HS2 archaeological discoveries illuminate the Anglo-Saxon ‘Dark Ages’

16th June 2022

  • 141 Anglo Saxon burials excavated, rich in ‘grave goods’ including Anglo Saxon jewellery, swords, shields, spears and personal hygiene kit – complete with ear wax remover and tweezers, in Buckinghamshire
  • Rare discoveries to feature on Dan Snow’s History Hit streaming service and podcast released today [16th June 2022]
  • Historian Dan Snow: “This stunning set of discoveries on the HS2 route can tell us more about how our predecessors lived, fought and ultimately died. It is one of the best and most revealing post Roman sites in the country.”
  • B-Roll, video and images available

Archaeologists working on HS2 have made discoveries of national significance, uncovering an Anglo-Saxon burial site in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Almost three quarters of the graves contained high quality grave goods, suggesting the site was the final resting place of a wealthy Anglo-Saxon community.

The items uncovered are dated to the 5th and 6th century, a period in which there are gaps in historical and archaeological record. The discoveries made by HS2 archaeologists will contribute a significant amount to the understanding of how people in Anglo-Saxon Britain lived their lives, and what culture and society was like at that time.

The team of around 30 field archaeologists from INFRA JV, working on behalf for HS2’s Enabling Works Contractor, Fusion JV, completed the field work in 2021, at the site which they knew was in use over a long period of time. Evidence of Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman activity was all discovered but it was the presence of the Anglo-Saxon burial ground that was most significant for the archaeologists working on the site. The site contained 138 graves, with 141 inhumation burials and 5 cremation burials – one the largest Anglo-Saxon burial ground ever uncovered in Britain.

Speaking about the incredible discoveries filmed for his streaming service History Hit, Dan Snow, Historian and Presenter, said:

“1500 years ago people in Britain stopped writing things down. Traditionally this period has been dismissed as a Dark Age. But archaeology has filled the gaps. By studying the things our forebears have left in the ground, their glass, jewellery, weapons and even their bodies, we can build a rich picture of a dynamic and vital period of our history. This stunning set of discoveries on the HS2 route can tell us more about how our predecessors lived, fought and ultimately died. It is one of the best and most revealing post Roman sites in the country and it was thrilling to join the team as they uncovered their wonderful finds.“