Description
Yeavering in Northumberland is well-known for its appearance in the eighth-century Ecclesiastical History of the English People in which Bede describes a visit to the royal vill adgefrin during the reign of King Edwin (c. AD 627). The well-known excavations at the site by Brian Hope Taylor in the 1950s and 60s revealed an early medieval settlement, with a sequence of great halls, a string of ancillary buildings, a large enclosure, a remarkable timber grandstand or theatre and cemeteries, as well as multi-period prehistoric activity and monuments. Brought to life in his seminal publication in 1977, Yeavering has since captured the imagination of prehistorians and medievalists alike. Following several years of research collaboration between Durham University and the Gefrin Trust, a new phase of investigation commenced in 2021. This paper highlights discoveries from the first three seasons of field survey and excavation 2021-25, and reflects on these in context, considering their implications for the dating and development of this significant Northumbrian royal site and its deeper prehistory.
Image description: Aerial view of Yeavering, looking west