Athelstan Takes Centre Stage as Malmesbury gets ready for the Athelstan 1100 – 27 events over 24 days!
Residents, volunteers and businesses in Malmesbury are getting ready to host a bumper programme of 27 events. It’s all to mark the 1100th anniversary of the accession of King Athelstan – the first King of England. And it all begins on Friday June 28.
This weekend will kick off four weekends of events – many of them free. All involving more than 100 local businesses and community organisations. There’s 2,500 tickets reserved for talks and performances and 1,000s of visitors are expected at free events. All including:
- Over 150 ‘diggers’ for Malmesbury’s Big Athelstan Dig), 80 artworks displayed on banners
- Exhibits of international at the Athelstan Museum
- 25 degree students involved as part of their studies
- 200 re-enactors
- 300m of bunting
- New trails across 100 miles of footpaths and cycle paths and over 100 volunteers.
Leading historians of the world
This small Wiltshire town will also host four of the world’s leading historians on King Athelstan and Anglo Saxon history:
- Author and podcaster Tom Holland
- Writer and documentary maker Michael Wood OBE
- Author Professor Sarah Foot and ….
- … Phil Harding, field archaeologist with Wessex Archaeology. But best known for his role on the popular tv series Time Team (now Time Team Digital).
Phil will be on hand to look and talk about some of the finds during the first weekend of events, known as the Big Athelstan Dig. It will involve twelve test pits being dug in and around the town with members of the public digging, guided and supported by Cotswold Archaeology and a trail for visitors. It’s well known that King Athelstan lies in Malmesbury Abbey. Although his remains got moved two hundred years after his death and their location now remains a mystery.
Said Phil, ‘It’ll be an opportunity for local people to have first hand experience of their past through digging holes in the ground, under proper supervision. I’m looking forward to coming to Malmesbury to see what they find’.
An extraordinary exhibition
There’ll also be an extraordinary exhibition of rare Athelstan artifacts at the Athelstan Museum. The first of its kind in the world – on display from July 2.
Cllr Campbell Ritchie said: ‘We’ve called our anniversary project Athelstan 1100. We’re excited that after almost two years in the planning we’re ready to showcase Malmesbury on the national and international stage. And welcome thousands of visitors to our events throughout July. Our town was of exceptional importance in the Anglo Saxon period.
‘Thank you to the many people who’ve come together to make this all possible. They’ve put on a series of main events and pop-up events, walks and trails which offer appeal and experiences to all, with many free to attend.
Good vibrations
‘Everywhere you go in Malmesbury in the next month will have an ‘Athelstan’ vibe. From our shops promoting Athelstan 1100 and locally produced goods such as:
- T-shirts
- Sausages and pies
- Ice-cream and fudge
- Tea towels, ceramics, bags, beer, publications, books and information.
Not forgetting the banners, bunting, the museum exhibition, Big Athelstan Dig, craft fair, picnic, re-enactments, performances and talks.’
924 AD
It was in 924 AD that Athelstan, the grandson of Alfred the Great, became king of Mercia and Wessex, the first steps on his journey to becoming the first King of England. His relationship with Malmesbury lie deep in the DNA of the town and he chose Malmesbury Abbey as his buriel place.
2024 marks 1100 years since Athelstan became King. And a team of community organisations, local schools and individuals have worked together to create a series of events to mark this iconic moment. They include:
- The Athelstan Museum
- Malmesbury Town Council
- The Warden and Freemen of Malmesbury – who trace their origins to Athelstan
- Malmesbury History Society
- Wessex Week
- Malmesbury Abbey
- Athelstan Players
The events
- The first weekend, 29th and 30th June, showcases the opening of the Athelstan Pilgrim Way. That’s 100 miles of footpaths and cycleways linking churches across North Wiltshire. There’ll be a performance by junior school pupils in the abbey and the launch of an album of songs by local musicians inspired by the characters and events in Malmesbury’s historical past. And the start of the talks programme.
- July 6 and 7 will be Malmesbury’s Big Athelstan Dig with community archaeology at sites around town – even in people’s gardens! Visitors will be able to follow a trail and meet professional archaeologists who will help interpret finds.
- July 13 and 14 will feature dramatic live performances at Malmesbury Abbey telling how Athelstan became the First King of England. Malmesbury’s beautiful cloister gardens will be buzzing with a children-focused Big Athelstan picnic and an immersive Anglo-Saxon food, drink and craft fair.
- July 20 and 21 will see the creation of ‘Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury’. That’s a re-enactment village and hands on experiences, in Malmesbury’s river-side park at St Aldhelm’s Mead. And the opportunity to see Athelstan’s Anglo-Saxon warriors in action.
For more information visit: https://athelstan1100.co.uk
