Archaeologists unearth 1,300-year-old Anglo Saxon feasting hall inches below village green in first major find of its kind in 30 years



The foundations were found under a village green at Lyminge, Kent

The 69 feet by 28 feet structure had room for at least 60 people



A rare piece of horse harness and jewellery were also found



The foundations of a huge Anglo-Saxon feasting hall, the first to be discovered in more than 30 years, has been found below a village green in Kent.

The hall, where a king and his warriors would have enjoyed epic days-long feasts, has laid just inches underground for 1,300 years.



A team from the University of Reading working with villagers and local archaeologists made the exceptional discovery in Lyminge, Kent.

At 69 feet by 28 feet, the hall would have been an impressive structure with room for at least 60 people.

Excavation site: An aerial view of the foundations of a Anglo-Saxon feasting hall found below a village green in Lyminge, Kent

Animals bones which were found buried in pits near the edge of the hall signal the many extravagant feasts held at the biggest hall for miles around, before it was abandoned and later destroyed.

A piece of gilded horse harness was also found among the foundations which has helped archaeologists date the site to the late sixth or early seventh century.

Jewellery, bone combs and a well preserved manicure set consisting of three small bronze rods strung onto a piece of wire were also found.

Dr Gabor Thomas, director of the Lyminge excavations, told The Guardian : ‘The horse harness decoration is very significant.

Horse harness mount: This high-status gilt copper-alloy decorative mount would probably have been attached to a bridle or harness for a horse, dating it to c.525-575 AD. This finding supports the view of pre-Christian culture in this period being based on a warrior society, with horses at forefront of this ideal

Grooming set: Sets consisted of three bronze tools attached to a wire ring. They often have scrapers for nails, 'ear scoops' for the age-old ear wax problem, and tweezers

Triangular bone combs: Two triangular composite bone combs were found. They are made of three pieces of bone riveted together, the central piece being the carefully sawed teeth Animal skulls: Animals bones which were found buried in pits near the edge of the hall signal the many extravagant feasts held at the hall

‘It's not just a wonderful find, but evidence of the status of the people who used this site. The ability to own and upkeep a horse was the mark of the warrior aristocracy.’

Dr Thomas mentions Beowulf, the most famous of all surviving Anglo-Saxon poems, is set in the late fifth century and describes the eponymous hero coming to a hall such as the one most recently discovered.

He said: ‘This would undoubtedly have been the scene of many Beowulfy type activities, great assemblies for feasts that lasted for days, much drinking and story-telling, rich gifts like arm rings being presented, all of that.

‘There could have been no more visible sign of wealth and status than raising a hall like this.

‘This is before centralised tax collecting and coinage, too early for royal palaces as such.



‘To keep control you had to keep on the move, stopping at significant places, literally feeding off the land, off the rich food offerings that would be brought everywhere the king arrived.’

Feasting: Beowulf, the most famous of Anglo-Saxon poems, describes the eponymous hero coming to a hall such as the one discovered

Tanya Gold, Daily Mail journalist, dresses as a 6th-century woman at Anglo Saxon settlement of West Stow, in Suffolk (file picture)

Dr Thomas believes that the hall foundations indicate the last of the ancient pagan rituals.

The timber from the structure is long gone but archaeologists found the outline of the building by post holes and plank gaps for the wood to be laid horizontally to create the walls.

The team came to Lyminge last summer and searched the site which had been open land for almost 1,000 years. Ground penetrating radar suggested there were some structures underground but nothing quite as big as what they found.

There is evidence that the hall was damaged, if not destroyed, by fire which was a common fate for wooden buildings centered on an open hearth.

Dr Thomas said he believes the hall was abandoned deliberately as the Anglo-Saxons of that tribe, along with many others, turned to Christianity.



The settlement at the site was also abandoned and a new village settled on a hill nearby a new church.

Previous excavations in the village, just a few miles from the Eurotunnel terminal, including in the church graveyard have revealed thousands of years of habitation in the area. The graveyard was founded in AD633 and is said to be the original burial place of St Ethelburga.

At 69 feet by 28 feet, the hall would have been an impressive structure with room for at least 60 people. Pictured here is the cricket field in Lyminge, Kent

Dr Andrew Richardson, an Anglo-Saxon specialist from the Canterbury Archeological Trust, described the discovery as a 'fantastic achievement and a major find for understanding the kingdom of Kent.'



He told the MailOnline: 'It is a very rare find. In Kent we have found lots of cemeteries and rich burials but have been much less successful at finding where people lived. Although little farms have been found this discovery of one of the major halls is incredible.'



Dr Richardson explained how after the collapse of Roman Britain in the fifth century, Kent quickly established itself as a sophisticated independent kingdom which made the most of its location by tapping into trade networks.

'This hall would have been used for high-status feasting full of wealthy and sophisticated people,' said Dr Richardson.



The archaeologists plan to return next summer.