13-02-2025
Amazing discovery of a Viking age hall in Cumbria
A VIKING age hall believed to be the largest of its kind ever discovered in Britain has been uncovered during an archaeological dig at High Tarns near Silloth.
The excavation, led by Grampus Heritage, was funded by the Solway Coast Defra Farming in Protected Landscapes Scheme and involved more than 50 local volunteers.
Carbon dating results confirm that the structure dates back to the late 10th and early 11th centuries, significantly pre-dating the nearby Cistercian monastery of Holme Cultram.
Mark Graham, of Grampus Heritage, said in an email to volunteers that the findings suggest the site was once a high-status Viking Age Manor Farm, providing insight into early medieval social structures in rural Cumbria.
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He said: 'The dating of the timber building to the late 10th/early 11th century shows that the structure is not at all related to, and significantly pre-dates, the Cistercian monastery of Holme Cultram.
'This is the largest Viking Age building to be discovered and excavated in Britain.'
Excavation work focused on three key trenches, with carbon dating revealing the following results:
Trench 1: A structural posthole from a load-bearing timber used in the building's central aisle, dated 990–1040 AD.
Trench 2: A charcoal production pit, last used 990–1160 AD.
Trench 2: A corn dryer, last used 1040–1180 AD.
According to Mr Graham, the combination of the hall, charcoal pit, and grain dryer suggests the site was a significant agricultural and social centre.
He said: 'To find comparative examples, we must look to Scandinavia. Viking age heritage in Cumbria, sometimes called 'Anglo-Scandinavian' culture, is well documented.'
HTF-A Drone Hall Looking West Tarns Dub (Image: Grampus Heritage)
Cumbria is home to numerous Scandinavian place names, dialect influences, Viking burials, and stone sculptures, including hogback stones, which depict large, high-status halls similar to the one found at High Tarns.
Mr Graham added: 'Absence of buildings from the period in the archaeological record has often been attributed to later construction on top of settlement sites.
'This underlines the significance of High Tarns, where we have found the whole footprint of a building from the late Viking Age.'
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The excavation was made possible through the generosity of landowners Neil and Irene Armstrong, who supported the project and welcomed volunteers to their farm.
Mr Graham thanked everyone involved, saying: 'This has been a community archaeology project from start to finish, and the carbon dating results belong to each of you who gave time to work on the survey and excavation.'
A full excavation report will be released in due course.
