Skip to content
Skip to content

Yule at Sutton Hoo

Discover what the festive period meant to the Anglo-Saxons living 1500 years ago and find out where many of our traditions came from as we celebrate Yule.

  • Booking not needed
  • Free event (admission applies)

Mid-winter has been an important time of year long before Christmas was celebrated. Many Christmas traditions we follow today would still be recognisable to Anglo-Saxons including family gatherings, decorating and feasting.

Immerse yourself in the High Hall exhibition and find out how the people buried at Sutton Hoo’s Royal Burial Ground might have celebrated this time of year. Discover how the objects link with Yule traditions, explore the Yule feasting table and share your own traditions on the Yule tree. Pick up a free family trail to enjoy along the way.

Venture inside Tranmer House to discover what Christmas was like across the decades. Find out how Edith Pretty spent some of her Christmases with extracts from her travel diaries. Head into the Sitting Room to see how this compared with what Christmas was like for archaeologists working at Sutton Hoo during the 1980s. Enjoy decorations created by our Busy Bees volunteer sewing team, inspired by objects discovered at Sutton Hoo. Pick up a free family activity sheet when you arrive to see what decorations you can spot and head into the Discovery Room for other free Yule themed family activities.

Out in the landscape, pick up a free family Yule Feast Quest family trail to help a young Anglo-Saxon warrior gather everything needed for a Yule feast.

Times

Prices

Event ticket prices

This event is free, but normal admission charges apply for the venue.

Check admission prices

The basics

Suitability

Suitable for all ages.

Accessibility

High Hall exhibition and Tranmer House are wheelchair accessible.

Upcoming events

Event

Gruesome Graves 

Take our free family tour to discover gruesome stories we've had to leave out of our 'normal' tours ...

Event summary

on
2 Dec to 16 Dec 2023
at
13:00 to 14:00
+ 1 other date or time
Event

Quiet Hour at Sutton Hoo 

Join us for quiet hour as we turn down the sounds for those who would enjoy a more peaceful and relaxed visit.

Event summary

on
3 Dec 2023 to 4 Feb 2024
at
10:00 to 11:00
+ 2 other dates or times
Event

Winter solstice Anglo-Saxon myth and magic tour 

As darkness descends over the Anglo-Saxon Royal Burial Ground, soak up the atmosphere and discover more about the people who were laid to rest at Sutton Hoo and how they viewed the world around them.

Event summary

on
22 Dec 2023
at
18:00 to 19:30
Event

Riddlequest: Escape Game 

Can you return a mysterious object to its rightful place in our escape game experience? Complete challenges along the way, including solving real early medieval riddles to unlock the secrets of the past

Event summary

on
12 Jan to 24 Feb 2024
at
18:00 to 19:00
+ 11 other dates or times