Latest news with #Anglo-Saxons
ITV News
30-07-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Eighth-century Berkshire monastery may have been one of the UK's first hospices
WATCH: Drone footage reveals size of the dig site An eighth-century monastery in Cookham, Berkshire, may have been one of the UK's earliest hospices. Experts believe the monastery, led by Queen Cynethryth more than 1,200 years ago, was used as a care centre where surgeries, herbal remedies and other medical support was offered to the sick and dying. The site has been excavated by University of Reading staff and students every summer since 2021. Initial analysis of the 23 skeletons excavated from the 80 burials discovered at the site showed monastery residents suffered from poor health, ranging from skeletal trauma, to infections, to tumours. Professor Gabor Thomas, who leads the project, said: 'Initial analysis of the remains discovered at Cookham indicates a high prevalence of individuals with unusual or severe pathological conditions. "Nearly every person suffered from some form of health challenge, and this would have been obvious to those in their community. 'It is possible that the monastery may have been one of the UK's earliest hospices, offering medical care to people with, ailments, injuries and those coming to the end of their lives. "The diversity and rarity of conditions suggest that a proportion of these individuals may have come from beyond Cookham to seek healing.' Dr Ceri Falys, a specialist in human bone analysis, examined 23 remains lookIG at the biological sex, age-at-death and pathology of each individual. Results showed: Of the 14 remains excavated from the eastern trench of the monastery, there were seven males, six females and one child. Most of the adults died after the age of 46, and most of the bodies were smaller than expected for their age. Nine of these skeletons showed signs of skeletal trauma, which were likely to have been caused by accidents. One appeared to have had skull surgery before their death, while two had bone deformities likely caused by tumours. Older individuals buried at this part of the site showed signs of osteoarthritis, and one patient appeared to have walked with a limp. An infant who died before the age of one was discovered as part of the nine remains excavated from the western trench, alongside a male with poor dental health who was unable to chew on one side of his mouth. Five of the burials indicated individuals with developmental defects, with one having a shortened leg, indicating crutch use. Some of the skeletons showed signs of pressure sores, suggesting extended periods of lying down. Further excavations at Cookham will enable archaeologists to find out more about the Anglo-Saxons buried at the monastery, including what caused their diseases and injuries, what their diets looked like, what treatments they received and where they lived.
National Geographic
29-07-2025
- General
- National Geographic
Who was the first king of England?
A portrait of Aethelstan, who was King of England from 924 until 939 A.D, in a book commissioned for presentation to the community of St. Cuthbert. The famous presentation picture shows Æthelstan, with bowed head, presenting the book to St. Cuthbert himself, and is an important example of the revival of figure art in manuscript painting during Æthelstan's reign. It was written between 934 and 939. Although Aethelstan is generally agreed to be England's first true king, a number of other figures—and factors—make that designation complicated and historically rich. Image by CBW, Alamy Stock Photo Scholarly consensus positions Aethelstan as the first true king of England. But what makes a king? Is it authority over people? Over land? Is it some combination of the two? These are some of the key questions in assessing when and why any monarchy develops. At the same time, these same questions often serve to complicate the identification of the first king of any realm. We need not look further than England to understand why. Aethelstan was crowned King of the Anglo-Saxons in 925 A.D. However, understanding the other contenders for that title—and the history of the disparate kingdoms that became England—adds layers of complexity to answering the deceptively simple question: who was the first king of England? To really begin to locate the first king of England, one must start with the Angles. The name England, after all, derives from the Old English word Englaland, literally 'land of the Angles.' The arrival of these Germanic tribes to what was formerly the Roman province Britannia took place during the 5th century A.D. Alongside Jutes, Saxons, and Frisians, the Angles established settlements in southeast and east England through the 6th century. (A journey along Hadrian's Wall can be like taking a walk through Roman-era Britannia.) With time, Germanic language and culture melded with existing Romano-British practices and traditions. By 600 A.D., individual kingdoms took shape throughout the British Isles. These Germanic kingdoms were formed in accordance with peoples living in an area, as opposed to physical boundaries or borders. In time, smaller kingdoms coalesced to become larger ones, and what's been called the Heptarchy emerged. While the Heptarchy is a vast oversimplification of a complex social, political, and religious setting in England, it was built of seven kingdoms: Kent, Sussex, East Anglia, Northumbria, Essex, Wessex, and Mercia. Each major kingdom included minor kingdoms with leaders of their own, many of whom vied for power within the larger sphere of influence. Rule was established and maintained through reciprocal relationships based in loyalty and protection, as well as an economic system contingent upon coordinated dues and services. According to lore, King Aethelstan ordered the Bible to be translated into the Anglo-Saxon language, the decree of which is depicted here circa 930. The History of England by George Courtney Lyttleton, 1805. Image by Hulton Archive, Getty Images Contenders for the king of England Major kingdoms in England competed for superiority among themselves, eventually resulting in a struggle that revolved around Mercia dominating the other kingdoms through much of the 8th century. This resembled what Bede described in his Ecclesiastical History—completed in 731 A.D.—as a ruler who 'held sway' over peoples outside his own kingdom. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a history of the Anglo-Saxons created in the 9th century, used the term bretwalda to represent this concept, applying it retroactively to Anglo-Saxon kings who ruled as early as the late 5th century. (The Sutton Hoo cache is a time capsule of 7th-century Anglo-Saxon life.) Mercia's hegemony shifted during the reign of King Eghbert of Wessex (r. 802-839 A.D.). Under King Eghbert, Wessex defeated the Mercians at the battle of Ellendon in 825 A.D., after which the major kingdoms acknowledged his supremacy. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle identified King Eghbert as a bretwalda (again with the gift of hindsight), which serves as the crux of his candidacy for first king of England. One additional factor influenced King Eghbert's contention for the distinction as England's first king. Where Mercia had struggled with the idea of peaceful succession, Wessex succeeded. After Eghbert's death, his son, Aethelwulf (d. 850 A.D.) ascended to the throne. A son ascending to the throne upon his father's death infused the principle of hereditary succession in Wessex. Following King Aethelwulf's death, three of his sons served as King of Wessex, ultimately leading to the accession of a fourth in 871 A.D. This was Alfred, another considered contender for the first King of England. (Here's what life in medieval Europe was really like) Alfred, the unlikely king Alfred was never supposed to rule Wessex. When his older brother Aethelred died while campaigning against Scandinavian marauders, Alfred became king. As King of Wessex, Alfred continued defending his kingdom from what the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle termed the 'Great Heathen Army.' Comprising Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes, the Great Heathen Army first arrived in East Anglia in 865 A.D. and, within a decade, the only kingdom they left standing was Wessex. After defeating Scandinavian forces at the Battle of Edington in 878 A.D., Alfred entered into a peace agreement with their leader, Guthrum, formally establishing a boundary between Wessex and the Viking-controlled areas. The latter came to be known as the Danelaw. (Viking myths can be exciting, but are they always true?) However, this permanent Scandinavian presence to the north, as well as continued Viking raids and incursions, prompted Alfred to take steps to secure the kingdom. He reformed the military, established defensive settlements called burhs, and established a navy to defend the coasts of Wessex from attacks. Alongside these efforts, Alfred undertook intellectual activities that have been credited with helping to create the cultural and political identity of England. All of this—and the designation of Alfred as 'King of the Anglo-Saxons' in charters attributed to him—make a solid case for his candidacy for the first king of England. (Britain's first Black queen? The real story of Queen Charlotte.) In this illuminated manuscript from the 14th century, Aethelstan kneels before the legendary English hero Guy of Warwick. Illustration by Peter of Langtoft, Alamy Stock Photo Aethelstan, the first king of England Alfred died in 899 A.D. and his son, Edward the Elder, took the throne. Edward died in 924 and, after his demise, his son Aethelstan was crowned king in 925 A.D. Just like his grandfather Alfred the Great and father, Aethelstan began as King of the Anglo-Saxons. He differed in the extent of his domain, notably after the Battle of Brunaburh in 937 A.D. Aethelstan's authority was never uncontested and, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, he spent the decade after he became king bringing York and Northumbria under his control. By 937, Welsh kings, as well as those of the Scots and Viking Dublin, united against Aethelstan, ultimately facing off against their common foe at Brunanburh. The exact location of Brunanburh remains unclear, but the fight that took place there is considered by many scholars to be one of the defining events in British history. (England was born on this battlefield. Why can't historians find it?) The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle includes a poem about the Battle of Brunanburh that details how West Saxons slaughtered their enemies, with five opposing kings and seven defiant earls laying dead. The poem explains how 'no slaughter yet was greater made e'er in this island,' an expression of how devastating yet significant the conflict was to the people and land alike. 'Despite the arguments in favor of [other contenders], the weight of the evidence rests with Aethelstan. It was Aethelstan who went to York, defeated the Viking kingdom there, and brought the north (if sometimes only nominally) under English rule,' summarizes Karl Shoemaker, Robert F. and Sylvia T. Wagner Distinguished Professor, UW-Madison History and Law. 'By the end of his reign, he had achieved more bureaucratic and administrative centralization than any of his predecessors.' It was Aethelstan's victory at Brunanburh that extended the King of the Anglo-Saxons' dominion into Scotland and Wales. It also solidified his rule as king of the English. Aethelstan only lived for two years after this fight but, to many, he became the true first king of England with that victory. This story originally published on May 2, 2023. It was updated on July 29, 2025.
Hindustan Times
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
History writing must go beyond textbooks
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released the long-awaited social sciences textbook for Class 8, for a captive readership from Ladakh to Pondicherry. Coming up with a textbook is a long haul. First, identify the author/authors. After a lot of 'research', the book is drafted, approved, and published. Then, parents buy these and teachers select 'important' sentences that the students commit to memory. At some stage, these will have to be regurgitated in the exams. Why then so much discussion on the book, not by children, parents, or school teachers, but by university teachers and public intellectuals? Because groups of the latter on either side of the debate believe such books are endowed with the power to leave an imprint on readers' minds. But, the power of a history textbook is not in the statistics relating to people killed in battles and buildings destroyed — it is in the manner in which change is conveyed. History is dauntingly difficult to write, unless you take refuge behind obscure abstractions. I recall a conversation from decades ago, in 1986. I was talking to a gentleman, whom I had just informed that I taught history. We discovered we were the same age, and had been in Class IV in 1952. Suddenly, he got animated and asked me whether I remembered the textbooks we had read. A competition of recollection followed. We had both enjoyed British history and been bored by Indian history — the texture of the books, the illustrations, the narrative. We were not a whit less patriotic for that. We both realised that the history of any country, like a play or a novel, can be conveyed either with beauty and even humour, or in a dull and lifeless manner. The NCERT textbooks of 2005 factored in anecdotes and cartoons, only to have the cartoons and illustrations ignored in the classroom and, later, deleted from the books. Teaching history can be such fun if we let the children fully interact with the teacher on the subject. A public school teacher in England, on the first day of teaching 10-year-olds about the Norman conquest of England, asked them kindly if they had any questions. A little fellow stood up. 'Please, sir, did the Anglo-Saxons wear gloves?' The Cambridge graduate did not know the answer. In the last 20 years, there has been a wonderful revolution in India — a blossoming of books for children, many of the stories situated in the past. Can't the NCERT have the courage to open up textbooks to competition from young historiographers? One of my students, Subhadra Sengupta, cruelly felled by Covid, had a massive fan following. Her delightful historical novels were despite her lack of attentiveness in class! There have been many writers who wrote history for children — Charles Dickens (A Child's History of England), Jawaharlal Nehru, while in prison (Letters from a Father to a Daughter). The world knows EH Gombrich, the art historian, but it was only in 2005 that his first book, written in 1936 in German, was translated into English, as A Little History of the World. He had written it when he was 26, in six weeks, with energy, humour, and imagination. I am sure we have many chhupa Gombriches in our country, who can relieve tired and solemn middle-aged writers of the burden of communicating with the young. Narayani Gupta is a Delhi-based historian. The views expressed are personal.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
Dig into the UK's ancient past at these 7 archaeological sites
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Despite their ancient age, the UK's most famous archaeological treasures keep revealing new secrets, from recently unearthed dinosaur species to new Roman excavations. To help you follow the archaeology buzz, we dig into the nation's top spots to explore our ancient past, where revamped museums, interactive exhibits and hands-on excavation experiences bring our early history vividly to life. 1. Sutton Hoo, Suffolk First unearthed in 1939, with the shadow of the Second World War looming, Sutton Hoo is an early medieval royal burial site that's famously home to the ship burial of seventh-century Anglo-Saxon King Rædwald. Long-neglected, Sutton Hoo reopened in summer 2019 after a year-long refurbishment, which included transforming Tranmer House, home of Edith Pretty who commissioned the original archaeological excavation (the events of which are dramatised in the film The Dig, released in 2021). Now open to the public for the first time, the 1930s house has in-depth displays detailing the development of the dig and the ongoing research at Sutton Hoo. The refurb also saw the creation of a new walking route out to the burial mounds, where you can follow in the footsteps of the Anglo-Saxons, who hauled the monumental timber ship to the top of a hill to bury their king, replete with gold and other treasures, including the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet. Nearby, at Woodbridge, pay a visit to The Longshed, where the Sutton Hoo Ship's Company (a team of professionals, volunteers and enthusiasts) is currently constructing a replica of the ship. 2. Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight earns its status as one of Europe's richest palaeontology hubs by producing new dinosaur discoveries practically year on year. Among the island's findings are around 20 species of dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period. In 2024, one of the best-preserved dinosaurs ever found in the UK was unearthed on the island. Named Comptonatus chasei, it formed part of the local eco system over 120 million years ago. This discovery came only one year after the fossilised remains of a previously unknown dinosaur were found nearby, triggering reanalysis of similar remains to help solve the age-old question of why the dinosaurs went extinct. Lots of fossils are on display at Dinosaur Isle, the UK's first purpose-built dinosaur museum. Step over the sea wall at Sandown to explore its recreated prehistoric landscape, populated by life-sized models of the Isle of Wight's biggest dinosaur discoveries; see skeletons as they were found by fossil hunters; watch volunteers preparing the latest finds; or join the Fossil Walks led by expert guides teaching you how to find your own ancient artefacts. 3. Stonehenge, Wiltshire There's always something big being unearthed in Stonehenge country, and the latest discoveries reveal the origin of the largest rocks in the circle. In the last decade, it was discovered that the mysterious bluestones came from a quarry deep in the Welsh Preseli hills. And, in 2024, scientists found that the alter stone – arguably the most ritualistically important piece of the formation – was brought to Stonehenge from the north of Scotland, a journey of well over 500 miles. Try your arm at dragging a massive stone monolith at the site's smartly curated visitor centre. Or, for the closest possible view of the stones, visit the site during winter or summer solstice: the only times of the year in which you can stand among the stones as part of its 'managed open access'. Watch the sun set and rise at this magnificent monument and share in the ancient sacred tradition. Just be sure to check the specific solstice entry times for the day. Stonehenge country has numerous options for further exploration, including the many archaeological treasures on show at Salisbury Cathedral Museum. And within sight of the stones is the UK's biggest prehistoric monument, which is around 4,500 years old. Uncovered in 2020, the Neolithic find includes 20 vast holes that suggest the boundaries of an earlier enclosure circle. The site is so large that is contains Durrington Walls, the UK's largest henge, and Woodhenge too. 4. Wittenham Clumps, Oxford Occupied for more than 3,000 years, archaeologists were expecting to find some worthy prizes beneath the ground of this ancient Oxfordshire landmark. What they weren't prepared for was a double-whammy discovery that spanned two rich seams of history: an extended Iron Age settlement with more than a dozen roundhouses dating from 400BC to 100BC as well as a vast Roman villa dating back to the late third century. Wittenham Clumps is managed by Dig Ventures who offer various 'Archaeology In Your Hands' experiences, which they describe as 'exciting crowdfunded and crowdsourced archaeology projects you can be part of'. These can range from guided excavations at live digs to 'Finds Room' experiences, expert talks to online courses endorsed by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. It can be as in-depth or accessible as you desire; DigCamp, for example, are day experiences for families to get hands-on at a real, live, in-progress dig, dirt and all. 5. Orkney Islands, Scotland At the heart of Neolithic Orkney's rich pickings, four UNESCO World Heritage Sites are widely regarded as the finest in Western Europe. Skara Brae is older than both the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge and has been dubbed the Scottish Pompeii for its pristine state. Dating back some 5,000 years, this Neolithic settlement was discovered in 1850 by the Laird of Skaill, thanks to a landscape-stripping storm that raised grass from a mound under which the ruins had been concealed for millennia. With the white-sand beach of the Skaill as a fittingly dramatic backdrop, Skara Brae is a stone-built prehistoric settlement that reveals the finer points of day-to-day Neolithic life. See ancient homes complete with stone bed enclosures, dressers and seats. Replica constructions complete the interior interpretation, which can be further explored in touch-screen clarity at the on-site visitor centre museum. 6. Hadrian's Wall Country Discoveries still abound at Hadrian's Wall, where there are plenty of places to step back into the past. Try historical re-enactments around the ruins, archaeological talks, guided walks or wall-spanning history-focused hikes and bike routes that take you between the North and Irish Seas. Plus, there are lots of hands-on dig opportunities for all ages. The wall itself, a near 80-mile stretch of fortifications marking the northern frontier of Hadrian's Roman Empire, isn't the only attraction here: there's so much more to see in the surrounding country. A mile south of the wall, Vindolanda is regarded as one of Europe's most exciting Roman digs: nine forts built on top of each other that garrisoned soldiers from across the Roman Empire. It includes a bathhouse, tavern and shops, all dating back to the third century. And if this isn't compelling enough, a 2017 discovery revealed an entire Roman cavalry barracks underneath the site, complete with thousands of extraordinary military and personal possessions dating back almost 2,000 years. It was a haul significant for its size and pristine state, but also for its evidence of the long military build-up that led to the wall's construction in AD 122. Excavations at Vindolanda take place annually, attracting hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, so sign up early. Or visit the on-site museum, which has an extensive display of the mind-boggling number of objects found during the excavations. 7. Scilly Isles The tiny Isles of Scilly are home to 239 hugely significant ancient monuments and archaeological landmarks: the UK's greatest density of historic sites. Maritime shipwrecks, Bronze Age burial chambers dating back 3,000 years, deserted Christian chapels on uninhabited islands, fortified castles and English Civil War headlands, all contribute to these wild islands' natural landscapes. St Mary's, the largest island, is home to large stone earth mounds that form distinctive Bronze Age burial chambers known as entrance graves — often described as Scillonian tombs, thanks to their local concentration. Strikingly preserved Innisidgen has sweeping views across to neighbouring St Martin's. And the cemetery of Porth Hellick Down, in St Mary's, to the south east, has six grave mounds, including the impressive 12-metre-wide Porth Hellick Down Burial Chamber: just two of a string of ceremonial monuments lining the Scilly Isles' coastal hilltops. They're stellar spots for eternal rest, or a panoramic place to camp for a few nights if you manage to bag a booking at any of the islands' campsites. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only). Solve the daily Crossword
National Geographic
22-07-2025
- National Geographic
Dig into the UK's ancient past at these 7 archaeological sites
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Despite their ancient age, the UK's most famous archaeological treasures keep revealing new secrets, from recently unearthed dinosaur species to new Roman excavations. To help you follow the archaeology buzz, we dig into the nation's top spots to explore our ancient past, where revamped museums, interactive exhibits and hands-on excavation experiences bring our early history vividly to life. The iconic Sutton Hoo helmet sits in Room 41 of London's British Museum, along with a replica showing how the original might have looked in its day. It's only one of four known complete helmets from Anglo-Saxon England. 1. Sutton Hoo, Suffolk First unearthed in 1939, with the shadow of the Second World War looming, Sutton Hoo is an early medieval royal burial site that's famously home to the ship burial of seventh-century Anglo-Saxon King Rædwald. Long-neglected, Sutton Hoo reopened in summer 2019 after a year-long refurbishment, which included transforming Tranmer House, home of Edith Pretty who commissioned the original archaeological excavation (the events of which are dramatised in the film The Dig, released in 2021). Now open to the public for the first time, the 1930s house has in-depth displays detailing the development of the dig and the ongoing research at Sutton Hoo. The refurb also saw the creation of a new walking route out to the burial mounds, where you can follow in the footsteps of the Anglo-Saxons, who hauled the monumental timber ship to the top of a hill to bury their king, replete with gold and other treasures, including the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet. Nearby, at Woodbridge, pay a visit to The Longshed, where the Sutton Hoo Ship's Company (a team of professionals, volunteers and enthusiasts) is currently constructing a replica of the ship. 2. Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight earns its status as one of Europe's richest palaeontology hubs by producing new dinosaur discoveries practically year on year. Among the island's findings are around 20 species of dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period. In 2024, one of the best-preserved dinosaurs ever found in the UK was unearthed on the island. Named Comptonatus chasei, it formed part of the local eco system over 120 million years ago. This discovery came only one year after the fossilised remains of a previously unknown dinosaur were found nearby, triggering reanalysis of similar remains to help solve the age-old question of why the dinosaurs went extinct. Lots of fossils are on display at Dinosaur Isle, the UK's first purpose-built dinosaur museum. Step over the sea wall at Sandown to explore its recreated prehistoric landscape, populated by life-sized models of the Isle of Wight's biggest dinosaur discoveries; see skeletons as they were found by fossil hunters; watch volunteers preparing the latest finds; or join the Fossil Walks led by expert guides teaching you how to find your own ancient artefacts. Dinosaur Isle is the UK's first purpose-built dinosaur museum. Here, a boy admires an iguanodon skeleton. Photograph by Dinosaur Isle 3. Stonehenge, Wiltshire There's always something big being unearthed in Stonehenge country, and the latest discoveries reveal the origin of the largest rocks in the circle. In the last decade, it was discovered that the mysterious bluestones came from a quarry deep in the Welsh Preseli hills. And, in 2024, scientists found that the alter stone – arguably the most ritualistically important piece of the formation – was brought to Stonehenge from the north of Scotland, a journey of well over 500 miles. Try your arm at dragging a massive stone monolith at the site's smartly curated visitor centre. Or, for the closest possible view of the stones, visit the site during winter or summer solstice: the only times of the year in which you can stand among the stones as part of its 'managed open access'. Watch the sun set and rise at this magnificent monument and share in the ancient sacred tradition. Just be sure to check the specific solstice entry times for the day. Stonehenge country has numerous options for further exploration, including the many archaeological treasures on show at Salisbury Cathedral Museum. And within sight of the stones is the UK's biggest prehistoric monument, which is around 4,500 years old. Uncovered in 2020, the Neolithic find includes 20 vast holes that suggest the boundaries of an earlier enclosure circle. The site is so large that is contains Durrington Walls, the UK's largest henge, and Woodhenge too. The latest discovery surrounding Stonehenge reveals that the origins of its mysterious bluestones lay in a quarry deep in the Welsh Preseli Hills, and that they first stood in an earlier stone circle. Photograph by Andre Pattenden, English Heritage 4. Wittenham Clumps, Oxford Occupied for more than 3,000 years, archaeologists were expecting to find some worthy prizes beneath the ground of this ancient Oxfordshire landmark. What they weren't prepared for was a double-whammy discovery that spanned two rich seams of history: an extended Iron Age settlement with more than a dozen roundhouses dating from 400BC to 100BC as well as a vast Roman villa dating back to the late third century. Wittenham Clumps is managed by Dig Ventures who offer various 'Archaeology In Your Hands' experiences, which they describe as 'exciting crowdfunded and crowdsourced archaeology projects you can be part of'. These can range from guided excavations at live digs to 'Finds Room' experiences, expert talks to online courses endorsed by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. It can be as in-depth or accessible as you desire; DigCamp, for example, are day experiences for families to get hands-on at a real, live, in-progress dig, dirt and all. 5. Orkney Islands, Scotland At the heart of Neolithic Orkney's rich pickings, four UNESCO World Heritage Sites are widely regarded as the finest in Western Europe. Skara Brae is older than both the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge and has been dubbed the Scottish Pompeii for its pristine state. Dating back some 5,000 years, this Neolithic settlement was discovered in 1850 by the Laird of Skaill, thanks to a landscape-stripping storm that raised grass from a mound under which the ruins had been concealed for millennia. With the white-sand beach of the Skaill as a fittingly dramatic backdrop, Skara Brae is a stone-built prehistoric settlement that reveals the finer points of day-to-day Neolithic life. See ancient homes complete with stone bed enclosures, dressers and seats. Replica constructions complete the interior interpretation, which can be further explored in touch-screen clarity at the on-site visitor centre museum. Skara Brae, located on Mainland's Bay of Skaill, in the Orkney Islands, is older than both the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge and has been dubbed the Scottish Pompeii for its pristine state. Photograph by Visit Scotland 6. Hadrian's Wall Country Discoveries still abound at Hadrian's Wall, where there are plenty of places to step back into the past. Try historical re-enactments around the ruins, archaeological talks, guided walks or wall-spanning history-focused hikes and bike routes that take you between the North and Irish Seas. Plus, there are lots of hands-on dig opportunities for all ages. The wall itself, a near 80-mile stretch of fortifications marking the northern frontier of Hadrian's Roman Empire, isn't the only attraction here: there's so much more to see in the surrounding country. A mile south of the wall, Vindolanda is regarded as one of Europe's most exciting Roman digs: nine forts built on top of each other that garrisoned soldiers from across the Roman Empire. It includes a bathhouse, tavern and shops, all dating back to the third century. And if this isn't compelling enough, a 2017 discovery revealed an entire Roman cavalry barracks underneath the site, complete with thousands of extraordinary military and personal possessions dating back almost 2,000 years. It was a haul significant for its size and pristine state, but also for its evidence of the long military build-up that led to the wall's construction in AD 122. Excavations at Vindolanda take place annually, attracting hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, so sign up early. Or visit the on-site museum, which has an extensive display of the mind-boggling number of objects found during the excavations. A mile south of Hadrian's Wall, Vindolanda is regarded as one of Europe's most exciting Roman digs. Excavations at Vindolanda take place annually, attracting hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, so sign up early. 7. Scilly Isles The tiny Isles of Scilly are home to 239 hugely significant ancient monuments and archaeological landmarks: the UK's greatest density of historic sites. Maritime shipwrecks, Bronze Age burial chambers dating back 3,000 years, deserted Christian chapels on uninhabited islands, fortified castles and English Civil War headlands, all contribute to these wild islands' natural landscapes. St Mary's, the largest island, is home to large stone earth mounds that form distinctive Bronze Age burial chambers known as entrance graves — often described as Scillonian tombs, thanks to their local concentration. Strikingly preserved Innisidgen has sweeping views across to neighbouring St Martin's. And the cemetery of Porth Hellick Down, in St Mary's, to the south east, has six grave mounds, including the impressive 12-metre-wide Porth Hellick Down Burial Chamber: just two of a string of ceremonial monuments lining the Scilly Isles' coastal hilltops. They're stellar spots for eternal rest, or a panoramic place to camp for a few nights if you manage to bag a booking at any of the islands' campsites. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
