1,100 years after the accession of Anglo-Saxon King Athelstan to the throne, artefacts dating back more than 1,000 years are being put on display at a Wiltshire museum to celebrate his life.
The Athelstan Museum in Malmesbury displays artefacts on loan from the British Museum and the Ashmolean Museum for the Athelstan 1100 exhibition.
Period manuscripts, Saxon sword hilts and medieval objects from the Victoria and Albert Museum were also part of the exhibition.
The site said it had beefed up security and added volunteers to its rotation.
- author, Sophie Parker
- role, BBC News, Malmesbury
Athelstan was the first king of all of England, reigning from 924 until his death in 939, and was buried at Malmesbury.
Museum trustee Maria Marsh’s favourite item was a replica sword displayed in a case next to the hilt of the real thing, on loan from Oxford’s famous Ashmolean Museum.
She said, “That’s [the original] There are some small animals, although they are quite rare.
“If you go into a museum and look, you’ll see little statues of animals.
“There are snakes, dragons, and some that look like dogs.”
The British Library has loaned for the exhibition a charter from 939 which records his grants of land to his subjects.
One side is written in Latin and the other in Old English.
Because the documents are over 1,000 years old, they are displayed in special frames and the museum has had to dim the lights to protect them.
Two medieval objects used to make wax seals are also in the cabinet, on loan from the V&A.
Although they date from the 1400s, several centuries later, they depict King Athelstan and show that 500 years later he remained an important figure to his people, particularly the monastery from which the seal originated.
“They still remembered him and respected him. Even after everything that happened with Norman, they still came back to him,” Marsh said.
Image source, Athelstan Museum
There are also Anglo-Saxon coins, archaeological artefacts and metal detector finds.
These range from finely carved pieces of bone the size of postage stamps to buckles.
Local schoolchildren drew pictures of what they thought the king would have looked like, including one that mimicked the magnificent blonde hair he is said to have had.
Additional volunteers were recruited for the exhibition.
Frankie Chisholm, a 20-year-old history student, said she wanted to work in the museum industry and see what happens when you loan art to other museums.
“I loved walking around here when I was younger.”
A series of events will be held in Malmesbury throughout the summer to mark Athelstan 1100.
The exhibition “Athelstan 1100” will run until September 30th.