Continuing his summer challenge, the next essay from Ben Patterson The previous essay described, among many other points, the exploratory voyages of the Norsemen, taking them from Iceland to eastern Canada and establishing settlements in all of these regions. There was one other major place upon which the Vikings established themselves, but it was far less exploration and far more conquest – the British Isles. Let us set the scene; prior to 865 AD, what we know today as Engla

What to do with a 20-year-old history/politics university student kicking about the house on his summer holidays? (aka my son). Set him writing challenges - that's what! So, here we have The Tale of Vinland, written by Ben Patterson Modern pop culture knows the Vikings as bloodthirsty raiders and conquerors, setting out from the frozen hellscape of Scandinavia that they called home to terrorise Europe for the next two centuries, whether sailing down the Seine and razing Pari