Athelstan 1100

What a great way to finish Malmesbury's month long Athelstan 1100 celebrations! A huge thanks to the re-enactors of Regia Anglorum and the hundreds who came each day to see 'Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury' in St Aldhelm's Mead.

The world class Athelstan exhibition in the Athelstan Museum Malmesbury is open until the end of September and the summer holidays are an opportunity to enjoy the new permanent visitor attractions, including Malmesbury's Athelstan Trail and the Athelstan Pilgrim Way. If you haven’t picked up your free copies of the Malmesbury Times, all five will shortly be available for free at our sales points across town.

Another huge thank you to everyone who has taken part in Athelstan 1100 so far and all our community organisations, businesses and volunteers who have helped make it happen.

And here is to a fantastic Malmesbury WOMAD, Carnival in August, Flying Monk Arts Trail and High Street Gallery in September and Wessex Week in October….

Here today! Gone tomorrow! St Aldhelm's Mead. Now until 4:30pm. Come and enjoy.

Athelstan 1100: This Weekend in Malmesbury

Today 7:30pm: Paul Hill – What Was Warfare Like in Athelstan’s Time? Malmesbury Town Hall. £10. A few tickets left and on the door possible.

Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 to 4:30pm. Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury. Come and meet our huge cast of Anglo-Saxon re-enactors recreating the time of Athelstan at St Aldhelm’s Mead.

Saturday and Sunday: Athelstan Museum Malmesbury. Call in and see the amazing Athelstan 1100 exhibition. Sat 10:30am to 4:00pm. Sun 11:30am to 3:30pm. Free. Malmesbury Town Hall.

Sunday: 2:00pm. Pop-Up Athelstan 1100 Cinema. Our five new short films made especially for Athelstan 1100. 40 mins. Free. Malmesbury Town Hall.

Sunday: 6:30pm. Evensong at Malmesbury Abbey. To mark the ending of this round of Athelstan 1100. Free

We’re looking forward to seeing you!

We are into the final week.

The third edition of the Malmesbury Times, highlighting key points in Athelstans reign, is out today. Pick up your copy at Athelstan Museum, Brooks, Caerbladon, Fabric Shack, Town and Tourist Information Centre at Malmesbury Town Hall, or the Wild Food Co. The final two editions will be out on Saturday and Sunday at Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury in St Aldhelm's Mead. Along with around 200 Anglo-Saxon re-enactors from Regia Anglorum are setting up an Anglo-Saxon village. Come and visit between 10:00am and 4:30pm each day experiences and demonstrations of Anglo-Saxon life. It's free to attend and absolutely not to be missed!

Grab a return for Sam Entwisle talking about Staying Well in Anglo Saxon Malmesbury at The Old Bell tonight, snap up a ticket to be with the brilliant Paul Hill talking about Anglo-Saxon Warfare in the Age of Athelstan on Friday at 7:30pm at the Town Hall, and get yourself one of the last tickets to the pop-up Athelstan 1100 Anglo-Saxon Feast on Saturday at the Town Hall.

Look out for the pop up Athelstan Cinema (Thursday at 1:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm in the Town Hall, Guided Walk Around Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury (Thursday at 2:30pm, meet at the Town Hall), children's workshop at 11:00am on Saturday at The Three Cups, enjoy the new Athelstan Trail, and visit the amazing exhibition about Athelstan in the Museum.

Go to https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing or Malmesbury Town Hall for tickets and more information or https://three-cups.co.uk/ for the Saturday children's workshop.

PS: Thank you to the Kings Arms for hosting us and the absolutely superb storyteller Stephe Harrop at our packed out event on Monday night.

What a final week ahead!

On Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st July around 200 Anglo-Saxon re-enactors from Regia Anglorum will be in Malmesbury. They are setting up an Anglo-Saxon village in Malmesbury's beautiful St Aldhelm's Mead. Come and visit between 10:00am and 4:30pm each day for hands on experiences, demonstrations of Anglo-Saxon life and, at around 3:00pm each day, witness a battle re-enactment! Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury is free to attend and absolutely not to be missed!

Look out for the pop up Athelstan Cinema, Guided Walk Around Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury, children's workshop at 11:00am on Saturday at The Three Cups, enjoy the new Athelstan Trail, visit the amazing exhibition about Athelstan in the Museum and take your last chance to catch one of our great speakers.

There are a couple of returns to grab for professional story teller Stephe Harrop and her 'Unladylike Tales from the Age of Aethflaed' at the Kings Arms tonight at 8:00pm, Sam Entwisle on Anglo-Saxon Cures and Remedies at The Old Bell at 7:30pm on Wednesday and Paul Hill on the facts and mythology of Anglo-Saxon warfare at 7:30pm on Friday at the Town Hall. All £10.

And did we mention the pop up Athelstan 1100 Feast at the Town Hall on Saturday at 7:30pm? There are just 6 tickets left.

Go to https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing or Malmesbury Town Hall for tickets and more information or https://three-cups.co.uk/ for the Saturday children's workshop.

PS: We hope you enjoyed last weekend. Huge congratulations to Julie and Chris Exton for the themed Craft Market, Debbie Shipp for the Big Athelstan Picnic and the cast and crew of 'Athelstan - A United Kingdom' led by Paul Overton, Alan Nixon and Andy Duncan for four packed brilliant 5 star shows in the Abbey. And all our event volunteers for helping it all happen.

Today is Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Picnic. 12 noon to 4:00pm in the Cloister Gardens.

There are just 10 tickets left for Athelstan - A United Kingdom at 7:00pm. Last chance to see! All the other shows have been full. And it is a great show! https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing

Ticket Availability Update: Be quick. We have a small number of returns on our website available for:

Today: Athelstan - A United Kingdom: 4:00pm and 7:00pm. Malmesbury Abbey. Free

Sunday: Athelstan - A United Kingdom: 4:00pm. Malmesbury Abbey. Free. PLUS There are still @20 tickets for 7:00pm. Free.

Monday: Storytelling: Delight and Dread: Unladylike Tales from the Age of Aethelflaed. Kings Arms. 8:00pm. £10

Wednesday: Staying Well in Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury. The Old Bell. 7:30pm. £10

Friday: Athelstan and Malmesbury. 3:00pm Rausing Building. £10

Friday: What was Warfare Like in Athelstan's Age? 7:30pm Malmesbury Town Hall. £10. Last few tickets.

All at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing

A couple of Pop-Ups:

Sarah Foot, author of 'Athelstan - The First King of England' is at Barn Owl Books in Oxford Street for a book signing from 3:30pm to 4:30pm today.

The Cosy Cone have started selling their new Honey and Apple flavour Athelstan 1100 inspired ice-cream.

On Saturday we're looking forward to seeing everyone at the Anglo-Saxon themed food drink and craft fair at Market Cross and Cloister Gardens - 10:00 am to 4:00pm

On Sunday we're looking forward to seeing everyone at Athelstan's Big Picnic on Sunday, 12:00noon to 4:00pm.

There is lot's to see and do at both right in the heart of Malmesbury this weekend!

Plus: Athelstan - A United Kingdom at the Abbey. There are still a few tickets for the 7:00pm on Sunday show. It's a 50 minute run time so locals can be home for the start of the football, stirred by the story of the First King of England! And for those who don't have football at the top of their list - what a great alternative, plus the opportunity to enjoy a drink afterwards at our bar in Cloister Gardens...

Athelstan 1100 What’s On Today and into the Weekend.

Today 1:00pm: Pop Up Cinema – 5 short films created for Athelstan 1100 – 40 mins run time. 1:00pm Town Hall. Free
Today 2:30pm: Guided Walk – Athelstan’s Malmesbury. 2:30pm Town Hall. Contributions welcome.
Today 7:30pm: Talk – Oliver Ross. The Battle of Belief (The competing fortunes of Christianity v Paganism in the Anglo-Saxon period). 7:30pm United Reform Church. £10. Almost sold out. Some tickets will be available on the door.

Saturday: 10:00am to 4:00pm. The Anglo-Saxon Themed Food, Drink and Craft Fair. Market Cross and Cloister Gardens. Free.

Saturday 11:00am to 12:00 noon. Crown Making with Make it Malmesbury. The Three Cups. Free. Booking advised www.three-cups.co.uk

Sunday: 10:00am to 4:00pm. Athelstan’s Big Children’s Picnic. Cloister Gardens. Free. (Pick up packs and recipes for the Big Athelstan Bake-Off at the Town Hall and Wild Food Co).
Sunday: 7:00pm: Athelstan – A United Kingdom. Abbey. Last few tickets. All other shows full. Running time 50 mins. Live locally and you’ll be home in time for the football.

The second edition of the Malmesbury Times is out now. Pick up your copy. Free.

Malmesbury's Athelstan Trail is open. Pick up a Trail Guide at the Town and Tourist Information Centre in the the Town Hall. Free.

The fantastic Athelstan Museum Malmesbury Athelstan 1100 exhibition is open. Located in the Town Hall. Free.

All at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing

Here is a few new Pop-Up Athelstan 1100 events. All the info is at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing

The Athelstan 1100 Pop Up Cinema at Malmesbury Town Hall: Five super short films inspired by Athelstan 1100. We've been working with Miranda Shirnia and the Malmesbury Natural History Group and students from Boom Satsuma film school. Total running time 40 minutes. Free. Thursday 11th July and Thursday 16th July at 1:00pm and Sunday 21st July at 2:00pm.

Malmesbury’s Athelstan Trail: a free multi-media trail into Malmesbury’s Anglo-Saxon past that can be enjoyed on your smartphone on any visit to Malmesbury and your PC at home. For July, August and September there are also Malmesbury’s Athelstan Trail information boards at key locations around the town. Pick up your free Malmesbury Athelstan Trail Guide at the Town and Tourist Information Centre. Or just click on the QR code and choose Malmesbury's Athelstan Trail on your smartphone or go to https://exploremalmesbury.com/ #/trails

Guided Walks - Join a local history expert for a Guided Walk Around Anglo-Saxon Malmesbury. Discover why Athelstan had a special relationship with our town. Find out why Malmesbury became the most important Anglo-Saxon town in Wiltshire. Solve riddles, see where Eilmer, our flying monk, landed and walk in Anglo-Saxon footsteps. The Walk will take about 90 minutes and cover just over a mile. Walk ups welcome if spaces available. Thursday 11th July and Thursday 18th July at 2:30pm. Meet at Malmesbury Town Hall. Donations welcome.

The Athelstan 1100 Feast! We couldn't let Athelstan 1100 pass without a feast! Join us at our Feasting Hall in Malmesbury Town Hall. Anglo-Saxon style three course catering is by The Old Bell Hotel and will include vegetarian options. There will be re-enactors present and 'other things'. Looking the part is encouraged. Mead, Athelstan Ale and Wine will be available. It should be a great night! Tickets are £35.00 each. Saturday 20th July at 7:30pm. Less than 20 tickets left. Book Now.

Thank you for your support

Thanks BBC Wiltshire for the mention and more press coverage about Athelstan Pilgrim Way!

Walkers take to new King Athelstan Pilgrimage route People explore the new King Athelstan Pilgrim route across Wiltshire.

This weekend is Malmesbury’s Athelstan 1100 weekend! The Anglo-Saxon themed Food, Drink and Craft Fair on Saturday, Athelstan’s Big Children’s Picnic on Sunday and 'Athelstan – A United Kingdom' on Saturday and Sunday. All are free (but you do need tickets for 'Athelstan – A United Kingdom').

Here’s some important information:
Athelstan – A United Kingdom. Four performances only at the Abbey. 500 out of 600 tickets are claimed. Get yours at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing . This show is going to be the stuff of legends.

The Food Drink and Craft Fair is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday in the Cloister Gardens, Market Cross and Birdcage Walk. Lots of great things to see and do.

Athelstan’s Big Children’s Picnic is from 12 noon to 4:00pm in the Cloister Gardens – there are a few free Athelstan Bake-Off packs still available at the Town Hall and Wild Food Co. The competition is hotting up judging by the number of packs already picked up. Three classes: 5 to 9, 10-14 and 14 plus. Plus loads of fun things on the day.

Plus: There are a few tickets still available for:

Anne Goodyer and her talk, ‘Finding Athelstan in Malmesbury’ at 2:30pm tomorrow, Tuesday 9th at the Town Hall. Tickets £10 at the Town Hall and the website.

Oliver Ross and his talk on ‘Athelstan and the Battle of Belief’ at the URC on Thursday at 7:30pm. Tickets £10 at the Town Hall and the website.

Malmesbury’s Athelstan Big Dig Update: What a two days! We have had great finds across the thirteen dig sites, well over a hundred Malmesbury residents and visitors getting their first taste of hands-on archaeology and hundreds of visitors, (including Time Team star Phil Harding), to each of the sites and the Finds Centre in the Town Hall.

A huge thanks to Cotswold Archaeology and their team who worked with us at the weekend, each property owner, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Phil Harding, the organising team, Red Drone, Fiona Scott Associates, Malmesbury Town Council, and all the volunteers who help make it happen.

The finds and the dig sites are now being recorded by Cotswold Archaeology and more news will follow. Plus, we had the announcement of the dating of recent finds from close to the Abbey that transforms our understanding of the birth of Malmesbury Abbey in the seventh and eight centuries! And lots of fun!

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig Update: At the Finds Centre: FREE for children: The King's Number One Digger badges.

PLUS, for the Big Athelstan Picnic next Sunday. You can also pick up your free flour and recipe pack for Athelstan's Big Bake-Off.

Meanwhile, the sites at Roundmead House and 2 Parliament Row are both completed and being filled and are now closed for the rest of the day. There are 11 Test Pit Sites, 3 explanation sites (including Abbey House Gardens and the Find Centre open.

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig. Update for Day 2: TODAY!

It will be a bit damp this morning but the digging is continuing. The sites will be open from 10:30am to 4:00pm, but please bear with us if any have to be temporarily closed to visitors because of conditions.

The Finds Centre at the Town Hall is now brimming with yesterday’s finds and much more!

Thanks to Kevin Steele and Red Drone for the pictures from yesterday.

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig Update: And that's a wrap for Day 1. There have been some amazing finds from every period of Malmesbury's history. What will we find tomorrow as we dig deeper? Come along and find out. The sites and the Finds Centre are open from 10:30am to 4:00pm.

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig update: The weather has improved! And finds are being found. The dig sites are open until 4:00pm today and from 10:30am to 4:00pm tomorrow. Get yourself to the Finds Centre in the Town Hall as well. Great buzz!

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig Update: The weather isn't being kind but digging is starting as scheduled and most sites will be open for viewing from 10:30am as scheduled. The activity during the day will be determined by how the weather goes and may be suspended from time to time. This also means some sites may be closed to visitors from time to time. Thank you for your understanding. Thanks.

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig leaflets are in the Town and Tourist Information Centre in the Town Hall ready for this weekend. Here is Annie Birnie picking up the very first one!

This is a brilliant exhibition and an amazing achievement by the Athelstan Museum Malmesbury team. Congratulations! And isn't the portrait wall wonderful? The portraits were submiited for the Athelstan 1100 banner project. It is super to see them all displayed toghether.

Malmesbury Athelstan exhibition has British Library loaned items

Malmesbury's Big Athelstan Dig Sites Revealed!

We can now share the locations of the 13 sites where archaeological digs will take place this coming weekend as Malmesbury’s Big Athelstan Dig begins. Three other sites of archaeological interest will also be open to visit.

Archaeologists from Cotswold Archaeology will be in Malmesbury preparing the various test pit sites for excavation on Thursday and Friday with support of students from Malmesbury School who will be learning about the skills and discipline of a dig, the finding, preservation and recording of finds.

Each site will be open to the public from 10.30am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday (July 6 & 7). The sites with real digs taking place with test pits of around a metre square each are as shown on the map. The three other significant places in the town that can also be visited are: St. Helen’s Chapel on Bristol Street; St. Mary’s Hall at The Triangle and Abbey House Manor. Volunteer archaeologists will be on hand at Abbey House Manor to help explain a previously excavated profile and explain the development of the area around the Abbey and the wider landscape around Malmesbury. There will be a special children's dig activity at St Mary's Hall from 11:00am to 3:00pm each day. The Finds Centre will be located in the Town Hall and open at the same time as the digs.

Hard copy versions of the Trail Map will be available in the Town Hall from Friday and at the dig sites when they are open over the weekend. An online version will also be available to download on Friday.

A huge thanks to those who have volunteered to let the digs take place and everyone who has helped make this happen.

Athelstan 1100: Ticketed Event Update

To help your Athelstan 1100 planning. There are still tickets available for the following ticketed events:

Wednesday 3rd July – 7:30pm at the United Reform Church: Jim Storr. Talk. £10. Approaching full.
Tuesday 9th July – 2:30pm at the Town Hall: Anne Goodyer. Talk. £10. Last few tickets
Thursday 11th July – 7:30pm at the United Reform Church: Oliver Ross. Talk. £10. Filling fast.
Saturday 13th July – 7:00pm at the Abbey. Athelstan – A United Kingdom. Performance. Free. Filling fast. (4:00pm performance is full).
Sunday 14th July: 4:00pm and 7:00pm at the Abbey: Athelstan – A United Kingdom. Performance. Free. Both filling fast.
Monday 15th July – 8:00pm at the Kings Arms: Stephe Harrop. Performance. £10. Approaching full.
Wednesday 17th July – 7:30pm at The Old Bell: Sam Enwistle. Talk. £10. Approaching full.
Friday 19th July – 7:30pm at the Town Hall: Paul Hill. Talk. £10. Filling fast.

Tickets at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing and Malmesbury Town Hall.

All our other ticketed events are fully booked. Thank you for your support.

Now available: The Athelstan 1100 Souvenir Guide, exclusive publications and limited edition badges and beermats!

Available only at Athelstan 1100 events and our super sales points around Malmesbury (in alphabetical order) Athelstan Museum, Barn Owl Books, Brooks Independent Funeral Directors, Caerbladon, Fabric Shack, Malmesbury Town and Tourist Information Centre in the Town Hall and the Wild Food Company.

The Souvenir Guide is beautifully produced and illustrated with great features on Athelstan and Malmesbury. Our three high quality illustrated publications have a wide appeal. If you want an introduction to Athelstan or are looking for a good read for age 8 plus, have a look at ‘My Adventures With Athelstan’. If you are intrigued by St Aldhelm, the sparkling, fun, ‘The Riddles of At Aldhelm’ is for you. If you want to find out how things really were? Don’t miss ‘The Women Who Made Athelstan’. And who can resist an Athelstan 1100 badge or set of six beermats for just £1.00?

Also just out – the first edition of the Malmesbury Times 924. Read all about Athelstan becoming king, It’s free, you can pick it up at the sales points and there are four more editions to come in the next three weeks.

Athelstan 1100 has started and thank you to everyone involved in delivering a brilliant first weekend. The Athelstan Museum’s superb Athelstan 1100 exhibition is open during normal Museum hours from Tuesday 2nd July. There are talks this week by Miranda Shirnia on the 2nd July at 2:30pm at the Town Hall and Jim Storr at the URC on the 3rd July at 7:30pm, tickets at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing. Then its Athelstan’s Big Malmesbury Dig on the 6th and 7th July!

Look out for pop up Athelstan 1100 events. Here are a few:
* Kid’s Craft Workshops with Make It Malmesbury at the Three Cups – Saturday’s 11-12 noon www.three-cups.co.uk to book, starting on Saturday.
* The Great Athelstan Bake-off – judging at the Big Athelstan Picnic on 14th July. Pick up the recipe and flour packs at the Town Hall and Wild Food Co.
* The flower display at the Abbey.
* The embroidery on display at the Abbey.
* The photo opportunity thrones in Bird Cage Walk.
* Films inspired by Athelstan 1100.
* Malmesbury’s Athelstan Trail on Explore Malmesbury and signs around town.
* The banner art display at Athelstan Museum, including the Minety Primary School ‘Kings’
* ‘Athelstan and Malmesbury’ Guided walks starting at the Town Hall at 2:30pm on Thursday the 11th and 18th July at 2:30pm
* The Athelstan Feast on Saturday the 20th July at 7:30pm at the Town Hall
* The Athelstan 1100 Evensong at the Abbey on Sunday 21st July at the Abbey
* Anglo-Saxon Stories and Crafts at Malmesbury Library on Wednesday 31st July at 2:30pm.

Athelstan to Aldi Launch Event. Tonight at Town Hall. 7:30pm for 8:00pm. Four returns just received. Get them at https://www.athelstan1100.co.uk/events-ticketing/athelstan-1100-events/music-and-party-athelstan-to-aldi. FREE.

Music and Party: Athelstan to Aldi Supermarine Music and Athelstan 1100 Proudly Present: Athelstan to Aldi A Book Reading and Album Listening Party Supermarine Music are excited to launch ‘Athelstan to Aldi’; a collection of songs...