One of England’s great archaeological sites, West Stow has extensive indoor galleries and a stunning recreation of an Anglo-Saxon village surrounded by 125 acres of unspoilt countryside.
Visitors to West Stow can explore history and nature, watch a film, dress up as an Anglo-Saxon or say hello to the rare breed pigs and chickens. As part of the annual RingQuest event, you could even meet a Hobbit, among other Lord of the Rings characters!
History
West Stow is the site of an early Anglo-Saxon village, occupied from AD 420-650, over 400 years before the Norman Conquest.
In 1976 the West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village Trust was formally established to manage the site, at that stage there were three reconstructed houses within the village. The trust was registered as a charity by the Charity Commissioners in 1977 (Charity no. 272897). West Suffolk’s Heritage Team currently manages the day-to-day running of the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village on behalf of the trust.
The reconstructed village now consists of eight buildings:
