A piece of timber dated to Saxon times was found in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, south-eastern England,during works on a flood alleviation scheme.

The piece of wood measures over 75 centimetres and is believed to be a part of a Saxon revetment, a structure built to hold back the bank of the River Thames. Radiocarbon dating confirmed its date to around 990 AD. According to the scientists, the find suggests there was riverside activity in Henley around the early 11th century, connected to trade or commercial activities, and also suggests that  there might have been a settlement in Saxon times. Official histories of Henley suggest that the first recorded activity on the site dates from 1179 and the reign of Henry II.

(after Henley Standard)