Re-enactment Rounds Off Athelstan 1100. Malmesbury’s month long Athelstan 1100 celebrations ended with a re-enactment of an Anglo Saxon battle. The battle took place alongside an Anglo-Saxon village in the town’s riverside St Aldhelm’s Mead.
The full display of Anglo-Saxon living, included:
- Cooking
- Baking
- Weaving and making
- Plus stirring battle-re-enactments
Hundreds of residents and visitors enjoyed the opportunity to discover how people lived their lives in Malmesbury over 1000 years ago.
A town hall transformed
On Saturday Malmesbury’s Town Hall underwent a transformation into an Anglo-Saxon feasting hall. There, more than 100 people from the town gathered to enjoy a meal put on by the team at the Old Bell Hotel. Evensong at Malmesbury Abbey rounded off the weekend.
Athelstan 1100 project lead Cllr Campbell Ritchie said:
This was a great way to finish our events marking the 1100th anniversary of Athelstan becoming King and his special relationship with Malmesbury.
‘The re-enactors of Regia Anglorum, who live and breathe the Anglo-Saxon period, were brilliantly engaging and informative. They provided a great opportunity to see beyond the words and pictures in text books. Visitors got a feel for the period of Athelstan and the people who are part of our rich history.
‘We’ve had a great month. We’ve enjoyed internationally famous speakers. There’s been Malmesbury’s Big Athelstan Dig, which still has its finds to reveal. Not forgetting of course:
- The banners
- Art and drama and films
- Publications
- The markets and picnics that have filled our high street and open spaces around town.
‘This was alongside the world class Athelstan exhibition in the Athelstan Museum. And not forgetting the opening of new permanent visitor attractions, including Malmesbury’s Athelstan Trail and the Athelstan Pilgrim Way, with a statue to come.
‘I’d like to thank everyone who has helped make Athelstan 1100 so far reaching and engaging.’
The Athelstan 1100 project was a huge community event involving 100s of volunteers and businesses.
For more information about the project visit https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/
Hundreds of residents and visitors enjoyed the opportunity to discover how people lived their lives in Malmesbury over 1000 years ago.
