Discovering the Anglo-Saxons in Winfarthing and Waveney - Autumn 2026 talks series
As part of our project Coins and Crosses: Seeking the Anglo-Saxons in Winfarthing and Waveney we are hosting a series of 5 talks throughout autumn 2026.
Dr Tom Lucking kicked off the series last night (10th September), speaking to a sold-out room about how he came to find the Winfarthing treasure, and how the discovery of a high-status Anglo-Saxon grave has added to our understanding of the period.
A big thank you to Tom for an excellent talk, and to everyone who joined us.
Our next event is Heritage Open Days on Saturday 19th September at Winfarthing Church - there will be a chance to meet local metal detectorists and see some of their recent finds, the launch of our interactive digital kiosk, and craft activities to try out (and of course, cake). Find more details on our events page.
We also have four more talks coming up - if you would like to join us we suggest booking as soon as you can! All talks take place at Gissing Community Building, starting at 7.30pm (doors open at 7.00pm). Tickets £3. Free tea/coffee/biscuits, cash bar available.
The Kingdom of the East Angles: An Overview
Thursday 1st October 2026
Join us to hear this talk by Dr Tim Pestell about the kingdom of the East Angles, and find out more about what the area around Winfarthing would have been like when the Winfarthing Woman was buried here.
Tim Pestell is Senior Curator of Archaeology at Norwich Castle Museum, and an expert on the Anglo-Saxon period. He oversaw the purchase of the Winfarthing pendant for Norfolk Museums Service, and carried out some excavations at Winfarthing.
The Wider World of the Winfarthing Woman: Anglo-Saxon Burial in East Anglia
Thursday 22nd October 2026
Join us to hear this talk by Joanna Caruth of Cotswold Archaeology. Jo will talk about Anglo-Saxon burial in East Anglia, helping us to understand how the cemetery at Winfarthing compares to other examples in the region.
Joanna Caruth is Principal Post-Excavation Manager at Cotswold Archaeology and has been involved in archaeological work in East Anglia for several decades. She has undertaken numerous excavations of Anglo-Saxon sites in the region, perhaps most notably the large Anglo-Saxon cemetery at RAF Lakenheath. Jo was part of the team that carried out excavations at Winfarthing with Time Team in 2023.
Daily Life in Anglo-Saxon East Anglia
Thursday 12th November 2026
Join us to hear this illustrated talk by Stephanie Paull, a Heritage Officer based at West Stow Anglo-Saxon village and Anglo-Saxon reenactor.
Stephanie will explain how different daily life would have been at the time when the Winfarthing Woman was alive, and her talk will include discussions of Anglo-Saxon work, crafts and buildings.
Reading Winfarthing’s Historic Landscape
Thursday 3rd December
Join us to hear this illustrated talk by Dr Richard Hoggett, a freelance heritage consultant, and landscape archaeologist.
Richard will explain the methods and techniques used to 'read' the historic landscape and reconstruct the countryside within which the Winfarthing Woman lived and died. Subjects covered include the use of historical mapping, place-name evidence and Lidar data, as well as looking at how metal-detected finds and archaeological excavations can inform our understanding of past landscapes.
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