Written by Trevor Penny was trolling the Cherwell river in Oxfordshire, England during November of 2023. After a few hits on discarded metal objects, he pulled in the find of a life. Othrr magnet fishers had caught weapons from World War II. Trevor’s catch was from a much earlier war. Trevor reeled in a Viking Age sword likely used during the Scandinavian raids into England.
The sword now resides with the Oxfordshire museums. There it will be further studied and potentially be put on display. It has been dated to between 850 and 975CE.
‘It really did feel quite amazing – it’s the oldest thing found in this county magnet fishing,’ – Penny said.