Battlefields›Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin)
Early Medieval

Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin)

633
Northumberland, England
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Raid
Location
Northumberland, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Northumbria (if the destruction was hostile)
VS
Victor
Uncertain
Outcome
The royal vill's great hall and other buildings were destroyed by fire; Hope-Taylor interpreted this as the result of hostile attacks, but critics note there is no confirmation in written records that Yeavering was sacked in 633 or the 650s, so the event and its attribution remain archaeologically inferred rather than textually attested.
The Battle

History & Significance

Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin) was an early medieval raid, fought at Northumberland, England in 633. Uncertain prevailed over Northumbria (if the destruction was hostile). The royal vill's great hall and other buildings were destroyed by fire; Hope-Taylor interpreted this as the result of hostile attacks, but critics note there is no confirmation in written records that Yeavering was sacked in 633 or the 650s, so the event and its attribution remain archaeologically inferred rather than textually attested.

Confirmed battlefield location
The ground

The ground they fought on

The site of Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin) lies on Inverclyde Group, bedrock that formed in the Osagean. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Everything a full report reveals about Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin)

This page covers Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin). A full Aubrey report for the area pulls together this battle alongside scheduled monuments and everything else the record holds within a few miles:

Overview
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Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
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Timeline
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Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin)

Settlement, field systems and terraces on the south east slope of Yeavering Bell
Settlement, field systems and terraces on the south east slope of Yeavering Bell
Scheduled monument · ~0.9 mi

Settlement, field systems and terraces on the south east slope of Yeavering Bell is a Prehistoric and Romano-British archaeological site located on the south-eastern face of Yeavering Bell in Northumberland. The site comprises the remains of ancient settlement activity, including field boundaries…

Romano British settlement, 655m north east of Lanton Hill Monument
Romano British settlement, 655m north east of Lanton Hill Monument
Scheduled monument · ~0.9 mi

A Romano-British settlement is a dispersed archaeological site located approximately 655 metres north-east of Lanton Hill Monument in Northumberland. The settlement dates to the Roman period and represents evidence of civilian occupation and land use during Rome's military and administrative pres…

Castle Hill camp
Castle Hill camp
Scheduled monument · ~2.4 mi

Castle Hill camp is a univallate hillfort situated in Northumberland, England. The site comprises a single defensive bank and ditch enclosing an irregular area of elevated ground, characteristic of Iron Age fortified settlements in northern Britain. Though limited excavation has been undertaken a…

Prehistoric enclosed settlement, Iron Age hillfort and medieval shielings on Humbleton Hill
Prehistoric enclosed settlement, Iron Age hillfort and medieval shielings on Humbleton Hill
Scheduled monument · ~2.8 mi

Humbleton Hill is a multiphase hilltop settlement in Northumberland that demonstrates occupation spanning from the Iron Age through the medieval period. The site contains the earthwork remains of an Iron Age hillfort, characterised by defensive ramparts and ditches that enclosed the hilltop, alon…

Andrew Curtis / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Medieval chapel, 220m south east of White Gables
Medieval chapel, 220m south east of White Gables
Scheduled monument · ~3.4 mi

The medieval chapel 220m south east of White Gables is a scheduled ancient monument in Northumberland comprising the remains of a small religious structure from the medieval period. The site preserves evidence of ecclesiastical activity in the medieval countryside, reflecting the dispersed patter…

Andrew Curtis / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Defended settlement, 400m south west of Nesbit
Defended settlement, 400m south west of Nesbit
Scheduled monument · ~3.7 mi

Defended settlement, 400 metres south west of Nesbit is a prehistoric fortified enclosure located in Northumberland. The site consists of a circular or oval defensive earthwork, characteristic of Iron Age settlement practices in northern Britain, dating to sometime within the Iron Age period. The…

Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon township and prehistoric remains
Scheduled monument · ~0.1 miles
The Battle Stone, 650m WNW of Yeavering Farm
Scheduled monument · ~0.2 miles
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Battle of Crayford (457)
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Battle of Aylesford
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Anglian Assault on Roman York (c.450-500 AD)
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In the same landscape

Battles near Possible sacking of Yeavering (Ad Gefrin)

Battle of Yeavering
1415
~0.2 miles away
Battle of Humbleton Hill
1402
~2.6 miles away
Battle of Homildon Hill 1402
1402
~2.8 miles away
William I's crossing into Scotland 1072
1072
~6.6 miles away
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