Wuffings

Welcome to Dr Sam Newton’s Wuffings’ Website Website, which aims to provide a focus for the study of Sutton Hoo and the history and culture of the Wuffing Kingdom of East Anglia and beyond.

Please scroll down for information about (1) Wuffing Education study-days, study-mornings, and other events (2) my weekly seminars, (3) available lectures, (4) about me and my works, (5) my books and other publications, and (6) some old but still occasionally useful resources for Wuffing & Sutton Hoo Studies.

1. Wuffing Education Online Study-Days, Study-Mornings (Live and Online), and Lectures

Friday 25th October 2024: The Battle of Agincourt (25th October 1415) – a live study-morning on the anniversary of this famous battle with world-class scholar Dr Toby Capwell FSA.

Friday 15th November 2024: The Battle of the River Went (15^th November 655) – an online anniversary study-day with Dr Sam Newton FSA on the great battle at the flooded crossing of the River Winwæd, now the Went, where King Oswy of Northumbria defeated and killed King Penda of Mercia, the last of the old pagan warlords, and his many allies, including King Æthelhere of East Anglia.

Friday 29th November 2024: The Children of Athena: Greek Intellectuals in the Roman Empire – an online study-morning with Charles Freeman (specialist on the ancient world and its legacy) on the remarkable story of how Greek-speaking writers and thinkers sustained and developed the intellectual legacy of Classical Greece under the rule of Rome.  These include Plutarch the historian and Ptolemy the Alexandrian geographer and astronomer.  The story extends from the second century BC to the fifth century AD and helped to shape the intellectual landscape of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. 

Friday 6th December 2024: Yuletide to Nativity: Christmas in Early England – an online study-morning with Dr Sam Newton FSA rekindling the old magic of Christmas with a look at the significance of the midwinter festival in early England and how it was celebrated.

Friday 13th December 2024: The Battle of the Holme (13th December 902) –  an online study-morning with Dr Sam Newton FSA on the anniversary of the battle which ended the West Saxon cousins’ war which nearly destroyed the achievements of King Ælfred following his death in 899. We shall see how his nephew Æthelwald challenged his Will with the help of the Danish army. We shall also look at the clues provided in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle pointing to the site of the battle somewhere in Cambridgeshire. 

Friday 17th January 2025: The Viking Great Armies in England of the Ninth Century (postponed from 22nd Nov. 2024) – an online study-day with Dr Gareth Williams following the fourteen-year progress of the micel here, or ‘great heathen army’ which landed in East Anglia in 865. Re-examining the historical sources in the light of recent archaeological discoveries, we shall see how this coalition of Viking raiders was able to confront the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms on equal terms, and ultimately to conquer and settle a large portion of England for themselves.

Also scheduled so far for 2025 (more to follow)

 – click here for the full programme on Eventbrite –

– please note that these events are not recorded –

2. Weekly Morning Seminars in Sutton Hoo Studies 2024, live and online

3. If you wish to book me to deliver a lecture or study-day, click here for a selection of titles.

4. About Me and My Works

5. My Books: 

1. The Reckoning of King Rædwald (2003)

2. The Origins of Beowulf and the pre-Viking Kingdom of East Anglia (1993)

My more recent published papers, such as “The Forgotten History of St Bótwulf (Botolph)” (2016), can be downloaded from my page on Academia . 

Above: Dawn over Iken Hoo, where St Bótwulf (Botolph) founded his famous minster in 654. Thanks to Dominic for this picture ©Iken Canoe Hire (the best way to view Iken Hoo is from a canoe).

6. Resources for Wuffing Studies:

Wuffings’ Who Was Who (genealogical & historical information)

Sutton Hoo: Burial-Ground of the Wuffings (some of the wonders of the royal ship-burial)

Wuffing and Related Places of Interest (sites where the Wuffings walked; and more) – work in progress

In Defence of the Wuffings (Book Review) – my response to some of Professor Martin Carver’s theories about Sutton Hoo and the kings of East Anglia.

Sutton Hoo: Burial-Ground of Dissidents? – further thoughts on Professor Martin Carver’s theories about Sutton Hoo.

The Old English Calendar

Some Wuffing Studies’ reading lists

Some Old Links to related Websites

Acknowledgements