Lyng Burghal Defences

In the civil parish of Lyng. In the historic county of Somerset (Modern Authority of Somerset, 1974 county of Somerset).

The site of the Anglo-Saxon burh of Lyng, a fortified settlement situated on the Somerset Levels. It lies just west of the Anglo-Saxon site of Athelney, to which it was connected by a causeway. The burh at Lyng was aligned east to west, on naturally raised ground at the eastern end of a narrow peninsula. It was thus protected on its north, south and east by the now reclaimed marshlands, and to the west by a low bank and ditch up to 25m wide, aligned north-east to south-west across the neck of the peninsula. The extent of the burh is defined by a scarp, averaging 15m wide and 2.5m high. There are a number of hollow ways visible, running north to south across the site. These represent the remains of a street plan, probably medieval in date, but possibly retaining some of the Anglo-Saxon pattern. On the south side of the site is a hollow way about 6m wide, flanked to the south-east by a raised platform up to 10m high, with a 4m wide ditch to its south. The burh of Lyng is mentioned in a range of contemporary documentary sources, including the 9th century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the early 10th century Burghal Hideage. In Bond's 'New Anglo-Saxon urban defensive circuit of no post-Conquest importance' list.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST334289

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 191929
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 11836 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=11836
    http://www.ogdoad.force9.co.uk/alfred/alfhidage.htm
• Books
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p57, 64, 256
    Hill, David and Rumble, Alexander R. (eds), 1996, The defence of Wessex : the Burghal Hidage and Anglo-Saxon fortifications p209-10
    Dunning, R.W. (ed), 1992, VCH Somerset Vol6 p53-6 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18538
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences', in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p197-8
• Journal Articles
  • Burrow, I. 1982, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol126 p76
    Leach, P.J., 1976, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol120 p29-38
    Radford, C.A.R., 1970, 'The later pre-Conquest boroughs and their defences' Medieval Archaeology Vol14 p97-9 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Hill, David, 1967, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol111 p64-6