Tatberht's Lundenwic

Foreword by Ian Riddler.

Tatberht lived on a farmstead on the outskirts of Lundenwic between the 8th and 9th centuries, an area now occupied by the National Portrait Gallery. He was clearly a literate man since he elegantly inscribed his name into a sheep bone taken from the dinner table. Although he was largely self-sufficient, his relationship with the core settlement would have been central to his life. He would have brought in livestock on the hoof to be slaughtered and consumed within Lundenwic, as well as supplying the residents with other goods produced on his farm.

During his lifetime Tatberht would have seen first-hand the thriving and bustling settlement of Lundenwic and may even have witnessed the first Viking raids and experienced the impact this had on his and the community’s livelihood. This book introduces the results of four archaeological excavations in and around Lundenwic and presents new perspectives on Tatberht’s London.

The excavations were located at 28-31 James Street, the Lyceum Theatre, 21-24 Maiden Lane and the National Portrait Gallery. The book also includes a technical study of Middle Saxon fired daub together with experiments reconstructing wattle and daub.