From beyond, where horizon and North Sea dim to gray they must have come, the ships with the square sails and the men who probably just laughed at the ‘sanctity’ of this island as they sharpened their battle axes. A sandy, semi-circular bay still forms the natural harbor of the island of Lindisfarne on the coast of northern England. This landing site must have been an invitation to the Vikings.
On June 8, 793, the Normans jumped from their sloops here and climbed the short hill. Did the monks in the thatched buildings there have any idea what was about to happen? And that this day should go down in history? The horrors that befell Lindisfarne over the next few hours not only marked the beginning of the Viking raids Europebut also the beginning of the Viking Age, the era in which warriors and traders swarmed from cold Scandinavia to gain a foothold throughout Europe.