Saxon Settlement
The name Selby is thought to be derived from the Anglo Saxon word for willow copse – Sele, and the Scandinavian word for town– By. Giving us the name Seleby or as we know it, Selby.
Graves were discovered in the area of Church Hill during building works. The oak coffins contained human remains dating from Anglo Saxon times, proving that there had been a settlement in the area for many years before the Abbey was founded. The bodies in the coffins held hazel twigs in their hands. It is thought that the hazel had similar spiritual meaning to the Anglo Saxons as the olive branch has in the Christian faith.
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