Places to Go
A few suggestions for places to visit
Sutton Hoo Burial Ground
High up on a hillside above the River Deben in Suffolk lies a group of burial mounds called Sutton Hoo. About 1,400 years ago this was the cemetery used by some of the people who lived in the area. Altogether there are about 20 mounds, plus about 40 other graves. Until 1938 their age and contents remained a mystery; then archaeologists came and excavated them, and in doing so began to uncover the richest archaeological treasure ever to be found in England. Pagan Anglo-Saxons were usually buried with their possessions and under one of the mounds, probably King Raedwald's grave, there was a large ship with his possessions in the middle! His priceless grave goods included many domestic objects, gold and silver, and, of course, our iconic helmet. There is also an Exhibition Hall that shows finds and the early history of the English.
Address: Tranmer House, Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk
The British Museum
Free to the world since 1753, the British Museum houses one of the greatest collections of human cultural history. Whether you’re coming to see real-life legends like the Rosetta Stone and Easter Island statue, or iconic objects such as the earliest known image of Christ, the museum will intrigue and excite.
A visit to the British Museum is a must if it's the Anglo-Saxons you’re interested in. One of the most famous groups of objects it houses is the magnificent collection of grave goods from the ship-burial at Sutton Hoo. Besides the helmet, these include swords, silver bowls, shields, shoulder clasps and gold coins and ingots. Other items in the Medieval gallery illustrate the Anglo-Saxons from the early 5th century AD to the Norman Conquest.
The British Library also holds the manuscript of Beowulf, one of the very first poems in English. It was probably composed in the 8th century AD and is a great statement of the Anglo-Saxon outlook and imagination.
Address: The British Museum, Great Russell Street
Battle Abbey and Battlefield
There's one date in English history that everyone knows – 1066, the year the invading Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings. The two armies fought at Senlac field to the north of the seaside town of Hastings. In 1070, after William the Conquerer had ruthlessly crushed all opposition to his rule, he was ordered by the Pope to build Battle Abbey to make up for the loss of life during the conquest. A substantial portion of it still stands today and its high alter is supposedly positioned on the exact point where King Harold fell with an arrow in his eye. There is also a Discovery Centre and exhibition on the site.
Address: Battle Abbey and Battlefield, Battle
West Stow Country Park and Anglo-Saxon Village
Imagine living in Anglo-Saxon times. At this village, visitors can actually experience for themselves the way our ancestors lived. The early Anglo-Saxon village from about AD 420-650 had been carefully reconstructed where it was excavated. In the visitors' centre, objects from the original village are displayed, telling the fascinating story of the settlement and the people who lived there.
Address: West Stow Country Park and Anglo-Saxon Village, The Visitors’ Centre, Icklingham Road, West Stow, Bury St Edmunds
Ipswich Museum
The collection at Ipswich Museum covers a wide range of material from investigation on the early settlement of Suffolk to the Medieval period, concentrating on Ipswich and the surrounding area.
Ipswich was one of the earliest recorded Anglo-Saxon towns and the museum has finds from the cemeteries at Hadleigh Road and objects from the original excavations at Sutton Hoo.
Address: Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich
