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Sutton Hoo to expand after £1.9m land purchase

British Museum Barbara Wagstaff, left, and Mercie Lack, right, photographed the excavation site Barbara Wagstaff, left, and Mercie Lack, right, at the excavation siteBritish Museum
Barbara Wagstaff, left, and Mercie Lack, right, photographed the excavation site near Woodbridge on the eve of World War Two

The site of an Anglo-Saxon burial ground is set to expand after the National Trust acquired land for £1.9m.

Sutton Hoo, in Suffolk, was the location where a ship and items believed to belong to East Anglia's 7th Century ruler King Rædwald were found.

The National Trust said the extra 27 acres would "enable visitors to enjoy riverside access for the first time".

It said it hoped to open the new section of land to visitors in spring 2023.

National Trust/Justin Minns Riverside views at Sutton HooNational Trust/Justin Minns
The land was acquired by the National Trust for £1.9m after a person left the charity a gift in their will

The story of the discoveries was told in the 2021 Netflix film The Dig, starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes.

It depicts the time around World War Two breaking out, where local archaeologist Basil Brown was asked to investigate a series of earth mounds on the site by the Deben estuary.

Inside he discovered a burial ship and a central chamber filled with treasures, including a warrior's helmet, a gold belt buckle, sword and shield, believed to have belonged to King Rædwald.

The finds were described by the British Museum as some of "the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time".

National Trust Images/Phil Morley Sutton Hoo helmet sculptureNational Trust Images/Phil Morley
A sculpture of the warrior's helmet is located at the site
LARRY HORRICKS/NETFLIX © 2021 National Trust team with actors Carey Mulligan and Ralph FiennesLARRY HORRICKS/NETFLIX © 2021
The National Trust team with actors Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes

The National Trust was able to acquire the land at Little Haugh after a person left a legacy to the organisation in their will.

Property operations manager, Allison Girling, said: "Being able to provide closer access to the river will help our visitors understand Sutton Hoo's position in the landscape, which for many has been a missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle.

"Visitors will be able to enjoy views of the estuary and Woodbridge across the water, which is where a full-size replica of the Sutton Hoo ship is currently being constructed by a local charity, The Sutton Hoo Ships Company."

National Trust/Justin Minns Duck in estuaryNational Trust/Justin Minns
The charity said the additional land would provide greater access and new walking routes

Some £4m has been spent on Sutton Hoo in recent years to improve its visitor experience, including a new viewing tower overlooking the royal burial mound.

The sale of Little Haugh also included two further acres of woodland, ponds, a four-bedroom thatched house that was formerly two cottages dating back to the 17th century, and a converted barn, boat shed and workshop.

National Trust/Justin Minns Views of the River Deben from Little HaughNational Trust/Justin Minns
The Sutton Hoo landscape has been cared for by the National Trust since 1998
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