THE quiet village of Hunwick may not seem like the location for one of the most important battles in English history.

But two historians from Iceland have a theory that Hunwick has played a vital role in shaping this country and have paid another visit to the area to solidify their theory.

Björn Vernharosson and his son Stefan Björnsson travelled all the way from Iceland to spend four days in County Durham and visit the sites they think are mentioned in the Sagas.

The village of Hunwick has been marking the occasion by hosting a Viking week including a drinking festival at the pub and a concluding with a battle re-enactment on the village green today.

Ian Richardson, former landlord of the Joiners Arms, said: “Its a unique opportunity for Hunwick and it's something the entire village can get behind.”

The battle of Brunanburh took place in 937AD and was a pivotal moment in English history.

Æthelstan, King of England, saw off an army of the Irish, Scottish and Vikings, Had the battle been lost, the course of English history would have been changed.

Historians cannot agree on a location for the battle – theories include Lanchester, Burnley, Barnsdale in South Yorkshire and the most popular location Bromborough on the Wirral.

But Vernharosson and Björnsson think Hunwick is the correct location of the battle and they have written many books explaining why.

Björnsson said: “We may never know where the battle took place for certain but we could make a guess – 98 per cent of history in that period has been lost, Nordic tradition is continued orally and passed down through generations.”

There are 24 Nordic runes each having a different meanin. The poem about Brunanburh should have had 24 verses but the last six are missing, meaning crucial information has been lost.

This is due to the poem being written after the battle and by a biased source, taking out the location and the praise for the King.

The Roman fort of Binchester is near by, which in the early medieval ages could have seen some small occupation.

It is also on Dere Street, the Roman equivalent of the A1, so logistically Hunwick would be a good place for armies to meet.

Bjorn added: “Every student in Iceland has to learn this period of history and the Sagas. When Stefan was 15 we listened to the tapes of the Sagas and were fascinated by them, we set out looking for a place described as a Vinu and it brought us here.”

He said as Binchester was called Vinovia, this could be the origin of Vinu.

Hunwick is also interpreted as Huns, which the Vikings used to be referred to, but also from the Anglo-Saxon Heona which means measuring – and Hunwick is the at the centre of the county.