Incredible South West treasure find to go on display

A “remarkable” hoard of coins from around 1066 is set to find a permanent home in Somerset where they were found.

The hoard of 2,584 silver pennies was found by metal detectorists in the Chew Valley in 2019 and it is the highest value treasure find ever — valued at £4.3m. Coins from the hoard will go on display at the British Museum from November 26 and will tour museums in the UK including Bath, before finding a permanent home at the Museum of Somerset, as SomersetLive reports.

The coins date from 1066 to about 1068, and are believed to have been buried for safe keeping during the chaos of the Norman conquest. About half bear the face of Harold Godwinson and the other half bear the face of William the Conqueror.

The hoard contains twice as many coins of Harold Godwinson — England’s last Saxon king — than had ever been found before. Three coins are “mules, ”coins with a different king on each side, of which one depicts Edward the Confessor.

The heritage minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “This remarkable hoard gives us unique insight into our country's rich history and one of the most important moments in our history, when these islands were thrown into turmoil by the Norman Conquest. The Treasure Act 1996 ensures that these coins, dating back to 1066, will be displayed in Museums across the UK before residing in Somerset, giving people from different regions the opportunity to see this extraordinary treasure, learn more about our past and protect this part of our heritage for future generations.”

Seven people discovered the treasure while metal detecting in the Chew Valley area of Bath and North East Somerset on January 26 2019. They reported the find via the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme.

The acquisition and associated engagement project were possible by a £4.4m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and £150k from Art Fund, alongside “smaller but vital grants” from the Friends of The Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society. Collections cared for by the South West Heritage Trust are permanently owned by Somerset Council.

Somerset Council leader, Cllr Bill Revans said: “We are absolutely delighted to bring the Chew Valley Hoard to the people of Somerset. The county has a rich heritage and this acquisition will help bring history to life; residents and visitors will be able to engage with the hoard through learning activities and workshops.

“As a former history teacher, I am excited by the educational benefits that seeing the hoard in the Museum of Somerset will bring to generations of school children. We look forward to seeing this remarkable collection of coins inspire programming and participation in a variety of community spaces and welcoming the permanent display at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.”

Harold Godwinson was crowned in 1066 but was famously killed later that year at the Battle of Hastings, where William the Conqueror invaded and began Norman rule of England. William’s grandson Henry du Blois established Taunton’s Norman stone castle, which today houses the Museum of Somerset where the coins from the period of his grandfather’s conquest will soon be housed.