Viking Raids on the Island

c. 787-1000 AD

The Isle of Wight suffered repeated Viking raids from the late eighth century onwards. The island's position in the Solent, close to wealthy trading ports and monastic settlements, made it a target for Norse raiders. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records Viking fleets sheltering in the island's harbours and using it as a base for raids along the south coast. In 998 AD, a large Viking force ravaged the island. The raids disrupted the island's economy and its communities, and defensive earthworks from the period have been identified at several sites. The Viking threat only receded with the establishment of strong English kingship under Canute and his successors in the early eleventh century.