Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – The Norman castle at Skipsea, constructed around 1086, functioned as both the residence and administrative hub for the lords of Holderness. This lordship, established by William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, covered a vast area from the Humber estuary to Bridlington. William entrusted this strategically important region and its coastline to Drogo de la Beauvrière, one of his loyal companions.
William the Conqueror is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry during the Battle of Hastings, lifting his helmet to show that he is still alive. Credit: Myrabella – Public Domain
Recent research has significantly altered our understanding of Skipsea’s history. Archaeologists have discovered that the mound at Skipsea—long believed to be a Norman motte—actually dates back to the Iron Age.
Ongoing excavations near Skipsea Castle in East Yorkshire are providing new insights into life before the Norman Conquest.
Led by researchers from the University of York as part of a six-year project begun in 2023, these investigations have uncovered evidence of high-status Anglo-Saxon buildings and industrial activity. Notable discoveries include what may be a malthouse used for brewing or food processing between AD 750 and 850, featuring a drying oven and an adjoining clay floor within a timber-framed wattle-and-daub structure. Other finds include remains suggesting a timber tower and a large hall likely used for feasting and assemblies.
Credit: University of York
These findings from Sparrow Croft—a field about 225 metres from Skipsea Castle—are transforming our understanding of early medieval society in this region prior to Norman rule.
Rare Structures
In the vicinity, researchers discovered a square, sunken feature lined with timber and mortar, believed to be the cellar of a wooden tower. This structure may have served as a watchtower, bell tower, or possibly even a tower-nave church. Both this feature and the malthouse are considered rare in England and are recognized as important indicators of elite or high-status sites from the period before the Norman Conquest.
Skipsea Castle, Skipsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Credit: Paul Lakin – CC BY 3.0
In addition, archaeologists identified the remains of a large timber hall built above the malthouse. This hall was likely used for feasting, drinking, and political gatherings. Predating the castle on site, it was surrounded by an extensive ditched enclosure. Collectively, these findings suggest that the area may have functioned as a “lordly centre” within the Anglo-Saxon landscape.
The Last Anglo-Saxon King Of England, Harold Godwinson
The most recent findings expand on previous research conducted at Skipsea, significantly altering our understanding of the region’s history. Nearly ten years ago, University of York archaeologists Dr Jim Leary and Dr Elaine Jamieson discovered that the large mound supporting Skipsea Castle—measuring 85 metres wide and 13 metres high—originated in the Iron Age rather than during the Norman period as previously believed. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the mound was constructed approximately 1,500 years before the Norman Conquest, distinguishing it as a unique structure in Britain for its time.
We actually know relatively little about this period in England’s history, and making new discoveries like this is exceptionally rare.
Left: Part of the Bayeux Tapestry. Credit: The Society of Antiquaries of London. Right: King Harold Godwinson. Credit: Georgemiller381 – CC BY-SA 4.0 – Image compilation: AncientPages.com
The discovery at Skipsea is particularly interesting because we know the area later belonged to the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, Harold Godwinson, before becoming the estate centre of the Lords of Holderness after the Norman Conquest.
Although we have not yet found any evidence that Harold Godwinson ever visited Skipsea, our discoveries fit with a landscape shaped by power and wealth in the late Anglo-Saxon period,” Dr Jim Leary, from the University of York’s Department of Archaeology, said in a press statement.
History Stretching Back Thousands Of Years
The significance of the area dates back thousands of years. Historically, Skipsea was encircled by three freshwater lakes—Skipsea Bail Mere, Skipsea Low Mere, and Skipsea Withow Mere—which were connected to the River Hull. These lakes formed approximately 10,000 years ago and became a focal point for human activity from the Mesolithic period through to medieval times.
Archaeological discoveries in the former lakebeds include stone tools, animal remains, and bone harpoons. Additionally, evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age structures and trackways has been found along their shores.
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Today, Skipsea Castle is recognized as a Scheduled Monument under the care of English Heritage. Every May, it serves as the site for the University of York’s archaeology field school, where around 120 undergraduate and postgraduate students participate in ongoing excavations.
“We are about half-way through our work on the site, so there is still so much more we could potentially find that would help us reveal more about how power, industry and daily life were organised in eastern England in the centuries leading up to the Norman Conquest,” Dr Elaine Jamieson, from the University of York’s Department of Archaeology, said.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer