This dataset contains water content and loss-on-ignition data from five Late Glacial to present sediment cores recovered from the northern shore of Schweriner See (See = Lake, NE Germany). The cores (3.0–4.6 m long, 5 cm diameter) were collected using a percussion coring system from different geomorphological positions, including beach ridges, a lake terrace, and the base of a shore slope. One core (Döpe19/1) was obtained from the northeastern shore of Schweriner Außensee in the Döpe area, while four cores (HoVie05–HoVie08) were recovered from the Hohen Viecheln area in the north shore of Schweriner Außensee. The sediment cores were subsampled at 2 cm resolution. Water content and loss on ignition analyses were performed on 2–3 g of sediment placed in ceramic crucibles. Water content was determined after drying samples for 24 hours at 105 °C in a drying oven, while loss on ignition was calculated following combustion of organic matter for 4 hours at 550 °C in a muffle furnace.