Many guests are as surprised as the local would have been in 789AD to find 3 Viking Longships from Norway in the Cove. The first attack on the British Isles. Popular history dates the start of the Viking Age in England to Viking raids on Lindisfarne in 793AD.
With this being at the heart of the Island at that time the Saxon watchmen looking out over the Cove sent word to the King of Wessex’ local official, known as the Reeve, in Dorchester.
Getting Officials involved can go horribly wrong. These Vikings came in peace and wanting to trade. The Reeve and his entourage arrived wanting to detain the Viking until a more senior officials arrived. Fearing no way of escape they slaughtered the Reeve and his men and went back to sea.
Fast forward over 200 years and Dorset was fighting back. On the same road that the Reeve would of used to come to Portland, the Ridgeway, 54 dismembered skeletons were found in 2009. Appearing to be the crew of a Viking Longboat from Sweden they were all put to death with a heavy sharp sword. There were only 51 skulls!!!
If you want to know more about the Viking in Dorset then visit Dorset County Museum in Dorchester.
