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East Lyng is a burh, a fortified settlement established in Somerset during the reign of Alfred the Great in the ninth century as part of his defensive network against Viking incursions. The site is located in the Somerset Levels and formed part of the strategic system of fortified towns designed to protect the kingdom of Wessex. The burh would have served both defensive and administrative functions, controlling the surrounding territory and providing refuge for the local population during periods of conflict. Archaeological and topographical evidence indicates the presence of an Anglo-Saxon fortified enclosure at this location, though the earthwork defences have been significantly altered and reduced by subsequent agricultural use and the passage of time.
Anglo-Saxon burh at East Lyng is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1019100. View the official record →
East Lyng is a burh, a fortified settlement established in Somerset during the reign of Alfred the Great in the ninth century as part of his defensive network against Viking incursions. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1019100.
Anglo-Saxon burh at East Lyng is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1019100.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Balt Moor Wall (0.6 km), Anglo-Saxon occupation site and site of Athelney Abbey on Athelney Hill (1.1 km), Duck decoy 250m north west of Moredon House (2.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Anglo-Saxon burh at East Lyng's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Anglo-Saxon burh at East Lyng stands on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.