Middle Saxon London: Excavations at the Royal Opera House, 1989-99The Royal Opera House is located on the north side of Covent Garden London, in the heart of what was the Middle Saxon settlement of Lundenwic. This settlement was a flourishing centre for trade and manufacture from the 7th to 9th centuries. Urban redevelopment in 1996 included the largest excavation yet undertaken in the area, providing a wealth of information about the settlement, its inhabitants, their work and daily lives. This well illustrated publication reports on the results of the excavations, describes a sequence of occupation, and considers more general themes such as the relationship of the Middle Saxon settlement to Roman Londinium, Saxon crafts and industry, the agricultural economy, trade, and demography. The discoveries included an 8th century street plan, specialised industrial buildings, rubbish and debris from a jewellery workshop, evidence of ironworking and, most importantly, a 9th-century defensive ditch with a hoard of Northumbrian stycas buried in its berm. The ditch was probably a response to Viking attack, but failed to prevent the Viking occupation of Lundenwic in 871. The book also looks at the medieval and post-medieval development of the area and numerous, brief specialist reports on the finds and environmental remains. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
PreMiddle Saxon Covent Garden | 13 |
Medieval and postmedieval Covent Garden | 135 |
Copyright | |
3 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
activity alley animal antler appear archaeological assemblage associated base bone brickearth Building burnt cattle central century coin common complete contained contexts continued cooking count dark daub decorated deposits destruction Diam diameter domestic dump east edge evidence example excavation fabric finds fire floor four fragments further gravel head hearth identified important indicate Ipswich iron land late later layer Light London loom weights Lundenwic major material Middle Saxon objects occupation Open Area original period phase pieces plant plate possible posts pottery present probably production range recorded recovered remains represented residual road Roman rounded Royal Opera House samples Saxon pot Saxon pot CHAF settlement sherds shows side similar slag slightly species stone structure suggests surface Table trade vessel wall ware waste yard