A VIKING roadway, described by experts as a Dark Age M1, has been discovered in the depths of Sherwood Forest.
The road, discovered by Viking enthusiasts from Rainworth, connects an enigmatic Dark Age monument called Thynghowe with surrounding settlements.
The find came to light after the site, in an area known as the Birklands, was surveyed from the air using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) which penetrates the trees and measures the height of the ground surface.
Flights were made possible after the significance of the site was discovered, using £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Originally the monument Thynghowe – meaning a massive earthen mound – was discovered through the work of local historians and is one of only a handful of such sites to survive in the British Isles.
Now volunteers from the Friends of Thynghowe and the Forestry Commission are holding a first Norse re-enactment weekend, setting up a Viking camp in 1,200 hectare Sherwood Pines Forest Park, near Clipstone, with the help of living history groups Regia Anglorum and Conroi de Vey.
Lynda Mallett, from the Friends, who discovered Thynghowe with husband Stuart Reddish and John Wood, all of Rainworth, said: "The story is developing and we are excited by how much information we have been able to gather.
"Staging the weekend is a way of showing people who the Vikings were, costumes and culture and contribution to our heritage, which we increasingly believe was far greater than readily acknowledged.
"The Danish Vikings left an indelible stamp on Nottinghamshire, so the re-enactment is a timely reminder of their part in our history."
During the weekend they will demonstrate combat, weaving, cooking and crafts, filling the beauty-spot with smells, sights and sounds not experienced locally for over 1,000 years. The Viking street goes directly to Thynghowe, underlining its importance as a gathering place. Amy Chandler, of the Forestry Commission, said: "The weekend will put flesh on the bones of the story by showing people the human side of the Vikings and also re-enacting the kind of disputes which would have been settled at Thynghowe.
"Regia Anglorum are famous for the authenticity of their living history and Sherwood provides the perfect setting."
Viking raids on England became widespread in the 9th century, first for plunder, but then with families settling areas including Sherwood Forest.
Ivor the Boneless fought a battle on the site of Nottingham in 846 and land in the forest was granted to 1,500 Viking militia for homesteads.
Thynghowe was recorded on a 17th century map and its earliest mention so far is 1251 in a Sherwood Forest book. It has been placed on English Heritage's National Monument Record.
The re-enactment is free and runs on May 18 and 19.
