Suffolk Tourist Guide - Articles
LIFE AND DEATH OF A KINGDOM: EAST ANGLIA 500 - 869 AD
LIFE AND DEATH OF A KINGDOM: EAST ANGLIA 500 - 869 AD
The National Trust’s Sutton Hoo unveils a new exhibition for 2008 from 15th March - 2nd November, in partnership with the British Museum and Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. ‘Life and Death of a Kingdom’ explores the birth, life and death of the Kingdom of East Anglia.
Today some may think of East Anglia as a sleepy agricultural backwater, but for much of its history, the region was a dynamic place, both wealthy and powerful - a prize that many died trying to conquer and defend!
At no time is this truer than during the Anglo-Saxon period. It was then that the region first became known as East Anglia and, for a while, it was the most powerful of all the early English kingdoms. But in 869AD, its army was defeated and Edmund, its king, was killed by Viking invaders. Despite losing its independence a thousand years ago, East Anglia’s separate identity lives on today.
This impressive exhibition traces the often bloody history of the kingdom of East Anglia, from its birth to its death, using a wealth of treasures on loan from regional and national museums. These items are some of the most precious and most important artefacts to have been made and used in the area.
Highlights of this year’s exhibition at Sutton Hoo include a number of significant objects on loan from Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, including the enigmatic Spong Man, the earliest model of a person from Anglo-Saxon England, as well as dazzling gold and garnet jewellery like the Harford Farm brooch.
Dr Tim Pestell, Curator of the exhibition and Assistant Keeper of Archaeology at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery explains the importance of this partnership exhibition; “This exhibition demonstrates that Norwich Castle is committed to building on its existing partnership relationship with the British Museum and to display its material to wider audiences in East Anglia. We have been delighted to curate this exhibition, which brings together some of the finest treasures made and used in Anglo-Saxon East Anglia, and to tell the story of one of the richest and most interesting regions in England.”
Diana Hughes, Curator of Aldeburgh Museum, adds; "This exhibition is the first time that objects from the royal ship burial at Snape in Suffolk, have gone on display alongside those discovered from the great ship burial at Sutton Hoo, which is most appropriate."
On loan from the British Museum this year, is the gold and garnet shoulder-clasps and ‘sceptre’, which were originally discovered at Sutton Hoo on the eve of the Second World War. They are thought to be part of the regalia of King Raedwald, East Anglia’s most powerful king.
The shoulder clasps are masterpieces of early medieval jewellery making. They are constructed of gold inlaid with red garnets and blue glass in an exquisite geometric pattern with stylised boars. They were probably used to hold together a leather or fabric breast plate in the style of a Roman emperor. The sceptre is a massive sharpening stone, suitable for sharpening a sword. It is terminated with the heads of ancestors or gods and topped with a bronze stag. Its use was probably more symbolic than practical.
The new temporary exhibition will add to the permanent display in the exhibition hall, which tells the compelling story of Anglo Saxon warriors, treasures and kings. The National Trust hopes that it will generate a great deal of interest from its visitors and encourage them to think about whether or not East Anglia still has a true identity.
“We want to know what East Anglia means to people today” explains Angus Wainwright, Regional Archaeologist for the National Trust. “The Kingdom of East Anglia was made up of the North Folk (Norfolk) and the South Folk (Suffolk) and they shared one common identity. Nowadays, there is more of a divide, a prime example can be seen during the Ipswich Town vs Norwich City derby, which generates great emotional strength and feeling for some.”
So, in a landscape that has inspired artists from John Constable to Benjamin Britten, what is it that sums up our region - is it rolling arable farmland, wide open skies, picturesque rivers and estuaries, the bleak beauty of our coastline with its shingle and sand, Reggie’s Pea Stall on Norwich Market, real ale, the ‘Canaries’, ‘Tractor Boys’ or something else?
To find out more and share your thoughts, visit Sutton Hoo. The exhibition will run from Saturday 15 March to Sunday 2 November. Sutton Hoo is open to the public from 10.30am - 5pm from Wednesday to Sunday and daily during the local school holidays.
The exhibition is jointly presented by the British Museum, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery and the National Trust.
SUTTON HOO
Sutton Hoo is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country – described as ‘page one of English history’. On a spur of land overlooking the River Deben, it was here in 1939 that local archaeologist Basil Brown, uncovered the now famous Anglo Saxon treasure hoard, which consisted of a warrior’s helmet, shield and gold ornaments in the remains of a burial chamber of a 90ft ship. Following its discovery, this treasure was given to the nation and has since been on display in the British Museum. However, thanks to a unique arrangement between the National Trust and the British Museum, items from the dig return to Sutton Hoo on loan each year.
See Sutton Hoo
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
The leading national museum for archaeological collections. At an inquest held after the end of the excavations in 1939, Mrs Edith Pretty, landowner at Sutton Hoo was declared rightful owner of the Sutton Hoo ship treasure. She bequeathed this treasure to the nation and the entire collection is held by British Museum. Much of it can be seen on display.
NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM
Norwich Castle has long been recognised as holding one of the most significant archaeology collections in Eastern England, and in recent years has acted as a leading ‘Hub’ museum in the region.
THE ALDEBURGH MUSEUM
The contents of the Snape Ship Burial excavated in 1862/3 by the land owner Septimus Davidson, together with three other local men, are presently on display in the Aldeburgh Museum, which is housed in The Moot Hall, Aldeburgh. It is most appropriate that items from Snape, including the glass claw beaker, should be included in the exhibition at Sutton Hoo this March.
The National Trust’s Sutton Hoo unveils a new exhibition for 2008 from 15th March - 2nd November, in partnership with the British Museum and Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. ‘Life and Death of a Kingdom’ explores the birth, life and death of the Kingdom of East Anglia.
Today some may think of East Anglia as a sleepy agricultural backwater, but for much of its history, the region was a dynamic place, both wealthy and powerful - a prize that many died trying to conquer and defend!
At no time is this truer than during the Anglo-Saxon period. It was then that the region first became known as East Anglia and, for a while, it was the most powerful of all the early English kingdoms. But in 869AD, its army was defeated and Edmund, its king, was killed by Viking invaders. Despite losing its independence a thousand years ago, East Anglia’s separate identity lives on today.
This impressive exhibition traces the often bloody history of the kingdom of East Anglia, from its birth to its death, using a wealth of treasures on loan from regional and national museums. These items are some of the most precious and most important artefacts to have been made and used in the area.
Highlights of this year’s exhibition at Sutton Hoo include a number of significant objects on loan from Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, including the enigmatic Spong Man, the earliest model of a person from Anglo-Saxon England, as well as dazzling gold and garnet jewellery like the Harford Farm brooch.
Dr Tim Pestell, Curator of the exhibition and Assistant Keeper of Archaeology at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery explains the importance of this partnership exhibition; “This exhibition demonstrates that Norwich Castle is committed to building on its existing partnership relationship with the British Museum and to display its material to wider audiences in East Anglia. We have been delighted to curate this exhibition, which brings together some of the finest treasures made and used in Anglo-Saxon East Anglia, and to tell the story of one of the richest and most interesting regions in England.”
Diana Hughes, Curator of Aldeburgh Museum, adds; "This exhibition is the first time that objects from the royal ship burial at Snape in Suffolk, have gone on display alongside those discovered from the great ship burial at Sutton Hoo, which is most appropriate."
On loan from the British Museum this year, is the gold and garnet shoulder-clasps and ‘sceptre’, which were originally discovered at Sutton Hoo on the eve of the Second World War. They are thought to be part of the regalia of King Raedwald, East Anglia’s most powerful king.
The shoulder clasps are masterpieces of early medieval jewellery making. They are constructed of gold inlaid with red garnets and blue glass in an exquisite geometric pattern with stylised boars. They were probably used to hold together a leather or fabric breast plate in the style of a Roman emperor. The sceptre is a massive sharpening stone, suitable for sharpening a sword. It is terminated with the heads of ancestors or gods and topped with a bronze stag. Its use was probably more symbolic than practical.
The new temporary exhibition will add to the permanent display in the exhibition hall, which tells the compelling story of Anglo Saxon warriors, treasures and kings. The National Trust hopes that it will generate a great deal of interest from its visitors and encourage them to think about whether or not East Anglia still has a true identity.
“We want to know what East Anglia means to people today” explains Angus Wainwright, Regional Archaeologist for the National Trust. “The Kingdom of East Anglia was made up of the North Folk (Norfolk) and the South Folk (Suffolk) and they shared one common identity. Nowadays, there is more of a divide, a prime example can be seen during the Ipswich Town vs Norwich City derby, which generates great emotional strength and feeling for some.”
So, in a landscape that has inspired artists from John Constable to Benjamin Britten, what is it that sums up our region - is it rolling arable farmland, wide open skies, picturesque rivers and estuaries, the bleak beauty of our coastline with its shingle and sand, Reggie’s Pea Stall on Norwich Market, real ale, the ‘Canaries’, ‘Tractor Boys’ or something else?
To find out more and share your thoughts, visit Sutton Hoo. The exhibition will run from Saturday 15 March to Sunday 2 November. Sutton Hoo is open to the public from 10.30am - 5pm from Wednesday to Sunday and daily during the local school holidays.
The exhibition is jointly presented by the British Museum, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery and the National Trust.
SUTTON HOO
Sutton Hoo is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country – described as ‘page one of English history’. On a spur of land overlooking the River Deben, it was here in 1939 that local archaeologist Basil Brown, uncovered the now famous Anglo Saxon treasure hoard, which consisted of a warrior’s helmet, shield and gold ornaments in the remains of a burial chamber of a 90ft ship. Following its discovery, this treasure was given to the nation and has since been on display in the British Museum. However, thanks to a unique arrangement between the National Trust and the British Museum, items from the dig return to Sutton Hoo on loan each year.
See Sutton Hoo
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
The leading national museum for archaeological collections. At an inquest held after the end of the excavations in 1939, Mrs Edith Pretty, landowner at Sutton Hoo was declared rightful owner of the Sutton Hoo ship treasure. She bequeathed this treasure to the nation and the entire collection is held by British Museum. Much of it can be seen on display.
NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM
Norwich Castle has long been recognised as holding one of the most significant archaeology collections in Eastern England, and in recent years has acted as a leading ‘Hub’ museum in the region.
THE ALDEBURGH MUSEUM
The contents of the Snape Ship Burial excavated in 1862/3 by the land owner Septimus Davidson, together with three other local men, are presently on display in the Aldeburgh Museum, which is housed in The Moot Hall, Aldeburgh. It is most appropriate that items from Snape, including the glass claw beaker, should be included in the exhibition at Sutton Hoo this March.