Description
Muker is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Situated in Swaledale, one of the Yorkshire Dales, its name reflects its origin as a Norse settlement, derived from the Norse word "Mjor-aker" meaning "the narrow acre". The earliest recorded evidence for occupation takes the form of a skeleton found, with flints, on Muker Common in the early 20th century. Details suggest a burial of Bronze Age date. The location at the meeting of the River Swale and the Straw Beck with plenty of good meadow land around is most likely why the Vikings chose to settle here, giving them the opportunity to make a living out of mixed and pastoral farming.