Coldingham Monastery Viking Tragedy

When the nuns at the Coldingham monastery in Scotland learned that the Vikings were going to raid them, they resorted to a desperate measure and cut off their noses and upper lips in an effort to avoid potential rape and maintain their chastity. This was in 867 A.D. However, the Vikings, horrified by the gruesome sight, responded by burning down the monastery with all the nuns inside.

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