out features of the Hildersham, Cambridge (D 1950.11). Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge. Hildersham hanging bowl.

4 Saxon 57 Inside and underneath Colchester Castle

Colchester Castle (photo: www.flickr.com/photos/gauiscaecilius; other photos, Megan Milan). St Christopher carrying the Christ Child.

Colchester Castle is closed for redevelopment until 2014, but before restoration work started, the Museum gave members of the public the chance to view the Castle, stripped bare of display cases, in all its architectural splendour. On March 16th, a cold and blustery day, a group of Sutton Hoo Society members and National Trust volunteers were treated to a private tour, described here by MEGAN MILAN. Measuring 46 x 33.5m, Colchester Castle began in the early 1070s – just a handful is not just the largest Norman keep in of years after the Battle of Hastings. England but in all of Europe. Strictly This was the era of Hereward the Wake, speaking, the Castle falls just outside the and the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants of membership’s area of interest, but such Colchester surely witnessed the building an opportunity was too good to pass up, work, perhaps even participated in it. The Members of the Sutton Hoo Society consigned to the cells of Colchester Castle. and, as the group discovered, the origins work was interrupted, possibly at the time of the Castle inspire romantic musings on of the death of William I in 1087, but The group then proceeded to the upper possible links with the Anglo-Saxons. was finished by the early 12th century. storey, stopping on the way to view graffiti Crossing through the round, Norman Interestingly, it was only used as a castle scratched into the sentry’s seat by the archway, the group was met by Philip proper for some two hundred years being entrance and into the wall at the base of Wise, Collections and Curatorial converted into a prison and continuing as the Great Stair; among them are a Norman Manager at Colchester and Ipswich such, with various interruptions, until the knight and an image of St Christopher Museum Service, who gave an overview early 19th century. carrying the Christ Child. Here, on the of the history of the Castle before taking Armed with an understanding of the first floor, were the hall where the king, or the group into the main ground-floor Castle’s history, the group followed Philip his representative, received visitors, and area. The Castle was built on the site Wise into the main ground-floor room, the royal bedchamber. Here too were great of the Roman Temple of Claudius, and where he pointed out evidence of a now fireplaces, among the earliest examples material from the Temple was used in its vanished arcaded wall, which divided the surviving in England, and garderobes. Also construction. Indeed, the foundations of cavernous space on a north-south axis, and on this storey was the Castle chapel and an the Temple can still be seen beneath the typical Roman, flat, red bricks in the walls. intriguing staircase leading from the chapel Castle. Built in c. AD 54, the Temple was This area was probably used for storage. to somewhere unknown down below, the the grandest building in , Philip also shared the results of the latest exact purpose of which is still a mystery. former stronghold of the Trinovantes and research on the Castle, explaining that it The tour concluded in the dungeons, first capital of the province of Britannia. is now thought that, although the Castle where hundreds of prisoners were Sacked by Boudica in AD 60/61, its history may originally have been intended to have confined, from 1226 until 1835. Their brings to mind the evocative image enta three stories, only two were built, but with most famous occupants were probably geweorc, the ‘work of giants,’ of the Old higher corner towers. Certainly, analysis the hapless victims of Matthew Hopkins, English poems. must have been made much more difficult Witchfinder General. Standing in the Some one thousand years later, by the actions of John Weeley, who bought dimly lit, cold cells, looking through the construction of the Norman Castle began. the Castle in 1683 and proceeded to iron bars, with the weight of the castle It was likely designed by Gundulf, Bishop dismantle much of the upper structure to pressing down all around, it was not hard of Rochester, ‘architect’ of the White sell off as building material. Thankfully, he to imagine the feelings of those confined Tower of London and ‘father of the Corps’ went bankrupt before he could demolish here, or to believe that the spirits of some of the Royal Engineers. Construction the rest of the building. may linger here still. www.suttonhoo.org 5 The Pontefract connection

Part of a much larger group picture, this section conveniently shows five of the Sutton Hoo diggers The end of the Mound 1 ship in 1967: in 1963, on a site which PontArc is still digging. L to R: Kevin Stubbs; Fred Morris; Terry Carney; Don Lodge extreme right. Ken Wilson; Margaret (Peggy) Wilson.

Last year’s reunion of Sutton Hoo diggers from the 1960s made one of them, ERIC HOULDER, reflect how fleeting people’s memories are: the subsequent feature in the East Anglian Daily Times showed how faulty memories could become over forty years. Here he puts the record straight on the group of ’60s Sutton Hoo excavators who came from Pontefract on the eastern boundary of Yorkshire. , incidentally, the owner of Sutton Hoo in 1939, came from Elland on the western edge of West Yorkshire.

The Pontefract connection with Sutton in Hull, including service as a regular in she became an actress under her maiden Hoo really begins in the late 1950s. the Royal Navy, war experience aboard name of Margaret Dean. Peggy was also Inspired by a WEA class in archaeology HMS Rodney and other vessels, and an excellent raconteur, telling, amongst sponsored by Leeds University, a group teacher training. (It was only later that other tales, the one of her tea-date with of enthusiasts in Pontefract formed the we discovered that Ken was a published J. B. Priestley. Her skills with the Lee Pontefract & District Archaeological war poet with a national reputation. He Enfield had been put to use in the early Society (PontArch). The same was was also one of the eye-witnesses to the days of the Home Guard, after which she happening all over the country at this time, loss of the airship R38.) During regular became involved in the supply of clothing and much of the momentum came from excavation work during the summer to bombed-out civilians – a vital but largely the wonderful programmes the BBC was vacations after the war, he was lucky unrecognised role. broadcasting at this time. The Pontefract enough to be a joint discoverer of the After the war Peggy came into group, however, was different in one St Ninian’s Isle Treasure. A brilliant archaeology, and her top-level contacts particular: it attracted a charismatic pair raconteur, the evenings spent in local enabled her to move into the higher of experienced archaeologists who had the pubs were enlivened by Ken’s tales of his echelons. This is not the place to describe knowledge, contacts, and sheer inspiration adventures both in the war and in the the very small world of post-war to empower a group of individuals to trenches. These tales encouraged a few of archaeology, suffice to say that fewer than become really efficient excavators, both us to subscribe to the CBA Calendar and one thousand people were involved, largely as a team and individually. As one of that participate in other digs. This was easier in the academic summer holidays. It was group, and moreover the only one who has for those of us in full time education either inevitable that Ken and Peggy would be remained seriously involved in archaeology as students or teachers, for most ‘serious’ drawn together, and they set up home in to the present day, I want to set down digs took place during the academic Ilkley, from where they began a programme the background to our involvement at summer holidays. of re-invigorating Yorkshire archaeology. Sutton Hoo. By total coincidence, another respondee As part of the plan, they organised small- to the CBA Calendar that summer was scale digs using the very best of current Ken & Peggy Wilson Margaret (Peggy) Markham White. Peggy methodology; someone once remarked, The Pontefract group had its own dig, St had a privileged background, her father “Peggy out-Wheelered Mortimer John’s Priory, which was advertised each being important in the diplomatic service. Wheeler himself.” Whilst true, the year in the CBA Calendar of Excavations. Whilst she was young, her family had been couple were also aware of the developing In 1959, one of the respondees was posted to the Falkland Isles where Peggy trend towards open area excavation, and Kenneth Wilson, Schools Museum Officer learned many useful skills including how to this eventually became the cause of the at the Abbey House Museum in Leeds. strip down and re-assemble a Lee Enfield rift that developed between them and the Ken had had a varied career since his birth rifle. Following education at Roedean Ashbees in 1967/8.

6 Saxon 57 Their position at Sutton Hoo was always somewhat anomalous. Many of us The Pontefract connection believed at the time that Ken was actually Deputy Director (with Peggy in the background – a position she preferred), though in many ways Richmal Ashbee also fulfilled that role. As someone who remained friendly with both parties, I am in a good position to describe what happened. It must be said that Paul never regarded their parting of the ways as a rift, more as a difference of opinion. Basically, Peggy felt that the Sutton Hoo site should be dug as an open area excavation with recording in metric, following the new trend being pioneered by the emerging younger archaeologists like Barry Cunliffe and Peter Addyman. (Peter, a friend and contemporary of mine, is currently President of the Pontefract & District Archaeological Society, and recalls working as a supervisor for Paul long before Sutton Hoo.) Paul, on the other hand, felt that as Basil Brown and Charles Phillips had begun as a series of boxes using Imperial Derek and Anne Thorpe outside their tent, probably on a Sunday, at the Five Winds campsite measurements, it made sense that it should (photo: Derek W. Thorpe; other photos, Eric Houlder LRPS). continue as such. My opinion, for what it is worth, was with Paul. Thus, Ken and firm so that he served an apprenticeship photography on a number of the Wilson’s Peggy were absent from Sutton Hoo for as a bricklayer and stonemason. In 1939 sites. As they only had a fortnight paid the 1969 and subsequent seasons. he proved unfit for the forces, and joined holiday per year from Derek’s work in the fire service, with which he served in, engineering, the pair came on the same Fred Morris and Don Lodge amongst other blitzed towns, Coventry conditions as Fred Morris and Don During the autumn and winter of 1966- and later the York Baedeker Raid. He is Lodge. Naturally, they timed their stay to 7, I was directing a small-scale dig on a the foreground fireman damping down in coincide with that of the latter two, and Roman road at Ilkley for the Yorkshire York station in the picture seen in many made a point of going around together on Archaeological Society. Amongst the history books of the Second World War. Sundays and in the evenings. Shortly after workers were Don Lodge and Fred Like Fred he had educated himself and Sutton Hoo Derek and Ann started their Morris, both members of the Pontefract was a founder member of PontArch. family, and dropped out of PontArch and group. Following each meeting of Don eventually became President of archaeology in general. PontArch (as it is called today) we active PontArch, and died shortly after visiting diggers gathered in the New Inn – now Sutton Hoo with a group of my students Kevin Stubbs long demolished – to analyse the lecture in about 1985. Kevin was a founder member, with and catch up on the gossip. It was here, By the time we found out about the Terry Carney, of the junior section of under conditions of strict secrecy, that we 1967 season at Sutton Hoo, some of us PontArch. At the time of Sutton Hoo he heard about the proposed new work at had made holiday arrangements which was a trainee teacher, and attended Paul Sutton Hoo from Ken & Peggy. Amongst could not be altered. Thus, whilst Don, Ashbee’s annual Whitsuntide dig on the those invited to participate were Don, Terry and Kevin accompanied us to Scilly Isles. He only dug at Sutton Hoo Fred, myself and Joan, Terry Carney, and Sutton Hoo, Fred was unable to come, in 1967. Kevin Stubbs. though he and Don spent a fortnight each Fred was of the older generation. in the subsequent 1968 and 1969 seasons. Terry Carney He had taken part in the ill-fated This was their entire annual holiday Terry was another member of PontArch Norwegian campaign of 1940, and entitlement, and the minimum time which who joined the excavation circuit, as a result never spoke of his wartime Paul allowed anyone to stay on the site. digging with the Ashbees on Scilly, and experiences. He was a lorry driver by It should be said that this condition was supervising at Sutton Hoo followed by a profession, working for one of the local quite normal as most directors felt that it similar job at Mucking. All this was done liquorice manufacturers, Dunhill’s. Fred took a week to become familiar with local in his vacations from university and for a was a type you rarely meet today, but soils etc., so that only the second week few years afterwards. Staying in the area common on the committees of local became archaeologically productive. of Mucking, Terry eventually obtained a societies of all types then. He had only post in the museum at Thurrock, working had an elementary education, but by dint Derek & Ann Thorpe his way up the hierarchy until he retired of evening classes and much reading he When Paul asked me to supervise a quite recently. had educated himself in both topography quarter of the site in the 1968 season, he and archaeology. asked me if any other PontArch members Eric & Joan Houlder Don was of the same generation, and should be asked. I suggested Derek and As a founder member of PontArch, I was indeed was a boyhood friend of my own Ann Thorpe. Derek was (and is) a skilled heavily involved with both society and father. His family owned a local building photographer, having undertaken the the Wilsons’ digs from 1957 onwards.

www.suttonhoo.org 7 Joan and I married in 1963 and from then onwards she came with me on various excavations chosen from the CBA Calendar of Excavations. Among them were West Stowe and those along the (then) new M4 motorway. I too specialised in site photography, though my oeuvre was colour rather than monochrome. Around the time we were digging at Sutton Hoo I was experimenting with the newly available Robert during the polarising filters which clarified soil trip he organised to sections in some lighting conditions. the reconstructed Outside archaeology, I taught history meadhall at in a mixed school, and Joan was head Wychurst, Kent, of geography at a large girls’ school. on 12th June 2010 Naturally my work involved much archaeology, and included some of the Robert J. Allen 24th November 1939 – 9th June 2013 earliest excavation work undertaken Robert Allen, a senior member of the Sutton Hoo Society, died in hospital on by school pupils. Sunday 9th June 2013. He was 74 years of age. He had suffered a long period During our involvement at Sutton of ill-health which finally overcame even his indomitable spirit and will to live. Hoo, where I ended up being supervisor in charge of half the site, I was offered Robert, retired school teacher and school Over time the range and scope of the a similar post on a ship excavation in inspector, was a multi-talented linguist Society’s offerings included our annual Scandinavia, and had to make a decision and had an enthusiastic interest in history, lecture, academic conferences and regular on whether to stay in teaching or strike architecture – especially ecclesiastical – coach trips to places of related interest. out as a professional archaeologist. After and particularly archaeology. It seemed It was here that he really achieved his much heart-searching I chose teaching, almost inevitable, despite his many other finest hour. Trips became short breaks though archaeology played an increasingly interests, that he would find time for and then full blown holidays, all with an important role in this; one of the last such the Sutton Hoo Society. He stayed with educational focus. The variety included involvements was working with sixth the Society for twelve years until the taking groups of members to Denmark, form pupils on an Anglo-Saxon cemetery. very end. During this time he became a Sweden, the north , and Following early retirement because of member of the Executive Committee and the Republic of Ireland. Thomas Cook ill health, I went back into professional an Honorary Member of the Society. would have been envious! In between all archaeology as chief photographer to the Robert was a natural public speaker this there were the local day trips to places Wood Hall Archaeological Trust. I was and this lead him to join the ‘guiding of Anglo-Saxon interest. Undoubtedly also involved with photographing the group’ making many appearances local coach companies are sure to miss his Towton Battlefield skeletons, and shortly amongst the Anglo-Saxon mounds entrepreneurial zeal and his frequent calls for afterwards was asked to participate whatever the weather. The high standards their services. as photographer/supervisor on the St he set himself were always apparent for Robert’s interest in helping others Aiden’s Sunken Ships Project; we won the others to see and to emulate. Not every to learn did not exclude expanding his Pitt Rivers Award for this with special one of us was capable of achieving his own desire to expand his own knowledge commendation of the photography. level but he was always available to help whilst at the same time enjoying the cut PontArch survives as a small town them to improve their performance. In and thrust of debate on matters of history, society with an average of a hundred this way he enhanced the reputation of the language and archaeology in weekly members in most years. However, guiding force and to the overall reputation classes run by Dr Sam Newton at Sutton those heady days of the late 1960s were of the Society. Hoo. He also brought into play his wealth probably the last occasions when skilled Even as his health made it more difficult of friends and acquaintances built up amateurs could participate in supervisory for him to walk far unaided, or to stand over a life time, which always provided roles on a dig of international importance. for long periods, he was considering how him with an anecdote to illustrate his Each time I speak on Sutton Hoo, I to continue his volunteering for guided arguments. His ability to name-drop in remember those times with affection, tours. He soon found the answer in the these circumstances became legendary. pride and rather too much nostalgia. motorised mobility scooter. He managed Robert was a larger than life character to persuade the National Trust that he and all who met him, or volunteered had the capability to ride the device over alongside him, felt they had a special the mounds and after detailed discussions friend who was always willing to support he was allowed to do so. This was a and encourage them in their endeavours. concession offered to no one else. Soon he All of this varied activity added to the became a familiar sight leading his tour reputation of the society and contributed party on his mechanical steed in a manner to its success and growing status in recent somewhat reminiscent of a cavalry charge. years. Robert leaves behind him a legacy Robert subsequently took over the to be proud of and memories which will management of the guiding rota where surely inspire those who are following in his organisational skills were put to good his footsteps. use. He further expanded his volunteering MICHAEL ARGENT Eric and Joan Houlder outside our tent on the portfolio by taking on the organisation of Chairman, Sutton Hoo Society Wood Hall campsite, one Sunday in 1968. events run by the Society for its members.

8 Saxon 57 Those elusive villagers A review by MARTIN CARVER, Some of the best research sites distinguished the Anglo-Saxon cultivated Professor Emeritus of Archaeology, (eg Chalton) remain unpublished, and land from that occupied by houses, so University of York. although rescue archaeology over the last showing the size of settlement and the ten years has brought a bonanza of ditches development of agriculture in the early, I’ve been reading Helena Hamerow’s Rural and post-holes, bones and potsherds, it middle and late Saxon periods: the Settlements and Society in Anglo-Saxon has generated rather more academic heat number of hectares given over to arable, England (2012), a survey that shows than light. Did sunken-features buildings it seems, virtually doubled every 150 how timber buildings are put together, have wooden floors? Are 6 hectare sites years. This project has always seemed to lays out the settlement plans, describes ‘proto-towns’ (West Heslerton) or small me one of the cleverest in Anglo-Saxon ‘ritual deposits’ and says a little about hamlets wandering about (Mucking)? settlement archaeology. Its modern peer agricultural practice and rural industry, Well, are they? “We do not as yet have the is perhaps Mary Chester-Kaldwell’s study in six succinct chapters. It’s enough to evidence at our disposal to resolve these of settlement and cemetery patterns in weave a serviceable storyline. In the early apparent contradictions” says Hamerow Norfolk (2009), and if you add to this days (5th-7th century), the Anglo-Saxons (2012, 65). Perhaps we should consider the high quality publication of settlement built numerous small, dispersed hamlets why we don’t. Excavating early medieval and cemetery at Bloodmoor Hill (2009), consisting of family-sized post-built houses buildings in north-west Europe is a serious it seems that East Anglia is almost in and huts with sunken features used for business if you want to extract details position to write its own book on Anglo- weaving and grain storage. They were of their architecture and use, requiring Saxon settlement. Maybe it should, with immigrants from the continent, where a lot of time, extreme care and ideally Witton showing the way. both types of house can be found, but they didn’t bring with them the huge continental byre houses where people and cattle live in chummy proximity - they Further reading didn’t have the capital to build them. In the 7th century more varied and grander Carver, Martin 2011 Making Archaeology types of settlement appear: the ‘palace’ Happen. Design versus Dogma (California: or royal villa, the monastery, the wic Left Coast Press) (a coastal trading centre), and its inland Champion, Tim 1977 ‘Chalton’, Current equivalent, detected from a scatter of Archaeology 59: 364-369 coins. This colourful Middle Saxon world came to an end with the 9th century Chester-Kaldwell, M. 2009 Early Anglo- Viking wars, after which the settlement Saxon Communities in the landscape of strategy was given a makeover: in their Norfolk (BAR 481) third period, the Anglo-Saxons invented Hamerow, Helena 1993 Excavations at England, a land of aristocratic estate Mucking Volume 2: The Anglo-Saxon centres, villages, towns and ports, of a Settlement (London: English Heritage) type that a medieval person could more Hamerow, Helena 2002 Early Medieval or less recognise. As for the houses, Settlements: The archaeology of rural they get larger and sturdier, can have an communities in North-West Europe upstairs or a cellar, but are still built of 400-900 (OUP) timber and mud. The book is a learned treatise and its Hamerow, Helena 2012 Rural Settlements author is the safest of guides to Anglo- and Society in Anglo-Saxon England (OUP) Saxon settlement archaeology, if not the Hope-Taylor, Brian 1977 Yeavering: most chatty. There are none of those on-site physical and chemical mapping. An Anglo-British Centre of early enlivening images you might hope for Trenching, stripping of the ploughsoil (HMSO) to conjure up those elusive villagers: without recording it, timid designs, lack rolling hills in slanting sunlight, historic of allocated time and money, lack of Lucy, S., Tipper, J. & Dickens, A. 2009 The Anglo-Saxon Settlement and Cemetery meadows and fords, tracks, tools, architectural reconstructions, both on at Bloodmoor Hill, paper and for real - these are among the architectural reconstructions, pottery, (East Anglian Archaeology 131) grain dryers, hearths and pits. There is reasons that we don’t measure up too well one photograph (p. 132): a picture of a to the results from extensive settlement Rahtz, Philip A. 1976 Buildings and rural bone in some gravelly soil, taken by an excavations on the continent. settlement in D Wilson (ed.) The Archaeology eminent professor. There are plenty of A puzzling omission was the of Anglo-Saxon England (Methuen): 49-98 line drawings, though, in fact a relentless Witton project, the fruits of a Norfolk Rahtz, Philip A. 1979 The Saxon and parade of monochromatic lines, dots farmer’s long-term archaeological love Medieval Palaces at Cheddar (BAR 65) and blobs as fascinating (to an expert) affair with his farmland, nurtured by as close-up slides of bacteria. The author Andrew Rogerson and analysed by Keith Tipper, J. 2004 The Grubenhaus in allows credit where it is due and her (1983). Pottery retrieved from Anglo-Saxon England (Yedingham) style of criticism rarely exceeds a distant the fields was divided into ‘abraded’ Wade, Keith 1983 in A. Lawson (ed.) Oxfordian dissent. But actually she does and ‘less abraded’ sherds and held to The Archaeology of Witton, near North have something to complain about – and indicate ploughland and settlement Walsham (East Anglian Archaeology 18) so do we. debris respectively. When mapped, they www.suttonhoo.org 9 societies of the 5th and 6th centuries, and became instant specialists in the ‘amuletic Of image and ambiguity bracteates’ of these people, who left only high status metalwork and cremation urns to pass on their message. Roman parade helmets morphed into Anglo-Saxon designs; animal ornamentation derived from metalwork adjusted to new contexts in copies of the Gospels; but the human images that must once have been worked in wood are lost. Complex surface patterning masked the verbal texturing of riddles produced by a cryptic imagination, “packed with more double entendres than a Carry On film”. The best example of passing on riddles Mike Argent about to introduce lecturer Leslie Webster Leslie Webster’s recent booklet and messages is the early 8th century on The Franks Casket. Northumbrian Franks Casket, with scenes Professor LESLIE WEBSTER gave this year’s Basil Brown Memorial Lecture on of Weland the Smith, the Adoration of the Tradition and Innovation in Anglo-Saxon Art to an audience of more than a Magi, the Sack of Jerusalem, Romulus hundred in the Riverside Theatre, Woodbridge, on 11th May. and Remus and tales of Egil, Hos and Erta, all carved on whale bone. It reflects This hugely entertaining, brilliantly illustrated the service of political power and Christian a complex combination of runic and lecture was essentially an epitome of Leslie’s mission, and finally the Viking impact. Roman traditions, Germanic legends, and new history of Anglo-Saxon art, which was While this broad historical chronicle Byzantine Christianity that were typical of published last year. To have all the complex unfolded, Leslie was always concerned the intellectual and artistic ferment of the visual and interpretive themes encapsulated with ‘reading the image, seeing the text’, age, and which our lecturer did so much to within an hour made a dramatic narrative, an apparent contradiction that is key unravel for us. – N.M. which, were it published, would make the to the art she was analysing. Like Arab perfect introduction to the subject. calligraphy, illuminated texts present us Professor Leslie Webster The broad historical themes are with pictures, while images have subtle Anglo-Saxon Art, a new history familiar from the book: the early symbolic meanings that have to be read. ( Press, 2012) inheritance of Roman and Danish forms, We heard about the shape-shifting The Franks Casket (British Museum Press, 2012) Celtic and eastern influences, symbolism in beings and the gods of illiterate tribal Reduald, Redvald, Rædwald, Hrédwald, Hrǽdwald, or Hrǽðwald The last issue of Saxon printed the script of Professor MARTIN CARVER’s recent catalogue-poem, , where it is essay for BBC Radio 3 on Rædwald, where the name was spelt phonetically as particularly associated with the Goths. ‘Radwarld’. This brought protests from our favourite Anglo-Saxon studies leader, I suggest then that the form Reduald Dr SAM NEWTON, a reply from Martin, and explanations from both of them. and Redvald are Latin versions of an Old English Hrédwald, Hrǽdwald, or Martin Carver emailed , ‘Yes of course I “power”. The first element may be one of Hrǽðwald, which would mean something three possibilities: did spell it phonetically to remind me not like “Victory Power”. (1) r d, “counsel”, the usual to say “Redweld”. I am spelling ‘Raedwald’ ǽ This suggestion strengthened by the interpretation, but which is more usually thus, and pronouncing ae as in ‘hat’, a as in presence of the name Hróðmund preserved found as the second element in royal ‘father’. See Sweet’s Anglo-Saxon Primer, in the upper reaches of the East Anglian compound names, as in Æþel-r d, ninth edition page 1. I was taught Old ǽ royal pedigree preserved in the Anglian “Noble-counsel”; English by Rosemary Cramp (BA Oxon.). Collection, to which it would be related (2) hræd (also spelt hræð, hraðe, or It would not be amazing if and by alliteration and back-variation (on hreð), “ready” or “hasty”, which might Cambridge had equally strong and differing the name Hróðmund and the possibility seem plausible, given the tendency for convictions about how Anglo-Saxons talked.’ that it may be that of the young prince of Latin writers to drop the h in Old English Turning from phonetics to linguistics, Sam Denmark in , see chapter 4 of my words beginning with hr and to substitute Newton emailed to give us the background to Origins of Beowulf.’ the spelling they both agree on, as follows: d for the Old English ð (eth), but which ‘Our earliest forms of the name of this seems to have no clear parallels in Old Dr Sam Newton great Wuffing king dates from the early English royal name-giving; or The Origins of Beowulf and the Pre-Viking 8th century and are provided by Bede, who (3) hrǽd, hréd, hréð or hróð, “victory” Kingdom of East Anglia renders it in Latin as Reduald, and the or “glory”, which might also seem (D.S. Brewer, Cambridge, 1993) Whitby author of The Life of St Gregory, plausible for the same reasons noted in who spells it Redvald. The Old English (2) above. This form, however, does have The Reckoning of King Raedwald: the story of form appears in all major manuscripts of parallels in early royal name-giving, as in the king linked to the Sutton Hoo ship-burial (Wuffing Studies I, Red Bird Press, 2003) The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the earliest Beowulf, especially in the Danish dynastic of which dates from around the late 9th names Hróðgár, Hróþulf, Hróðmund, or Professor Martin Carver’s talk on King century, as Rædwald. Hréðríc, and in the Geatish royal eponym Raedwald and his wife (Radio 3, The Essay: Rædwald is clearly a regular Old Hréðel and its variant Hrǽdel. Similarly Anglo-Saxon Portraits, 19 October 2012) is English compound-name, the second varying spellings of names based on this still available on BBC iPlayer at http://www. element of which must have been -wald, word are also cited in the Old English bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nb0t0

10 Saxon 57 Membership Nydam launch nears matters PAULINE MOORE, our membership secretary, writes: We can only continue to fulfil our constitutional aims – to help safeguard and promote the burial site at Sutton Hoo, tell its story, and spread knowledge about Anglo-Saxons – if we have a strong enough membership to give support. Our members do give loyal support to our conference events, trips and lectures; they share their involvement in relevant areas of archaeology and study, and help publish and post Saxon twice a year. We have also helped National Trust commission excellent replicas of some of the ship burial treasures for public display, and for use in the ‘Out of the Case’ The ship shed (or ‘naust’) being built on the shores of Alssund, Denmark, to house the handling sessions which the Society has reconstruction of the 4th century Nydam ship. introduced this year in the Exhibition Hall. Ole Brixen Søndergaard writes: “Just a In recent years, costs involved in every short follow-up on the NYDAM boat one of these areas have risen, and we are West Stow project. The boat is almost completed, now having to raise our subscriptions for West Stow is one of the most important the hull being painted with a mixture of 2014, as agreed at the last AGM: Early Anglo-Saxon settlements in the tree tar and lime oil, and work has now country, continuing from the 5th into the Ordinary membership £15.00 moved to raising the NAUST (ship shed). 7th centuries. It remained virtually intact All the stout timber was been prepared Family membership £22.50 and was never subject to later occupation. at the shipyard during the winter, and The seventy sunken-featured buildings, Student membership £7.50 is being put together at the beach. Time grouped around seven halls, produced an Overseas (all categories) £30.00 is now running fast, with only a month abundance of evidence of pottery, weaving to go before the launch. All hands are at and bone working. The site was excavated work and our wives are sewing, weaving Overseas members may prefer to pay via in the 1970s by Dr Stanley West when he and dyeing dresses, all by hand, PayPal on our website, www.suttonhoo.org was County Archaeologist, and his report, in order for us to be properly dressed on long out of print, has now been reprinted the 17 of August.” Those members who pay subscriptions in two volumes. West Stow is examined by STANDING ORDER should now, in the context of the nearby inhumation please, notify their Banks that payment to cemetery (investigated in the 19th our CAF Bank should change accordingly, Street House century), the cremation cemetery a mile ready for payment on 31 December 2013. away at , and Saxon settlement in If you wish to use this easy method the Lark Valley generally. of payment, please contact the When one of the reconstructed halls Membership Secretary (see back page) (elsewhere) burnt down in 2008, the to ask for details of how to set this up. remains were painstakingly excavated using It will save us money if you can supply forensic as well as conventional methods, email address or write with S.A.E. My in order to understand the destruction phone number is 01394 382617. Please processes involved, and inform future note Standing Order is required by our archaeological investigation. The results bank, not Direct Debit. The CAF bank have now been published in a monograph (Charities Aid Foundation) is for use by by Dr Jess Tipper, who has succeeded Keith charities such as this Society. Wade as Suffolk County Archaeologist. ©Brian Smith©Brian This year we have welcomed a Experimental Archaeology and Fire: the number of people who have been given Dr Stephen Sherlock, who delivered the investigation of a burnt reconstruction membership as gifts – what a lovely at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village Society’s spring lecture in 2010 (Saxon present to have received! We do hope this [East Anglian Archaeology 146] by Jess Tipper 50, p.15) has now published his unique will result in long association with us. ISBN 978 0 9568747 3 3; 200pp, 147 7th century cemetery site at Street Sincere thanks to all our members. illustrations; £20 House, North Yorkshire. The finds, It is a great pleasure to meet up at our like the gemstone pendant above, are West Stow, the Anglo-Saxon Village, Suffolk various events, and we welcome the on permanent display at Kirkleatham [East Anglian Archaeology 24] by Stanley West appreciative and helpful comments so Museum, which has copies of the site (1985) ISBN 0307 2460; 2 vols, 184pp, 305figs, many of you have made about 11pls; £30.00 Saxon report (Tees Archaeological Monograph and our other endeavours. Series, vol. 6) for £15 + p&p. Both books are distributed by Oxbow Books (www.oxbowbooks.com) www.suttonhoo.org 11 The Join us Events Diary Sutton

on e-mail! Saturday 17 August Hoo Launch of the replica Nydam ship Society While regular events such as the Annual Alssund, Denmark www.nydam.nu General Meeting, the Basil Brown lecture and the annual trip will continue to be advertised in , from time to time Friday 13 September, all day Saxon SHS trip to Cambridge we may become aware of last minute www.suttonhoo.org The Society will start the day with tea and a opportunities of potential interest to our talk by Dr Sam Lucy at Newnham College, members. Please note that the only way Cambridge. We then go to the Fitzwilliam we will be able to organise and directly Museum for a private viewing of East Anglian President notify you of these ‘pop up’ events is by coins of the early and mid-Saxon period. The Earl of Cranbrook e-mail, so if we do not have your e-mail The trip will conclude with a private tour of address, we will not be able to send you The Wren Library at Trinity College, which Research Director any details. Of course, we will post notices houses an important collection of mediaeval Professor Martin Carver of all such events online on the Society manuscripts. The group will lunch in hall at website at www.suttonhoo.org but, for Corpus Christi College. Please book tickets on Chairman direct notification, you will need to be on the enclosed flyer. Mike Argent our e-mail list. Don’t miss out! To receive notices and Saturday 14 September, all day Treasurer reminders of Sutton Hoo Society events CBA East Conference Jonathan Abson by e-mail, please send an e-mail to Nan Cathedral Waterfall at thesuttonhoosociety@gmail. Recent Anglo-Saxon Research in the East Membership Secretary com with your name and ‘Please add me to of England Pauline Moore the Sutton Hoo Society e-mail list’ in the Topics include Oakington Anglo-Saxon 69 Barton Road, Woodbridge subject line. Cemetery, Cambridgeshire; Hartismere Anglo- Suffolk IP12 1JH Please be assured that we will only use Saxon Settlement, Eye, Suffolk; Excavations at 01394 382617 your e-mail address to communicate with Watton-At-Stone, Herts. you about Society matters and that we will Tickets from [email protected] Guides Training and not disclose it to third parties. www.archaeologyuk.org/cbae Guiding Co-ordinator Lindsay Lee Friday 8 November, all day 01728 746104 2014 is the 75th ANNIVERSARY Research Seminar of Basil Brown’s discovery of the Society of Antiquaries, Burlington House, Event Co-ordinators Sutton Hoo Ship in Mound 1. Piccadilly, London W1J OBE Bryony Abbott Re-dating Early England A full programme of events is being Megan Milan Presentation and discussion of the research planned, and details will be announced results of the publication of the Anglo-Saxon in our January issue. Minutes Secretary pottery at Spong Hill (Hills and Lucy 2013) and Beryl Sims a national study of C6th-C7th burials (Hines and Bayliss, eds., 2013) Publicity Speakers include Drs. Catherine Hills and Sam Nan Waterfall Lucy, Profs. John Hines, Alex Bayliss, Andrew A memorable visit to Reynolds and Chris Scull. To book, email Jola Zdunek at the Website Sutton Hoo begins Society of Antiquaries, [email protected] Robert Anderson with a memorable or phone 020 7479 7080 [email protected] burial ground tour National Trust Regional Archaeologist Angus Wainwright LINDSAY LEE, Guides Training and Guiding co-ordinator, writes: “If Saxon Editor Nigel Maslin anyone would like to join our merry Visit www.wuffingeducation.co.uk for the [email protected] band of guides please contact me on autumn programme of Saturday Study Days 01728 746104. Many thanks to Gill on Anglo-Saxon archaeology and history. Design & Layout Kimmerling and Robert Harmon who Lecturers include Dr Sue Youngs, Dr Lucy Elsey Adcock Associates have had to give up guiding because Marten, Jo Caruth and Dr Angela Evans. 01473 893966 21 Sept. to 14 Dec. (excl. 2 & 16 Nov.) www.elseyadcock.co.uk of a move to Norfolk. They were two 10.00-16.00 at Sutton Hoo, to be pre-booked of the earliest volunteers to sign up as on the website at £38. Printing SHS guides after the NT centre opened Henry Ling Ltd, The Press Also www.wuffings.co.uk for Dr Sam Newton’s in 2002. They are both very popular 23 High East Street, Dorchester with winning smiles and we miss them weekly Wednesday morning seminars at Sutton Hoo, on Old English history as illuminated by Dorset DT1 1HB greatly. We all wish them the very best Sutton Hoo and the Staffordshire hoard. in their new home.” 18 Sept. to 18 Dec. (excl. 16 Oct.) Registered Charity no. 293097 10.30-13.00 at Sutton Hoo, bookable online at £15.

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