Yule at Sutton Hoo

Published:: 09 October 2023

The feasting table decorated with drinking horns and food all positioned under a sculpture of the famous Sutton Hoo helmet — Sutton Hoo has lots of family activities taking place over the winter | © Darren Olley

Experience Christmas with a difference at Sutton Hoo this year as we celebrate a traditional Anglo-Saxon Yule.

Yule comes to the High Hall

Weekends from 30 November and 26 December to January 5 | 10am-4pm | Free*

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 discovered at Sutton Hoo may have linked with Yule traditions, see what the feasting table may have looked like and share your own traditions on our special Yule tree.

Pick up a free family trail along the way.

What did Christmas mean to the Anglo-Saxons?

In the Anglo-Saxon period the days around the winter solstice are believed to have been known as Géola (Yule). The Yule feast was one of the key feasts of the year. Whereas now the winter solstice commonly falls on 21 or 22 December, under the Julian calendar it fell on 25 December.

The actual customs of yule are very similar to many of the customs we still celebrate over this festive period. The Anglo-Saxon celebration of Yule is believed to have involved decoration, feasting, drinking and paying homage to ancestors.

A feasting table decorated with food, holly and drinking vessels in the exhibition hall at Sutton Hoo — The feasting table decorated for a traditional Anglo-Saxon Yule | © Darren Olley

Tranmer House at Christmas

Weekends from 30 November and 26 December to January 5 |10am-4pm | Free*

Tranmer House will be decorated for the festive season. Head into the sitting room to see how Sutton Hoo archaeologists celebrated in the 1980s and spot the themed decorations created by our Busy Bees volunteer team. There will also be plenty of family friendly activities to get involved in too!

*Normal admission charges apply, free for National Trust members.

Family-friendly winter events

Yule Feast Quest family trail
Weekends from 30 November and 26 December to 5 January 2025 | 10am to 4pm | Free*

Edwin, the young Anglo-Saxon warrior, is very excited. It is nearly Yuletide and he has been asked to gather all the things that the village will need for the Yule feast. He has a very long list of things to find, including some special rune letters. Can you help him on his quest?

A Christmas tree with Anglo-Saxon inspired decorations on it with a table on the left showing what each decoration is — Tranmer House will be decorated for the festivities | © National Trust/Darren Olley

Winter estate walks
Daily (closed 24-25 December) from 30 November to 5 January 2025 | 10am to 4pm | Free

The Sutton Hoo landscape and adventure playground is also open daily (excluding the 24 and 25 December) from 10am – 4pm, so strap on your boots, wrap up warm and head out on an adventure.

From 3 November, Keepers’ Café, next to Tranmer House, will also be open Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm.

With the glow of sunset in the sky, ribbons of mist lie over the grass-covered burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. Suffolk — Explore the estate on a wintry walk | © National Trust Images/Justin Minns

Don't Miss | Tasty treats and Christmas shopping

A large luxury Christmas hamper with gifts on display, including gin liqueur, jam, pickle, tea, chocolates, and Christmas pudding — A luxury Christmas hamper | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

A spot of Christmas shopping

Head over to the gift shop for a range of unique Sutton Hoo items, the perfect Christmas present! From t-shirts to handmade jewellery and ceramics plus bottles of mead, there’s everything you could need for your own Yule feast!

Christmas shopping at Sutton Hoo