Historic England Research Records

(NT 926305) Site of (NAT) Gefrin (NR) (Royal Township of the 7th century Anglo-Saxon Kings of Northumbria) (NAT)

The 7th century Anglo-Saxon royal palace and township of Gefrin near Yeavering was discovered from the air in 1949 by St Joseph. Subsequent excavation of the site, between 1953-62, by Hope-Taylor revealed a complex multi-period site dating from the Neolithic to the Anglo-Saxon periods. Via Bede, Hope-Taylor identified the site with the historical Ad Gefrin, a royal site associated with 7th century Northumbrian/Bernician kings. According to Bede, the site was eventually abandoned in favour of Maelmin, identified with Milfield a short distance to the north (NT 93 SW 4). The chronology of excavated features found was as follows; a Neolithic round barrow, Bronze Age cremation burials and stone circle, an alleged 'Celtic' field system and settlement (now considered to be periglacial marks), some burials which could be attributable to the Iron Age, a large palisaded enclosure thought to date from the late Iron Age or early Roman period and to have undergone several phases of reconstruction before destruction in the 7th century AD, an early post Roman temple with burials and finally the Anglo Saxon palace and township which comprised many large timber buildings and another substantial wooden structure which appears to have been a sub-circular enclosed space fronted by an arc of concentric foundation trenches, interpreted as some kind of theatre or other construction for public display/presentation. Other features in the area, including a henge and a palisaded enclosure are known from aerial photographs but have not been excavated. Hope-Taylor has argued for continuity of use from at least the Bronze Age, although more recently it has been argued that intermittent re-use may be a more plausible interpretation. For discussion and description of the various features see component cards. The excavations are now concluded and the site is under pasture with no visible remains. (1-3, 9-21)

NT 928 304; NT 925 305. Site NE of Old Yeavering. Scheduled No ND/302. (4)

The individual elements of this site are described in more detail on the following individual child records: HOBUIDs 3870, 3881, 3906, 3938, 1196910, 1196924, 1196931, 1196943, 1369639, 1369646, 1369662 and 1369693.

Prehistoric Phase - The prehistoric phase of the Yeavering site is represented by features dating from ther Neolithic-Iron Age (see plan). The Neolithic feature is a ploughed out ring-ditch encompassing a mound. Tiny pottery fragments and cremated bone from the mound area suggests that the primary burial was placed on the original ground surface and was destroyed by later ploughing. The major Bronze Age feature is a stone circle (b) constructed within an interrupted ring ditch. It contained a central cremation surmounted by a stone monolith. Scattered over the Yeavering area are a number of urned, unurned and token cremations ranging in date from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age (nos 1-34). Some of the Iron Age cremations were placed in gullies which separated one field from the next. These fields formed part of a Celtic field system and trackway which covered the area. At the western end of the trackway is a ploughed out Iron Age settlement area (c). A small cairn was uncovered beneath the assembly structure . It covered a rough cist which contained a heap of cremated bones.

Anglo-Saxon Phase I - (See NT93SW74 for more detailed descriptions of each building of the Saxon phase). In the immediate post-Roman phase of the Yeavering site a small rectangular building with central free-standing posts was built on the site of the dismantled stone circle. A series of inhumation burials were laid within and around this structure. A small trench-built dwelling 27.5 feet by 19 feet with verical timber walls had been constructed in the centre of the site. This house had superseded two timber structures. The most enigmatic structure of this site was constructed not later than the start of this phase. This was the `Great Enclosure' which incorporated the Neolithic round barrow, and was now surmounted by a ritual post. The great Enclosure was a double-ditched torc-shaped enclosure with no evidence of internal occupations.

Angloo-Saxon Phase II - During the second post-Roman phase the western complex of building was constructed. Building D1 was rhomboidal-shaped building of trench and timber construction which showed signs of incompetence by its builders. These were rectified when the building was reconstructed along similar lines. A short length of palisaded trench linking building D1 with D2a was interpretted as a wattle and daub screen. Buildng D2a was of the same size, form and orientaio as D1.

On the south side of the eastern door of D2a a foundation trench had broached a Bronze Age cist containing an urn and jet necklace.

Building D3 was of timber-framed, post and panel construction with a sunken floor, possibly a grubenhaus It contained two hearths and a quantity of occupation debris which gave it the appearance of a kitchen-like dwelling. Immediately north of d3 was a working hollow floor, irregularly scooped, containing a large amount of bone fragments and bone chopping waste which is indicative of a butchery area. This complex of buildings have been interpreted as a temple (D2) and attendant buildings. The temple also became the focal point for inhumations during this period. It is also thought that the nucleus of the assembly structure was started in this phase. The `Great Enclosure' continued to be developed.

Anglo-Saxon Phase IIIa - In the early part of the third post-Roman phase, the original temple structure (D2a) was encased in a new structure D2b. The second building was of high quality timber-panel construction with square-cut foundation trenches 33" deep. Rendered wattle screens lines the walls with two doorways in the longer walls. The long east and west walls were supported by small buttresses. No occupation debris was found on the floor area. A pit 6' long by 1' wide and 16" deep was constructed on the inner face of the iner building immediately north of the east door. This was entirely filled with animal bones, the greater proportion of which comprised of oxen skulls. It appears that this building continued its temple function but on a grander scale. It has been dated to 575 +/- 10 years.

The assembly structure was also completed during this phase. This originaly consisted of six concentric trenches supporting a tiered seating area. This was enlarged to nine trenches and the corresponding seating area. behind the enlarged structure were four large post-holes set 19 feet apart and which contained supporting buttresses for this structure. In front of the structure were found post-hole evidence for a dias with sound direction boards, behind which were a pole and circular screen, (see illustration).

The `Great Hall', (A2), rectangular in plan, was of panelled timber and trench construction with partitions at either end creating long and narrow ante-chambers. Doors were made in each of the four walls and were connected by axial passages which divided raised timber floors supported by piles. A group f post-holes, trapezoidal in shape, situated in the centre of the building, and resembling the dias of the assembly structure, suggests the possibility that a chair or throne, flanked by tall posts, stood in the main passage, close to an open area which was likely to have contained a hearth. Adjoining the eastern end of this building were two connected palisaded enclosures which were thought to be for horses and men at arms. Tiny bone fragments and pottery found in the fill of the major post-holes along with the buildings' apparent structure, suggest that this building was feasting hall and throne room.

Anglo-Saxo Phase IIIb - Early in the 7th century the township of Ad Gefrin was developed to its zenith by dwin following its initial inception by Aethelfrith. The palace or great hall of Edwin was precision-built in a massive style with 11" x 5" thick wall planking set in 7 foot trenches. There were doors placed centrally in each of the four walls, which were supported by external buttresses. An interior partition at the east end of the building created a long and narrow ante-chamber. A grave, aligned east-west precisely on the long-axis of the palace building contained an unusual inhumation, (AX). The grave goods accompanying the burial included a ceremonial staff or standard. The grave and its attendant large post-hole were enclosed within a palisade which abutted the `Great Enclosure'.

The latter was rebuit in a commensurately elaborate and sophisticted style with two well-defined ditches and two parallel palisaded trenches into which a regular series of post-holes had been dug. Both of the circular entrance works of the enclosure were found to be seriously damaged by ploughing and landslips. Excavation revealed the remains of the south-western part of the western circle. Within the trenched area the remains of a wooden building, similar to A1 were found. The `Great Enclosure' is thought to have been a defendable communal area, possible to protect cattle.

Most of the structure of Edwin's township was destoyed by a fire deliberately started in the southwest corner of each building, which was fanned by a south-westerly wind.

Anglo-Saxon Phase IV - Following the destruction of the township by fire there was an uncontrolled spread of `string' graves in the eastern cemetery area One of these contained an extended inhumation with metal objects, thought to be belt-fittings, a knife and a purse-clasp. A wooden church (B(a)) was constructed with a fenced enclosure in which the graves were laid out in orderly fashion. The church's construction coincides with the visit of Paulinus to Northumbria.

A new Great Hall (A3(a)) was constructed in elaborate style linked to a minor hall (A1(b)) by a fenced enclosure. A range of buildings on a NW-SE alignment were constructed NE of the Great Hall, (C1-C4(a)). These ranged in style from a rectangular thatched post-dwelling (C1) to a minor hall (C4(a). The only building to be repaired from the previous township was the assembly structure. The rest were deliberately demolished. This second township was also destroyed by fire, started deliberately in the NE corner and fanned by a NE wind.

Anglo-Saxon Phase V - Only four buildings were constructed after the second fire. These were the two minor halls (C4(b), and A1(c)), the Great Hall (A3(b)) and the church (B(b)). They were all built using a new technique which was not the same elaborate style used previously. These buildings remained in use long enough for a series of rpairs to be carried out, but were later abandoned and left to rot. (22)

The site is visible as cropmarks in historic aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the Northern Cheviots Aerial Investigation and Mapping Project. Newly identified features at the site include six sunken featured buildings within the eastern 'Great Enclosure' and a pit that appears to align with the 'Great Hall', assembly structure and the eastern ring ditch. Other newly identified features include a minor hall in the north-west of the site (centred at NT 92523 30571), a ring ditch (centred at NT 92609 30597) and twelve sunken featured buildings south-west of the site (centred at NT 9252 3031) that may represent an outlying settlement. (23-25)