A Viking Age hoard of silver coins was found in 1834 and described as 'A considerable number of silver coins were found whilst digging up the foundation of the old church previously to the erection of the present edifice. The workmen seized and disposed of a great part of them; Bishop Ward got possession of some, which were transmitted by him to the British Museum, where they now are...they were originals or imitations of Saxon coins of the period of Ethelred II (979-1016).'


The description is consistent with another that describes them as being found close to the surviving portion of the old church chancel.  The grid reference provided is centred just to the west of the old chancel, notionally within the footprint of the old church.


Numismatist Michael Dolley identified the coins as being mostly Hiberno-Norse, except a small element of Hiberno-Manx, and to have been concealed in the 1070s: it may be significant that the battle of Skyhill took place in 1079.