Derek Gore: Vikings in the West Country

Whilst many people associate the ancient Viking raids on England with the East Coast areas, those that occurred on the West Country, have tended to receive less attention .
 

This was the subject of a talk given by Mr Derek Gore a local historian at a recent meeting of Torquay Probus. He commenced his talk by informing that the Viking warriors were originally from Norway and later also Denmark. What we now know of their exploits come from the ancient writings recorded in the Saxon Chronicles.

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The first Viking raids began in circa 789 to 924 and the second wave continued until circa 1066. The Vikings in their characteristic boats propelled by oar and single sail,  sailed around to the coasts of Devon and Cornwall. They made many raids, particularly in Cornwall. Over a period of time they amassed a sizable fleet in the Bristol Channel and even established small colonies on the Isles of Scilly, also the islands of Lundy and Flatholm.  
 

In one very notable and successful raid, it is recorded that 35 Viking vessels sailed into the coastal settlement of Carhampton in Somerset , in search of plunder, in the form of portable wealth such as gold, silver copper etc.  However, not all Viking raids were successful as they were often overcome by the native Saxon defenders . Many inland raids were made on Devon, and Viking settlements grew up around Exeter. In Cornwall evidence of Nordik culture remains in art form, carved on some memorial tombs and stone crosses.
 

Additionally interesting, is that the term Viking only came into use in the Victorian period. Hitherto the term used was the Norsemen .