ORDINARY MEETING OF FELLOWS LECTURE

Rendlesham Revealed: Investigating an Early East Anglian Royal Centre

by Professor Christopher Scull FSA

The early medieval settlement complex at Rendlesham, in the valley of the river Deben in south-east Suffolk, is known from a programme of systematic metal-detecting, remote sensing and excavation undertaken since 2008 through a partnership co-ordinated by Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service.

The distribution of metalwork in the ploughsoil and the extent of archaeological features indicate settlement and related activity over an area of c 50 ha over the course of the 5th to 8th centuries. The finds assemblage, which includes gold and gold-and-garnet jewellery and both Merovingian and English gold coinage, indicates an elite presence from the late 6th to the early 8th centuries. From the metalwork assemblage, the survey data and trial excavation it has been possible to model the broad spatial layout and development of the settlement complex, and characterise the activities undertaken there. This the most extensive and materially the wealthiest settlement of its time known in England, and can be identified confidently as the East Anglian vicus regius, or royal settlement, recorded by Bede as the place where King Swithelm of the East Saxons was baptised under the sponsorship of Aethelwald, king of the East Angles, at some date between AD 655 and 663.

Since 2021 there has been further excavation by local volunteers as part of the 4-year community archaeology project Rendlesham Revealed, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and managed by Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service. This lecture will present the results of recent excavations, set them against the findings from earlier surveys, frame the site in its wider regional contexts, and briefly consider some of the broader public benefits accruing from the project.

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This event will be both in person at Burlington House and online. Please select the appropriate ticket below.

Attendance at Burlington House:

• Open to anyone to join, Fellows, Affiliates and General Public.
• Places in person will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The event will begin at 17.00 GMT. Please arrive in plenty of time.
• Tea/Coffee is served from 16.30 GMT.
• Registration is essential for non-Fellows but we encourage Fellows to register as well.
• Fellows must ensure they sign the guest book and sign their guests in.

The schedule for the evening if attending in person:

• Refreshments are served from 16.30 GMT in the council room.
• The meeting begins at 17.00 GMT with the lecture starting at approximately 17.10 GMT.
• Lectures run for approximately 45min and are followed by a short Q&A.
• Sherry is served in the Foyer following the lecture.

Attendance by Live Stream:

• Open to anyone to join, Fellows, Affiliates and General Public.
• The event will be live-streamed to YouTube here
• The event will begin at 17.00 GMT.
• You will receive an email reminder with the link to join the day before the lecture.

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If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]

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