Battlefields›Monastery of Whitby Norse Raid
Early Medieval

Monastery of Whitby Norse Raid

867
Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Viking attack on Whitby monastery · Norse sack Streoneshalh 867
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Whitby monastic community
Forces
Whitby garrison and monks c. 50–100.
VS
Victor
Norse raiders
Forces
Norse raiders c. 200–400
Outcome
Monastery sacked and burned; community dispersed
The Battle

History & Significance

The Norse destruction of Whitby abbey — the site of the 664 Synod — ended one of the most historically significant monasteries in England and illustrates how comprehensively Viking raids dismantled Northumbrian ecclesiastical culture.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Monastery of Whitby Norse Raid

Bowl barrow 710m north west of Thornfields
Scheduled monument · ~4.3 miles
Linear earthwork to the NW of the junction of the A171 and the road leading to Fylingthorpe
Scheduled monument · ~4.4 miles
Bowl barrow 300m north east of the junction of the A171 and the road leading to Fylingthorpe
Scheduled monument · ~4.4 miles
Bowl barrow 455m north west of Thornfields
Scheduled monument · ~4.4 miles
Bowl barrow 530m north west of Thornfields
Scheduled monument · ~4.4 miles
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