Introduction

A Viking presence in Cumbria has long been acknowledged thanks to the work of W. G. Collingwood and the Reverend W. S. Calverley in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (Griffiths and Harding, Chapter 1). Their studies of the many examples of sculpture in the county have been followed up, systematized, and thoroughly assessed by Bailey and Cramp (Bailey 1980 and 1985; Bailey and Cramp 1988).

Cumbrian place-names with Scandinavian-derived elements such as - by, - swtr, - skdli, and - pveit have also been the subjects of many studies, most recently by Gillian Fellows-Jensen who subjected the distribution of Scandinavian names in north-west England, Dumfries, and Galloway to critical scrutiny (Fellows-Jensen 1985a and b; Jesch, Chapter 3). From time to time, Viking Age graves or artefacts have been found at Hesket, Flusco near Penrith, Aspatria, and Cumwhitton (Cowen 1934, 1948, and 1967; Edwards 1998; Brennand 2006; Paterson et al. 2013).

Other studies have sought to place Scandinavian settlements in north-west England in their wider historical and geographic contexts, especially the Irish Sea region (Griffiths 2004; Higham 2004; Newman 2006). To date, relatively little fieldwork has been done on Viking Age sites, and the position of Carlisle in the period of Scandinavian settlement has largely escaped attention. The aim of this chapter is to consider this issue with a focus on two questions. First, why would the Vikings be interested in Carlisle’s status and location? The second question is whether we can recognize skeletal remains as of Scandinavian origin via the analysis of isotopes derived from bones and teeth.