Come and see The Vikings at Heysham Viking Festival. After several decades of relative peace, Danish raids on English territory began again in the 980s, becoming markedly more serious in the early 990s. Following the Battle of Maldon in 991, Æthelred the unready paid tribute, or Danegeld, to the Danish king. In 1002, Æthelred orders the St. Brice's Day massacre of Danish settlers. This can be acted out in the Village by local Saxon lord. King Sweyn Forkbeard receives word and in a rage launches retaliation raids across England. Heysham get attacked as part of this.