Claire Stokes PhD Student
Supervisors
Dr Shane McLeod (UHI), Prof Alexandra Sanmark (UHI) and Prof Ryan Lavelle (University of Winchester)
Research Title
Viking Age Scandinavian sea-routes and ship havens along the south coast of Britain with a particular focus on the Isle of Wight.
Research Abstract
The aim of my research is to consider whether and how Scandinavian seafarers utilised the Isle of Wight, on the south coast of Britain during the Viking Age. My hypothesis is that they initially used the island as a temporary reprovisioning landing-site and subsequently used it as a seasonal/semi-permanent camp. Additionally, it is possible that the island could have been a strategically placed location in a network of sea-routes along the south-coast of Britain and through to Normandy, and possibly even Ireland.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles refer to Scandinavian seafarers undertaking voyages that passed the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of Britain, throughout the Viking Age. There are a few references to their presence on the island, for example a temporary camp in 896 and a more regular presence in the late tenth-early eleventh centuries such as 998 and 1001. In other instances, the Scandinavian ships must have passed the Isle of Wight but this is not mentioned, for example the attested raid on Southampton/Hamwic in 980 may have also involved landing on the island. Similarly, when Scandinavian ships travelled along the south coast on longer voyages mentioned in the Chronicles, such as East Anglia to Exeter in 894, the island may have offered suitable reprovisioning locations or temporary landing sites to wait for suitable tide or wind. However, there is no information given in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles on where they were on the island, nor detail regarding their ships, navigation or seafaring activities.
Biography
Claire is a part-time PhD student (starting in Sept 2025). This will build on her dissertation for her MLitt in Viking Studies with UHI which she completed in 2024.
Before starting her post graduate studies, Claire had a full career in Management Consulting. She lives on the south coast of Britain where she keeps a (modern!) boat that will be involved in aspects of practical research to test out some of the navigational challenges faced by Viking Age seafarers.