Finglesham Anglo-Saxon cemetery

The cemetery sits on a raised hilltop and holds 216 graves arranged in a triangular pattern across roughly half a hectare. The site shows how early Anglo-Saxon communities organized their burial spaces in this coastal region.

The cemetery was in use from the 6th to the 8th century and was excavated in 1928 due to threats from chalk quarrying. This early dig rescued the site from destruction and provided crucial evidence about Anglo-Saxon burial practices and daily life.

The graves held personal ornaments, weapons, and everyday objects that show how people honored their dead and what mattered to them in daily life. These finds reveal who held power and wealth in the community.

The site sits a few kilometers south of Sandwich in a flat, accessible area. Visitors should know this is an archaeological location where only the grave outlines remain visible, while the actual finds are housed in a museum.

A buckle found in one of the graves depicts the Germanic god Wodan wearing a horned helmet and holding spears, offering clues to pagan beliefs. This rare image of a deity on an everyday object reveals the spiritual world of early Anglo-Saxons before Christianity arrived.

Location: Finglesham

GPS coordinates: 51.23500,1.34000

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:00